Our first encounter with the vicious 'Alien'

Rating: 10/10 (23 January 2002)

The title gives away what this film is about.
The film builds perfectly, and the limited cast of 7 all do well in this film, but there are two stars...Weaver as Ripley and the Alien itself. I would give anything to have seen this film on it's release! This probably scared the hell out of anyone who went to see it!!
The film is full of tension, and the bleak, dark, and creaking Nostromo is a vast hiding place for an Alien that we as an audience and the crew have no acquired info on. It's a new breed and a vicious one at that! Of course the Government KNOW about it's existence (they would wouldn't they!!!) and the ships computer - Mother - mis-informs (or lies as I would put it!!) the crew to go down onto a planet to answer a distress call!! They think their answering a distress call, but it's a warning....oooops!!!
The imagination surrounding the film's concept has to be acknowledged, it's a work of art on all levels. From concept, through to design, and the Alien itself is just terrifying!
Ridley Scott handles this film perfectly, he sets up a claustraphobic atmosphere in most of his scenes and the tension gets almost unbearable!
The main scenes are of course the 'chest bursting' scene and the introduction to the Alien. The scene where Tom Skerritt (Dallas) crawls through those tunnels and eventually meets the Alien. Who knew that a small 'bleep' on a computer screen could create sooooooo much tension???!!!! Well, it does! The final 20 minutes is also a piece of great cinema. Avoid though if you are epileptic, 'cause there's a scene towards the end that will definitely give you a fit! (I'm being sincere! I wouldn't joke about that!)
A great film, a landmark in horror and sci-fi films and it launched the career of Ridley Scott and Sigourney Weaver.
Basically, you can't fault this film.
Perfect 10!
Enjoy!