Magnificent, isn't it?

Rating: 10/10 (9 March 2013)

James Cameron, you really outdid yourself! I remember watching this when I was a kid many times and being frightened to death and back because of this movie. The movie "Alien" established the groundwork for the story and gave us one of the most iconic and terrifying monsters in cinematic history. At the time, the Xenomorph seemed like an unstoppable killer, much like classic slasher villains like Jason Vorhees and Freddy Kruegar, but now not only do we multiple aliens but we also see them in actual combat with space marines. In space, no one can hear you scream...or get blown up.
Ellen Ripley has been in cryogenic sleep in space for fifty-seven years, but the amount of time and distance traveled can not make her forget the horror of the creature that killed her crew. Just as she was deemed psychologically unfit to carry on her job thanks to the evil Weyland-Yutani Corp, contact was lost to the colony established on LV-426. Brought as a consultant, Ellen returns to the desolate planet with a group of tough-as-nails marines. Soon after a little girl named Newt is found as the only survivor, Ellen and the marines discover a horrifying truth: the Xenomorphs have returned and they are faster, stronger, and smarter than previously thought. Realizing that time is not on their side, our heroes must band together if they hope to escape this horror and wipe out the aliens once and for all. Otherwise, it's game over, man!
First off, we have an iconic cast of characters from the leading lady Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, Michael Beihn as the level-headed Hicks, Bill Paxton as the hilarious Hudson (most of the famous lines of the movie come from him), Jennete Goldstein as the no-nonsense Vasguez, and Carrie Henn as the heartwarming Newt. Even Lance Henriksen as the android Bishop is a great character. All these guys are a delight to watch, just the way they play off each other is done very well, especially the developing bond between Ripley and Newt.
The design of the Xenomorphs is done by the late Stan Winston, responsible for creature effects of films such as Terminator and Jurassic Park. Definitely the coolest look for these parasitic creatures. I also love the further exploration of the creature's biology and life style, the most iconic moment that demonstrates this is the introduction of the Alien Queen, a masterpiece of special effects at the time. The action scenes are also worth noting. They're awesome to watch, full of twists and turns, and the weapons the marines use sure put up a fantastic light show. The music is great, very memorable and sometimes very unnerving. Finally, the film utilizes suspense to its fullest, keeping you on your tones for something bad to happen and even then you may feel yourself unprepared for what pops up.
I may have tiny nitpicks, but they don't spoil the fun. This is undoubtedly one of the best sequels in film history, surpassing the first film by a mile. Even to this day, many fans consider this to be the best of the franchise, to which I have to agree. It's a shame "Alein 3" kinda ruined some things that made this one excellent. Aliens is a movie that truly stands on it's own and I doubt any crappy remake can steal the show from this sci-fi experience. Like the Xenomorphs themselves, this movie is a perfect organism.