Seven people along for a deadly ride...

Rating: 9/10 (23 September 2003)

Seven people along for a deadly ride, with only four of them driving. Those seven are the crew in Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror film Alien, which was his directorial debut. Let me start with Kane, whom we see first rising from his cryogenic tube like a vampire from a coffin. Man, you're going to have a BAD day. John Hurt (Rob Roy) acted capably in this film; sadly there isn't much for his character to do except die horribly. Kane is the first driver though, and all the crew's sorrows begin with him: a man whose curiosity costs more than just his life. Isn't he lucky to have friends like Lambert, a character apprehensive from the start, and Dallas? Veronica Cartwright (The Birds, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Witches of Eastwick) is flawless in her part, as no one else can seem so realistically terrified. Tom Skerritt does fine as Dallas also, although I've only seen him in this movie. They risk their lives rushing Kane back to the infirmary, carrying him like a corpse, which is fitting since he is already dead. Lambert and Dallas don't know that yet. Their hope is blind. Too bad Ash doesn't have Kane's best interests in mind. This has to be Ian Holm's (The Fifth Element, Fellowship of the Ring) most chilling performance yet! I've said enough. You know how the story proceeds from here.