Space is infinite in your imagination

Rating: 10/10 (10 December 2009)

I don't like the term "science fiction" at all. It conjures up images of socially awkward young men who prefer action figures over human companionship. People from all walks of life can watch a film, even one rooted in some science fact and/or fiction and appreciate the drama, action, humour and whatever else is at the root of it all. "Alien" devours mere genres and spits them out!
"Alien" is as much artist H.R. Giger's film as writers Ronald Shusett's and Dan O'Bannon's (RIP) or director Ridley Scott's or lead Sigourney Weaver's. His designs have influenced modern art (and I mean the best of modern art, not the over-hyped crap!) to an immense degree. The "alien" entities human actors confront right in front of them (or fake a reaction to, because all the digital hocus pocus comes much later in computer files) are never pretty. They almost always provoke a reaction of disgust in an audience and rightly so. Us humans can be quite small as far as our collective humanity goes. Do we really want to consider what extra terrestrials in this universe mean for our survival when we haven't exactly solved our petty disputes here on earth?
This film holds up remarkably well due to a cast that are never less than believable and a script which doesn't drop the ball near the end, not following up the intense emotions with schmaltzy sentiment. The compulsively watchable Tom Skeritt, Yaphet Kotto and Harry Dean Stanton are taking a backseat to Weaver's "Ripley", who proves a lady action hero can be smart, tough and sexy without losing her femininity.
I don't really have anything to say about the sequels. Sometimes a franchise is best left unexplored further when you think the original is unbeatable.