Darkly atmospheric, if not downright terrifying

Rating: 9/10 (22 January 2005)

I'll start this off by saying that this review is not for the theatrical version, but the extended Director's Cut from the Quadrilogy Collection.
While this movie is some 25 years old, it hardly feels dated at all, aside from the actors appearing so young in comparison to now. Also, aside from "Gorillas In The Mist," this is some of the best work of Sigourney Weaver's career.
Ridley Scott, although relatively new to the cinematic scene at this time with only two theatrical directions under his belt, was prolific in direction through the media of television. While these are two totally different animals, he demonstrated a thorough understanding of the way things should be done. He introduces his characters and builds their development in a nice, easy flow without boring his audience with what can sometimes be a tedious demonstration of humanity.
He introduces his story, gives you a sketchy outline through dialog clever in that it does provide that outline and backdrop of the situation at hand while eluding to what will be coming up, without giving it to you on a silver platter. Obscurity (hiding things in the shadows) is a virtue when building suspense, and he proves with Alien that, even at this early stage of development in his career, he has mastered that phenomenon.
As the tension builds, so the story deepens, providing you with highly suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat moments, and some really good scares, as the story itself is strong enough to draw you in.
The "monster" this time is, as the title would indicate, an Alien, but one the likes of which you've never seen. It is intelligent, bestial, brutal, and yet beautiful. The Alien is born of a pod lovingly laid by its Queen Mother, then reborn by way of a warm-blooded host. Reborn pregnant, it immediately seeks to impregnate another warm-blooded host with its spawn, thereby insuring the proliferation of the Alien species.
Very clever writing, dramatic and carefully controlled performances, some excellent effects, and amazing camera work combine to make this a sure sci-fi/horror classic. We knew it would be, as soon as we saw it.
It rates an 9/10 from...
the Fiend :.