I had seen Aliens before, a few years ago, but my memory of the film was virtually non-existent until I decided to sit down and actually



I can clearly recall the first movie in the Alien trilogy, Alien, due to having seen it multiple times and perhaps more so because of the tenseness and fear it made me feel upon my first viewing. It was a more claustrophobic, terror-you-can't-see kind of film, and in its essence it is actually a monster film - with the focus being around a single antagonist.

Aliens, is departure from the formula of its predecessor. A departure that I were aware of before the film was released, and were the movies video games instead of cinema, I would of been concerned about - much akin to playing the original Dead Space and enjoying it, and perhaps hearing that Dead Space 2 is to be more action-oriented and less frightening. However, Cameron's takeover of the IP Scott began directing paid off in spades, in my opinion.

Aliens certainly isn't as scary as its prequel was, at all, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable, or not comfortably fit into the universe. The greater scope of the movie and the introduction of the trigger-happy marines don't diminish its quality at all, in fact enhancing it. The action only serves to electrify more stimulation into the experience, and the way the characters have a better fighting chance against the threat instead of only being sitting ducks you're expecting to die turns it into a survival horror of sorts. I find it allows you to root for the protagonists. The slim chance you feel is there for survival due to preparation, equipment and training has you on the edge of your seat waiting or wanting to see them pull it off, instead of you being on the edge of your seat waiting for the next person to inevitably die.

I also love the sets and production. The absence of a total reliance on CGI is extremely healthy. All of the set pieces, machinery, the surface of the planet and so forth look believable and have a real-world quality to them. I feel as though I'm looking at actual material objects, as opposed to being aware that I'm looking at things that are completely generated by computers.



Of course a notable difference from Alien, is that there isn't just one alien. There is an entire hive.
..Its awesome. watch it the other night. I enjoy sci-fi, but as of now I have to say that Aliens is my favourite, and in my opinion one of the very top sci-fi movies ever made.