Better and Meaner than the original!

Rating: 10/10 (22 March 2004)

'Aliens', the sequel to 'Alien', has all the elements of the original and MORE! The film takes a bit of time to develop the story, with Ellen Ripley going back to the planet from the first film to help save colonists and battle the Aliens, but this time accompanied by some real firepower and a small army of Marines. The development shouldn't be viewed as boring or slow, and besides introducing an interesting scenario, it's the calm before the storm, and what a storm! The action sequences in Aliens are intense and claustrophobic, and they're more the stuff of nightmares than the original.

The character of Ripley is really developed in this film, and she ranges from uncertain, tough, caring, motherly, sexy, and pure hell with a gun - and it all works. Weaver really became a star with Aliens, and it's probably her best film ever.