The ultimate proof that a sequel can be better than the original

Rating: 9/10 (1 February 2000)

I do not believe the theory that all originals are better than their sequels, end of story. I think most originals are better, but any time I think of a sequel that is better than the original, two movies come to mind. One of them is Terminator 2.
The other is Aliens. Aliens is by far, the best in the series of four "Alien" movies, and one of the greatest action/sci-fi movies of all time. As much as I enjoyed Alien, I believe that Aliens was better in many many ways.
One of which are, of course, character development. Ripley is a much more interesting character in this movie than she was in the first one. You can see her determination in every move she makes. (I also recommend seeing the special edition, which has additional scenes within them. You get more of a feel for Ripley's character when you know more about her daughter.) I think the marines are extremely cool. I think Hudson is the most interesting character of all. Gorman is very interesting too. You watch him turn from a cowardly pathetic loser to an actual brave soldier. Burke, who tried to betray the group for money, is also a great villain.
The aliens themselves are much cooler. Now you can see that they aren't just brainless animals who do nothing but kill. They are actually very smart animals who do nothing but kill. In Alien there was only one, so you didn't get to see how well they work in packs, lead people into traps, guard the Queen or cut the power before going into battle. And of course, since there are more aliens that means more of them can be killed, which means more carnage and more excitement. (This also applies to the human characters).
There is never a dull moment in Aliens. I love watching it over and over, it never gets boring.