Alien (1979)

Rating: 8/10 (23 April 2009)

From Ridley Scott, the director of Gladiator (2000), Black Hawk Down (2000), Hannibal (2001), American Gangster (2007) & Body of Lies (2008).
A seven member crew are aboard Nostromo, a spaceship. Nostromo is returning to Earth from Thedus but on the way, they pick up what seems to be an S.O.S. They investigate the signal but a creature attaches itself onto one of the crew members face. Desperate, the other crew members take him back on the ship where the creature dies off his face. Soon a small alien finds its way out of his body & runs off into the depths of Nostromo. The crew members are ordered to capture the alien until they realize that the alien has has grown into the perfect killing machine.
Alien (1979) is a classic horror/thriller film. It is also known as the best science fiction film ever.
Anyway, let's get to the points to Alien. The plot is good and is played out better than the story itself. But the film just isn't scary. In 1979 it may have been scary. But now with all the sequels & crossovers...you just know what the alien looks like. So my advice if you haven't seen the sequels or crossovers then you must watch this first.........unless you get bored easily. Because this movie is extremely slow and takes extreme patience to sit through. Yet i'm not saying that Alien is a bad movie. It is far from being a bad movie.
Let me get you started. The acting. Very realistic and VERY good...this film won Oscars! PS the movie stars SIGOURNEY WEAVER. Her character was likable and very strong throughout the film. Funny too. The FX. One word. Incredible!!! Scary. No. But the Alien is scary & mysterious. Also the movie has it's moments. A lot of 'moments'. Suspenseful isn't the best word to describe this film. Intense it is. Tense scenes abound. Also some people have been bashing this film because it's clichéd & stupid & predictable. Well, the film is heavily clichéd & has it's stupid moments but this IS Alien. One of the movies that started the clichés. Let's move on. The location is outstanding. The atmosphere outstanding. Pretty much the whole movie is outstanding. BTW. Don't get over-hyped. You have got to remember, the movie is a very slow SCIFI flick and was made in 1979. So it involves complicated heavy dialog. Another thing, the movie has a classic-gory scene involving a chest & the alien. Also, the rest of the movie is gory but those scenes go quick so keep your eyes peeled. Kinda violent too.
All in all, an outstanding science fiction/horror CLASSIC.
4 out of five stars.
Followed by a sequel Aliens (1986).