the first and best

Rating: 8/10 (27 March 2003)

to me, this is a film which, other than the haircuts, just doesn't age. The first film of the alien saga is easily the best. Or at least, the scariest. Pitting one alien against a crew of seven is a great set-up for some horrible and gruesome battles. But instead, it takes it further and draws the war out, singling out certain members as they leave the crowd, to face the creature on their own. It takes a good while before the action begins but all the build up it what makes the end result so utterly chilling. As soon as one of the main characters "releases" the alien, you know it's only going to get better from there. The sound effects in this movie are the best use of noise ever put on screen. The wind effects, the spaceships, the alien, the computers all have memorable sounds, and the creature design for the alien has become legendary. Undoubtebly one of the scariest films ever made.