Cameron once again distinguishes himself with a sci-fi thriller with heart.

Rating: 8/10 (1 October 1999)

Like Terminator, Aliens is distinguished not only by the gripping action, but the human drama at play. Much has been written of the relationship of Newt and Ripley, but toss Lt. Hicks into the mix and you have the first family tailor-made the next century. Hicks, attentive to both Ripley and Newt in a traditional manner, steps aside to let Ripley, more experienced, smarter, more savvy take the lead in fighting the monster. Since I'm not a sci-fi fan, my favorable reaction to the film surprised me. I think it's the genius of James Cameron that the human story is as important as the special effects. And I join the legion of fans who were very disappointed to see the two characters who, in addition to Ripley, made the film special, both die at the start of Aliens 3.