A Classic Sci-fi Film That Has A Lot Going For It

Rating: 7/10 (10 August 2014)

Alien is a classic in both the horror and sci-fi genres. It's got some really great stuff in there and is easy to enjoy. But I will say that I don't quite think it's the absolute masterpiece that a lot of people think it is. If you want to really be harsh to the film, it's essentially a typical horror slasher kind of film but in space. I don't think it should be considered that simple, but I do think that's something I noticed and kind of brought it down a little bit for me. But I do think its a super fun film that is certainly a classic.
The plot, while not exactly super original by today's standard, is interesting. It's about a cargo ship in space that is returning to earth and ends up investigating some sort of signal that they pick up on the way, which leads to them picking up a little bit of extra cargo...cargo that kills. It was most likely more original in 1979 than it is now, but regardless I still think it works. The first half of the movie is establishing characters and location and the whole scary situation, and the second half is the intense and frightening stuff. I think for the most part the movie holds up. Yeah, there are a few practical effects that you can totally tell how they did it and see its fake, but somehow even those scenes still work. There are also some really great and intense scenes, such as the ventilation system scene, and when Brett goes to find that cat. These scenes are filled with a sense of dread and really can be scary.
I must say that Sigourney Weaver gives a great performance. She feels like a strong female lead without any of that cheesy "hey look we made a female character really cool" kind of thing going on. It feels natural and is great. She's a likable character and you feel for her in this terrible situation.
Overall, I do understand why this is a classic, it's fun and quite well made, and really gets a lot right. I don't exactly think it's a 10/10 like a lot of people seem to think, but I really do think it's entertaining and influential.