Ridley Scott's Masterpiece.

Rating: 9/10 (21 June 2008)

When I watch Alien, believe it or not, I'm not that interested in the creature itself. It's all the other details that usually catch my attention and make me admire the film every time I watch it.
To start, the breathtaking cinematography. From the outer space shots of the Nostromo to the inside of the ship, this film is beautifully shot and makes the visual style a character too.
Then, the characters. An amazing ensemble of believable people, even for a sci-fi movie. The interaction, dialogue and overall personalities of the Nostromo crew is probably what I like the most about Alien.
The cast did a great job of portraying these characters. Characters that I find likable, interesting and entertaining. Kane (John Hurt) is my favorite character, despite having the shortest screen time.
The story is, well, fantastic. Suspense and horror at its best. Subtle and well-crafted horror that modern-day viewers might disregard as "not scary" or "the alien looks fake".
The movie is a bit slow-paced but that's just part of the charm, methinks. I saw the slightly faster-paced extended cut and I gotta say I prefer the slower-paced original. That is what makes the suspense work. It's not about showing the monster do something scary right away, it's about building expectative, something that most modern suspense/horror movies have forgotten.
Which leads me to the title character. I couldn't have seen the film back in 1979 and I'm sure the audiences found the alien scarier then, however, I still find it pretty scary. Not just scary-looking (which he is, as well as cool-looking) but scary within the context of the film.
Overall, this film is a masterpiece. A film that will always keep me entertained as well as amazed by how incredibly detailed and brilliantly directed it is.