An all-time classic that stands the test of time

Rating: Null/10 (14 June 2005)

Alien is one of Ridley Scott's masterpieces. What is so impressive about the film is that the pacing feels exactly right. There is an ideal blend of character development, suspense and then action. For 1979, the special effects are surprisingly good and many years later the film still looks great. The Alien is of course one of cinema's greatest creations, the shape of the creature being unlike any other and holding a wonderful distinctiveness. The storyline is simple, but effective. Corporate greed forces the mining crew to investigate a planet on their way back to earth. Inhabited by scores of strange slimy eggs, one of the crew, John Hurt, is attacked by a reptilian like 'hand with a tail' for want of a better phrase. Stuck to his face it is planting an alien inside him, an alien that spectacularly erupts from him whilst eating dinner! There then follows the rest of the film in which the remaining crew members hunt for the escaped beast, unaware initially that it is growing ever larger and deadlier. One by one the crew are picked off in a series of well executed scenes that are at times subtle and then violent. Sigourney Weaver eventually emerges as the star of the film, the last one left on-board the space ship. Along the way she uncovers the chicanery of Ian Holm's Ash character, who is in fact an android working for the company and operating a myriad of Machiavellian policies. In one of the highlights of the film, she battles with the out of control Ash in a frantic attempt to learn the truth and save her life. The film ends in typically dramatic style and leaves you feeling more than entertained. The next three films in the series were all good efforts, but perhaps this one is the best? Regardless of its ranking, it merits a place in any film fan's collection.