"Ripley's-Believe-It-Or-Not-She's-Going-WHERE???"

Rating: 10/10 (4 December 2008)

In any movie genre, you can practically count the instances on one hand where any sequel in a film series is either as good as, or surpasses the original. (GODFATHER TWO is the most- often used example).
ALIENS had no business being even as good as the Ridley Scott original, but thanks to James Cameron's penchant for militaristic fetishism and his knack for drawing sharp characters in harrowing situations, it manages in a lot of ways to best its predecessor.
It picks up right where the last one ended: Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is rescued as the sole survivor of the destruction of the freighter ship Nostromo. Unfortunately, she discovers that sole survivors make great scapegoats, so she is blamed for the ship explosion AND the deaths of the crew, and decommissioned.
Oh, but the fun has just started for Ripley. A little while after her disgraceful discharge, she gets a visit from an officer in the Colonial Marines. Seems that a group of colonists has disappeared, and would she be interested in helping re-locate them? More shocking than the fact that the-powers-that-be would ask her is the reason why they did: the totally clueless colonists decided to put down roots ON THE VERY SAME PLANETOID where the Nostromo crew checked out that "distress signal" which got the whole mess started in the first place!
To say she's reluctant to go back is putting it mildly, but not one to turn down a chance at clearing her name (not to mention getting in some payback), Ripley is "imbedded" with a bunch of battle-hardened, gung-ho Colonial Marine grunts who have no idea about the royal smackdown they're in for at the hands of the Aliens. The motley crew includes the irritatingly bitchy Pvt. Hudson (a scene-stealing Bill Paxton); Privates Drake (Mark Rolston) and ultra-butch Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein) who are probably more than just 'comrades- at-arms'; Cpl. Dwayne Hicks (Michael Biehn) who shares a few brief romantic sparks with Ripley, and android helper Bishop (Lance Henriksen) with whom Ripley wants absolutely nothing to do with initially, the ordeal with Ash from Part One still raw and fresh in her mind.
Oh, and did I mention "Company" man and civilian rep Carter Burke? As played by Paul Reiser, it's the most hissable performance in the movie (almost more so than the Aliens'), and it rocketed his status from a guest-starring stand-up comedian to a bonafied actor.
All the Cameron trademarks are here: strong and flawed male characters, stronger and even more resilient female characters, cool weapons, intense battle sequences, tension and suspense by the boatload. And a new ingredient that elevates this sequel immediately: motherhood. Ripley, for whom self-preservation is like breathing, discovers the "mommy- track" when she bonds with the only survivor of the ravaged colony, a young girl named Newt (Carrie Henn), for whom Ripley suddenly realizes she'll take on anything to protect.
Good thing, too. Because as she discovers in one of the most classic sequences in sci- fi/horror history, even Aliens have mothers, too. Or in this case, one Queen Bitch of a Mother!
ALIEN still is an all-time classic without a doubt. But not having the sequel right along side it is like having a bag of Chips Ahoys...with no "chips"!