Even better. Different, but better

Rating: 9/10 (22 January 2005)

(This is concerning Aliens: Alien 2, Special Edition version from the Alien Quadrilogy Collector Set)
Some 57 years later, Ripley is discovered on a deep salvage expedition. She is in stasis, but is alive, rescued, and brought back to Earth to face an inquiry as to what happened to her $42.5M M-class freighter and cargo, her crew, and her mission.
James Cameron was one brave soul to attempt a follow up to Scott's horror classic. There were so many ways he could have screwed this up, and been loathed by literally millions of fans.
It's been said that it's easy to take someone else's good idea and improve upon it, but were that the case, there would be loads of superior sequels out there, and very few of the quality we actually do have.
What Cameron's done with Scott's vision is to expand upon it in such a way that the original is surpassed in almost every way. Understanding all too well that action is his best venue (Escape from New York, Rambo 2, The Terminator, etc), he chose in sheer wisdom, to stick with his forte rather than attempt to copy Scott's. Very shrewd of Mr. Cameron. So while the first chapter of the Alien saga is very much a science-fiction/horror, this second installment is just as much a science-fiction/action which expounds on Scott's story and ideas in such a way as to render this attempt superior to its forbearer. A rarity in cinematic attempts.
The story is rich in detail and depth. Written by Cameron, it flows rather fluidly from the end of Alien, right on into the Aliens plot line with only a small seam (Ripley's inquest and subsequent time on Earth) interrupting the two separate pages of encounter. Once the action begins, it is not non-stop, but it is fluent in its execution. The non-action sequences are rich in character development and deepening the base story and sub-plots.
The camaraderie of the military characters was beautifully realistic, giving us a sense of knowing them, caring about what happens to them, and having empathy for their plight.
The ~only~ element in the entire endeavor I had any problem with whatsoever was the addition of the character Rebecca "Newt" Jorden, brilliantly portrayed by Carrie Henn. While she was a delight, and a very capable actress at this age, she also felt like a token; a wild card character through which they hoped to endear a younger audience. But with an "R" rating, that ploy did not necessarily fulfill their goal, and had the adverse effect of making some parents wonder how anyone could allow a child of that age to take part in a movie so gruesome. This is, after all, the stuff of nightmares. I, however, was not one of those people. I loved Newt and found her presence in this work necessary and desirable. Henn was nothing but professional in her portrayal, giving us an open and honest portrayal of real terror.
This chapter of the Alien story gives you more Aliens, more gore, more action, more characters, more story, and more enjoyment. It is the best of the Quad, and that's saying a lot.
It rates a 9.2/10 from...
the Fiend :.