The superior sequel (but a matter of taste too)

Rating: 9/10 (19 May 2004)

James Cameron took the bear bones of the original Alien (claustraphobia, fear, corporate greed and that legendary creature) and injected the entire package with amphetamines in order to create 'Aliens'.
The film takes a similar structure to the original, with the entire first act being made up almost entirely of 'build-up', apart from a few gory nightmares to please the horror fans. In the special edition the tension is heightened by revisiting the planet from the original and seeing it colonized by naive humans.
When the touch paper is lit, however, 'ALiens' really comes into its own. THe action is frenetic and violent, the creatures savagery unmatched, and the situation dire, to say the least. These humans get basically butt raped by the xenomorphs and are forced into a game of survival.
The grunts vs. corporation power vs. unseen enemy gives the whole film an air similar to Vietnam movies, the special creature effects are stunning and the special effects have stood up to the test of time well. Stylisitically it could all be set in the same cinematic world as CAmeron's 'The Terminator' such is the director's consistency.
The Alien Queen is, to put it bluntly Sh*t Hot! This is by far and away what everyone wanted to see from a sequel; bigger, badder and better.
Don't forget thought that it is a re-invention of the franchise and a totally different type of film; but if we're all being honest then Aliens takes the original by the head and punches an extendable jaw right through its face!