scare tactics

Rating: 9/10 (18 December 2002)

MILD SPOILERS
I don't think however old this film gets, that it will fade anytime soon. Yes, at first I had to work to get myself into the late 70's sci-fi spaceship sets, but towards the end I could have cared less. I got the bejesus scared out of me because of the masterful working of suspense and shock. This is not an action movie, it is a consciously paced thriller. If it were an action film it would not have been nearly as successful. Because of the lulls in excitement, the environment seems much more real. I also enjoyed the initial introduction to the Alien "breeder." The viewer is just as confused about this strange creature as the crew. With that, the film never stops building.
If you really think about the film after viewing it, Alien's suspense builds stepwise throughout the whole movie piece by piece with new events and information. Well crafted. 9/10