A Gross Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (12 December 2011)

Even though Dan O'Bannon wrote the script (few of which was conserved), this is the unmistakable son of Ridley Scott's finesse as a director and H. R. Giger's psycho sexual, lovecraftian designs. The creature, diluted as it may be today, is still terrifying, inducing the subconscious fears of male rape into the audience. No detail in the ship is left undeveloped, and even if their characters aren't fully developed, the cast certainly give believable performances. Outstanding is Sigourney Weaver as lieutenant Ellen Ripley, one of the first action heroines in celluloid, and Ian Holm as Ash, the scientist and (spoiler) undercover android on board. Unlike most modern horror films, Alien dares to have an atmosphere: minutes pass without the soundtrack daring to alleviate the tension, until a jump scare or truly terrifying outburst of violence erupts. Despite little gore by today standards (the infamously brilliant chest burster scene aside), Alien outmatches them with hidden imagery of sex and death and a brief, yet all-to present allegory at human greed and the stretches corporation will breach for power and money. In space, everyone must accept nihilism and surrender all illusions to stay alive.