A classic sequel that's almost as good as the original

Rating: 8/10 (19 May 2016)

Ridley Scott's "Alien" is, without a doubt, one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time. With that in mind, writer/director James Cameron wisely chose to approach the subject matter from a different angle for the sequel. Placing the emphasis more on hi-octane action than on claustrophobic horror, Cameron crafted one of the best sequels ever and a classic in its own right.
The story picks up more than five decades after the original film. The planet has now been colonized but contact with the colonists has mysteriously been lost. Ripley, having been recently awakened from suspended animation, is tasked with serving as an adviser to a squad of space marines sent to investigate the situation. What they find proves to be more than equal to their high-tech firepower.
Being set decades in the future, the cast is all new except for Sigourney Weaver as Ripley. In my opinion, she's even more impressive here than in the first movie. Academy voters must have agreed since she ended up with an Oscar nomination for her performance. The rest of the cast, while memorable, arguably isn't as strong as the first movie's matchless ensemble. That being said, for an action movie, the acting is undoubtedly more than satisfactory in bringing to life these varied characters.
Visually, I think that Ripley Scott has the edge but Cameron certainly holds his own. This movie made more extensive use of special effects and I find most of them quite convincing. In fact, the visual effects were the source of one of the film's two Oscar wins (the other was for sound editing). Meanwhile, James Horner's score recalls Jerry Goldsmith's memorable score for "Alien" at times while being more action-oriented when necessary.
Ultimately, what makes the movie stand out beyond the production values & acting is the compelling story. Ellen Ripley becomes a fully realized character in a script that deftly mixes strong characterization, thrilling action, imaginative settings/creatures & captivating human drama. Certainly worthy of following in the footsteps of "Alien", it too ranks as one of the best science fiction movies ever made.
(Note: Both the original theatrical cut and the director's cut are equally worth watching.)