GOING BACKWARDS

Rating: Null/10 (31 October 2003)

I write this review, on the eve of attending the cinema to watch 'Alien: The Director's Cut'. I have watched 'Aliens' maybe twenty times over the years, but somehow I've never seen the original all the way through, and certainly never at the cinema. Therefore, I am worried that I will think the original is better, in which case I wanted to be able, at least for tonight, to state quite categorically, that 'Aliens' is easily my favourite science fiction movie of all time. Should the original exceed all expectations, at least 'Aliens' will have temporary justice. I don't really understand why 'Aliens' is just so watchable time and again. Maybe James Cameron is a genius, because I do find all of his films obsessive. (I certainly prefer him as a director to Ridley Scott, so I'm not really expecting the original to surpass the sequel!) Maybe it's because the tension is so well staged. Maybe it's the relationship between Sigourney Weaver and 'Newt'. There are so many elements of this movie which make it stand out. Vasquez and Hudson are the most interesting crew members, although the android, played so convincingly by Lance Henriksen, deserves such credit for their mission. Whatever it is, this movie deserves to be held in God-like regard. It also contains the greatest line in movie history, in my opinion. Every time I see that scene, when Ripley disappears to become the human forklift and emerges with those immortal words to the Queen Alien, who is terrorising Newt, I am reminded of how great a film it is.With adrenaline pumping, and armed with those basic, and thankfully, human traits of bravery and child protection, Ripley issues the command of 'Get away from her, you bitch!' Simple, but words which never fail to make you want her to kick the **** out of old Queenie. 9/10. If the original is better, I'll be posting that review tomorrow...