Justifiably considered a classic

Rating: 9/10 (25 May 2006)

Director Ridley Scott's entry in the post-STAR WARS science fiction boom, the box office smash ALIEN ended up carving it's own niche in the genre and became a certifiable film classic in it's right. The film's plot is nothing new or revolutionary in and of it's self (the crew of a spacecraft is trapped onboard with a carnivorous alien who picks them off one by one), but Scott and screenwriter Dan O'Bannon wisely downplay the typical genre gimmickry in favor of a deceptively straightforward narrative. In fact, the film actually plays more like a psychological cat-and-mouse thriller than a routine space adventure, although the spacecraft setting lends the suspense a brilliantly claustrophobic atmosphere that possibly could not have been duplicated with an earth-bound setting. As the infamous tagline reads, "In space no one can hear you scream."
The film is benefited greatly from the exceptional art and set decoration, which is overflowing with rich detail and great imagination. During every scene, every shot, and every frame, the viewer is never less than totally convinced that they are in a lone spacecraft floating through the solar system. The Oscar-winning special effects remain highly convincing, including believable space travel and a highly memorable "birth" scene for the titular creature. The creature itself is marvelously designed, and Scott wisely keeps the alien hidden in the shadows for the majority of the film, therefore increasing the atmosphere and building suspense to an almost unbearable degree as the fear of the unknown intensifies.
The cast of characters includes an interesting assortment of tired working stiffs and various other misfits - none of these individuals are the virtuous heroes that plague most science fiction films, in fact most of them are simple space age truckers - this assignment isn't a mission to them, it's just a job. The cast is flawlessly chosen down to the letter, with Tom Skerritt, Yaphet Kotto, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, and especially Ian Holm (in a extremely chilling performance) all completely believable in their respective roles. Best of all is then-newcomer Sigourney Weaver, in a towering performance of strength and intelligence that is rare in this genre's typical characterization of women. Not only did Weaver's exceptional performance make the actress an overnight star, it also single-handedly defined the female action heroine for the post-modern era.