Final Fronteer Warfare

Rating: 10/10 (2 November 2012)

As much as I loved the first film I love this film even more. Believe it or not this film is actually my second favorite film of all time, I've seen this when I was about 11 and I still love it even today. This wasn't just a film it was a phenomenon as well as one unforgettable experience. It really set the bar form most sci-fi visual mediums we have now like TV shows (Battlestar Galatica revival, EXO Squad, and the criminally underrated Space, Above, and Beyond)as well as became a big influence on video games (Contra, Gears of War, Halo, Dead Space). This film gave us a new way of looking at sci-fi, it was final frontier sci-fi at it's best where it looked futuristic, realistic, believable and accessible.
The world is great, this idea of a military of the future let alone in space, the technology that accompanies it. Spaceships, the weapons which look like advanced models of the ones we have now, portable flame units and my the pulse rifles, the sound of the rifles is awesome. The concept of artificial terror forming which gives us the power to make any planet we want habitable. However my favorite technology is the Power Loader, it was the first time I've ever seen a mecha ever, it's basically a simple construction vehicle nothing special in that world but in my eyes just the way it moved and worked I waned to drive one of those things.
Music by James Horner one of my favorite composers is great, the score is just fantastic it's just has that exciting and epic feel to it.
The effects and production value are superb because it's all practical most from my favorite effects guy the late great Stan Winston. Nothing was half baked the amount of detail in construction they really put a hell of a lot of effort and it shows. I love the dark atmosphere, just the use of limited light and darkness almost gives the film a slight Gothic foreboding sensibility to it as if there could be danger hiding behind one corner or another, you wouldn't know it will hit you until it's too late. The fact that there is more than one Zenomorph in this film and one new one which is the Queen Alien, it is the most gigantic intimidating monster I've ever seen it scared me when I was a kid and still makes me nervous ever time I see it.
All that makes the danger all the more increased and puts you on red alert the whole way through. Usually with one monster you have many opportunities to evade but when it comes to an army of them your chances are slim. The way there handled, their behavior they were primal but not stupid. The fight with them was made similar to the Vietnam war and the Zenomorphs were sort of made to be like the Viet Cong who utilized gorilla tactics to bring down their opponents and undermine the high technology they have. The film of course also has that little underline message on humanity versus corruption and dehumanization. Demonstrated from the parallel between the evil destructive Zenomorphs and the unfeeling, cold blooded, destructive Weyland company that is willing to commit murder and breach ethical boundaries in both science and humanity all to make a fast profit.
There are a lot of memorable things that were scary like the use of the portable radar and the sound it makes really put me on the edge of my seat, however one part of the film made me jump when Hicks looks up at the ceiling and sees a whole horde of Zenomorphs. As a kid that actually scarred me because I remembered my house had an attic I was afraid those things might be crawling up there. Down to the action sequences which are great their well choreographed, from seeing Ripley going all out in an alien hive but my favorite and it's no surprise is the fight with Ripley in the power loader against the Queen which is one of my favorite fights ever.
The character are colorful, interesting as well as memorable. Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein) a really tough as nails woman with the attitude to go with it, she's awesome my third favorite character and one of the most memorable female fatales in movies ever in my book. Dwane Hicks (Michael Bien) is my second favorite because he's the most level headed leader sort of a calm authoritative figure but also just a bad ass, from what he says to his actions. But of course my favorite no surprise is Ellen Ripley (Sigorney Wever) her character helped set the bar for the female fatales to come (Buffy, Betrix Kiddo, Lara Croft, you name it) and she's still number one in my book. From her leadership ability toward the Space Marines which is great she should of been a Space Marine Commander, or even a Commando seeing her going against the Zenomorphs and kicking ass just shows she's a bad ass as well. However it's the emotion she carries which makes her feel all so human. You can't help but feel for her from what she sees and feels from her facial and emotional expressions you see she is a person that is driven by internal rage, from her feelings toward the heartless Weyland company she worked for, her post traumatic experiences, the fact she has nothing really to come back to since her daughter is now deceased. The only thing she really has left is her unstoppable determinations toe save and protect everything that is good from evil of any form because she still believes in the value of humanity, that it's always worth fighting for.
Aliens is an experience that take you to space, above, and beyond.
Rating: 4 stars