This is my number one favorite movie of all time!!

Rating: 10/10 (21 November 2005)

This is quite possibly the best movie ever made. This sequel to the the sci-fi horror Alien, has often been referred to as more of a sci-fi action then a horror itself. While there may be some truth to this, this film still has many areas which are quite frightening. It might be better classified as a thriller or suspense though then action. Unlike an action film, this film starts out fairly slowly. Aside from one frightening scene early on, nothing specifically scary or action orientated happens for a rather large portion of the movie. The film relies on the viewers knowledge of the first film to help it build up the tension for the eventual inevitable confrontation.
Ellen Ripley, the sole-survivor of the events of the first film is found in cryo sleep 57 years after she escaped the horror of discovering an alien life form dangerous enough to be a threat to the human race if it were ever to find its way to civilization. Instead of her warnings being taken seriously, she is shocked to discover that in her absence, a terraforming colony of families has been established on the very world where her original crew discovered the aliens. She is punished by the "company" for her participation in destroying their cargo ship and begins a humdrum new life while dealing with the trauma of her experiences.
When all contact with the colony is lost and she is given the opportunity to redeem herself. The aliens have robbed her of her crew mates, her daughter (who has grown old and died while she drifted around in cryo sleep), and her career. Only she seems to understand the gravity of the threat that they pose. She realizes that the company (who had attempted to get a hold of an alien specimen in the first film) could still be trying to gather a specimen for their research. This combined with her motivation for payback leads her to accept the offer of returning to the now colonized planet to help wipe out the species. It becomes more clear to her during the journey that she is the only person who has not underestimated the hostility of the aliens.
She journeys to the planet with a group of enthusiastic but underwhelmed group of combat marines who believe that they can deal with anything. They are led by an inexperienced lieutenant and have brought along a representative of the company as well as an android. Since an android was partly responsible for the downfall of her first crew (it was ordered to capture and return the alien at the expense of the crew) Ripley feels uneasy about the mission and we see parallels to the events of the first movie. The major difference here is that while the first movie dealt with one alien, it seems likely that they are proceeding to their encounter with well over 100 of these creatures.
The colony is reached and the search for what happened is under way. There is evidence of a fight but no one or no bodies left to find. The evidence that the aliens were responsible begins to pile up and eventually the marines discover where the colonists have ended up. It is at this point that the aliens finally appear and in large numbers. It is also at this point that the film really begins to distinguish itself from the style of its predecessor. What ensues is a battle to survive where the tension is replaced somewhat by the action. Finally (and almost too late) Ripley's concerns are recognized as valid and she finds herself in a position where she must help to lead the marines actions before she becomes just another victim of the aliens.
This movie works incredibly well on many levels. One of the key elements surrounds the strengths of the female character. Part of this is brought to the forefront when one survivor is found (a young girl approximately the age of Ripley's own daughter when last she saw her) I have never before or since seen a movie with such a strong female lead where I found the character so convincing. Weaver who portrayed this character deservedly received an Oscar nomination for the role. The direction is flawless. The payoff when the aliens are finally revealed is worth the anticipation alone. The characters are varied and interesting. Some may seem a little clichéd now but it was more likely that it was movies using this as a template for success which made them a bit clichéd after the fact.
It is unfortunate that you only get to watch this for the first time once, but this movie stands up extremely well to repeated viewings. I've been watching it almost once week for years and I never seem to tire of it.