One of the most nerve-wracking films ever made!

Rating: 9/10 (26 June 2003)

Alien' is possibly the ultimate sci-fi/horror film. Containing everything needed to make a great movie, from excellent special effects to extremely tense moments it is one rollercoaster ride that is not to be missed.
Following a distress call the team of the Nostromo crash land on an uncharted planet. While the ship is repaired an away team is sent to investigate the SOS call and begin to explore an alien vessel. During their exploration one of the team is attacked by an unknown life form which attaches itself to his face. Unfortunately they weren't to know the hell that was about to be unleashed.
What can be said about Alien' that hasn't already been said? Ridley Scott's masterpiece (and still his best film in my opinion) stands out against almost all of the recent sci-fi and horror movies as being possibly one of the greatest movies of the last century! Incredibly atmospheric and delightfully watchable, this movie is a must see for genre fans, and for casual movie fans too!
Scott's direction is superb and very little he has produced since has been able to match his accomplishments with Alien'. Terror and despair are created among the confines of a futuristic space ship without resorting to quick shock scares or unbelievably high volume music. Instead Scott manages to create an exceptionally dark and eerie atmosphere by building up suspense and showing little of the creature that is stalking his characters. Personally I believe that the alien creature is the single most realistic looking alien creature I have ever seen and the beauty of Scott's direction is we have little chance to see any different. The way tension is built is reminiscent of the horror classic Halloween' (1978) directed by John Carpenter, yet contains much more style, flair and general suspense than Carpenter's masterpiece. As in both films the `killer' is not on screen too often and therefore remains a deadly figure of mystery. How can you stop the hunter when you don't even know what it is that's hunting you? Intense and persistent fear are created by Scott in this nerve-wracking movie.
Sigourney Weaver played her best ever role here in my opinion as Ripley, no role since has she made her own as much as this. From the onset Ripley comes across as a very tough woman but still sensitive enough for the audience to have sympathy and to connect with her. Unlike many `tough chick' roles that become annoying, Weaver became a character that the viewer became attached to, perhaps even became an idol in a way. Her interaction and mannerisms throughout the film were very believable and all this was aided by a beautifully tight script written by Dan O'Bannon. Never have I seen someone play such a believable character in a futuristic (and therefore currently unbelievable) premise. Weaver was also brilliantly complemented by Tom Skerritt who played Dallas. Their on-screen performances with each other were generally quite dramatic and rather intense which blended well to the feel of the movie. These two great performances accompanied by the delightfully wicked and dark performance from Ian Holm as Science Office Ash leads me to think that Alien' has one of the most brilliantly assembled casts in film history.
Alien' is a suspense packed sci-fi/horror thriller which has to be seen to be believed. If you haven't already seen this movie I highly recommend it and its first sequel (Aliens'). Both films have their own unique charm and attraction and it is obvious in my mind why people debate over which one is better. Personally I prefer this great original and feel that it is definitely one of my Top 10 movies of all time. My rating for Alien'  9.5/10.