Excellent Blend of Sci-Fi and Horror.

Rating: 9/10 (7 March 2000)

"Alien" is by far one of my favorite science fiction series (And yes, I did like the third and forth installments even though I didn't feel they were as polished as the first two.) The true test of a good movie is comparing how effective it was when it was first released to how it holds up today. This is still a scary and claustrophobic mood-inducing film.
The scenes that I feel best represent the frantic pace of this film are the introduction of the chestburster, the first real look at the alien, Ash's "secret" revealed, and Ripley's escape from the Nostromo. The movie is full of tense moments meant to make the viewer jump, whether it's the sense of impending doom for the hunted crew members, or some false lead used to make the viewer cringe before the alien attacks. The fact that it's set inside a spaceship with simple designs and sterile white colors makes it all the more unnerving.
What's to say about this film that hasn't already been said? "Alien" hasn't lost any of it's fear appeal, and the alien design has always been excellent (Thank you, Giger). It's a wonderful combination of horror and science fiction with an effective cast and a brilliant use of natural sounds throughout the ship. I love a good musical score as much as the next film fan, but the raw silence of the ship only adds to the tension. A great movie, and quite the change from the idealistic "Star Wars" released only two years earlier.