Action packed and a great plot

Rating: 10/10 (8 July 2003)

Aliens is my second favourite film so this is going to be a bit of a one sided review. It is by far the best in the Aliens series, with the best cast, direction and story line.
What I love so much about this film is the characters. Ripley is much better in this than in the first, she is much stronger, yet at the same time, more vulnerable (especially in the special edition). In Alien, she is too weak, Alien 3, she over does the tough image, except for the beginning (I am yet to see resurrection). Then there's Hicks, possibly my second favourite hero ever second only to Kyle Reese. It is not simply because I am a Michael Biehn fan, but the way Hicks' character is illustrated. He is the only down to earth marine, and is the only marine caring for Ripley. He has to take on great responsibility from being a 'grunt' to leading the mission for a short spell. Hudson and Vasquez are two really fun, macho characters played by two actors who I like (especially Bill Paxton). They help to give the film a lot more character.
Weaver is regarded as a good actress and this was the performance that really got the roles coming her way. Quite simply, she is brilliant in this film. The way Weaver handles Ripley's development as a character is very creditable and her scenes with 'Newt' (Carrie Henn) are very touching to watch. Michael Biehn plays a similar role to that of Kyle Reese in The Terminator. The main difference is that all the vulnerability and naivety Biehn showed in The Terminator is gone and has been replaced with great confidence. Bill Paxton as Hudson is a great piece of casting, especially beside Biehn as Hicks. The way the characters contrast is very effective and also allows for some more humorous moments which a film of this intensity needs.
James Cameron is my favourite director. Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss and True Lies are all great films. He really gets the best out of his cast and uses resources to their full extent. His idea of only having five alien suits in this film and using them repeatedly works much better than any CGI favoured by today's film makers. When it comes to using special effects and models/suits, there is no one better. Aliens is a masterpiece of art expressed in film. Stan Winston, yet again, proves his worth in this film as Geiger's alien vision looks at its best in this film. It is a very sleek figure that is simple, yet complex in design.
With some truly stunning action sequences to bulk up the entertainment of the film, Aliens really does have the full package and it can even be said, in my opinion, that the film is flawless. Aliens, like The Terminator, is one of the few films to gain so much respect outside the Sci-Fi genre and it is through Cameron's writing skills and the amazing acting from everyone involved. Hard not to like, Aliens will always live long in cinema history.