Great movie. Especially the Director's Cut.

Rating: 10/10 (8 October 1999)

"Alies" is proof that not all sequels have to be bad. I actually kind of prefer it to the original. This movie takes what was introduced in the first movie and expands on it.
One of the admirable things about this movie is that they didn't do a retread of the original. While "Alien" was pretty much a horror movie set on a spaceship, "Aliens" is more of an action oriented sci-fi movie. The human elements of this movie really add to the film. Ripley decides to confront her fears (brought upon her by the events in the first movie) by going on the mission to the colony and benefits from it by the end of the movie. In the Director's Cut, we learn of Ripley's daughter who died during Ripley's 50-year sleep in the escape pod. This helps in explaining her realtionship with Newt.
The direction is excellent and the special effects are superb. The Director's Cut version of this movie adds 17 minutes of footage, where we learn about Ripley's daughter, see Ripley get stripped of her license by the Company, and see further development in the relationship between Ripley and Newt. This extra footage is not simply filler. This is footage that was important to the film and footage that James Cameron had to cut for time. The extra footage really does enhance the movie.
[WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW]......... Like the first movie, "Aliens" ends in a surprisingly peaceful manner following the chaos in the rest of the film. Only this ending is considerably less bittersweet than the end of "Alien." Ripley has faced her fears and overcome the nightmares she's been suffering from them. She's also been blessed with a new family in Hicks and Newt. I was really upset that they were both killed at the beginning of the horrible "Alien 3." But I try console myself by telling myself that "Alien 3" doesn't exist. Hey, if "Highlander" fans can deny the existence of the two dreadful sequels, why can't I do the same with the last two "Alien" movies?
This is one of the best Sci-Fi movies of the 80's and a true testimony of James Cameron's talents. I feel that this movie and the original "Terminator" are Cameron's best work.