Perfectly blends horror, action and scifi

Rating: 10/10 (20 September 2017)

Is this the perfect movie? Well, maybe not perfect. But it is a perfect blend of horror, scifi and action, excelling in all three genres and creating a legendary flick.
Synopsis
Ripley is rescued by a salvage team after floating in space for 57 years. After being questioned by the corporation she settles into life. However, the world where the alien entered their ship is now colonized and all contact is lost. Grudgingly, Ripley goes along a group of marines as an adviser to check out the colony. After arriving, they find the place deserted. When they do find whatever is left of the colonists, they are attacked by aliens. One by one they die until Ripley dukes it out with the alien Queen, wins, and sets the survivors in cryosleep.
Bad Stuff
Erm.........maybe Newt forms a bond with Ripley a little too soon? Ripley forgives Biship out of nowhere? Why did the marines not check the ceiling of their last-stance place? Hudson can be a little annoying? Well, all of these are minor points. It's almost nitpicking. This movie has no real flaws of any magnitude.
Good Stuff
There's too much to mention, so I'll just say this: Aliens enriches Alien and the two should, if possible, be viewed in one session. Alien was a horror scifi, this adds action. All of the characters are interesting. It fixes the one bad point form the first movie, which is that Ripley really isn't that likable. But here we see another side to her, a softer side while remaining an ass-kicking heroine.
All the marines are cool, but Vasquez makes an especially memorable impression. She's the kind of chick you want next to you when you go into battle. She's capable, ruthless, tough as nails, handy, and oddly sexy. I like Hudson, Drake, Apone and Hicks. Burke and Gorman are assholes but at least they have some depth, some palpable reality about them. The aliens look awesome as does the whole colony. Newt is very cute. A small detail this movie does great is showing us the bullet counter on various weapons, which greatly increases the feeling of hopelessness as the marines' arsenal becomes increasingly depleted. Just like Alien, there is a hot, swampy, suffocating feel to the movie that works best when seen after sunset with the lights out.
Thunderin' Tim Tip: if possible, watch the Special Edition. If gives more meat to the story of the colonists and Newt. It's worth the 30 minutes of extra length.
Conclusion
A superb mix of three very separate movie styles creates a rightly legendary movie that has often been described as having no flaws. A smash hit in theaters, a favorite of critics, and an endearing piece of film making in the eyes of the masses, Aliens has withstood the test of time extremely well, and is Die Hard's only real rival for the title of Best Action Movie ever. Because the movie does not forget to incorporate the horror element (just the look of the slimy and slick aliens is enough to pull your feet of the floor and tuck them in your blanky) and the scifi, giving us more info on the inner workings of this fascinating species, the movie feels as a tight unit, compact, a near perfect product. I love this movie and almost everyone will agree. Superb. No real flaws. It's a solid 10/10.