A Spectacular Sequel Betraying its Roots

Rating: 7/10 (9 March 2018)

»Aliens« is a pretty solid sequel to the sci-fi nightmare that was Ridley Scott's »Alien«, but I can't help but feel that James Cameron's effort is overrated. True, »Aliens« rocks as a grade A hollywood actioner. There are some amazing set pieces. Come to think of it, the whole movie is one gigantic set piece. It's entertaining and suspensful as hell.
And ... that's about all I can say about it. »Aliens« doesn't give me much to think about, although it has so much more plot than the original. This movie is the definition of a blockbuster: well made and engaging, but ultimatively empty and calculated. What escpecially bugs me is the new character Newt. This sweet little girls serves one purpose and one purpose only: Making Ellen Ripley into a mother. Throughout the whole movie Cameron tries to give Ripley a new family. That's interesting enough (altough it may rise some feministic concerns), but it's handled in a painfully heavy-handed way.
Gone is the artful agitation of »Alien«, gone its originality and openness. It's clear that a lot of effort went into »Aliens«, but its emotional core is lacking. It's a worthwhile watch anyway, I'd be a fool to deny the raw power this movie has. It just doesn't feel like an »Alien« flick. Even less so than the much-maligned fourth installment by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.