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Aliens [1986]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

James Cameron's Aliens digests all the virtues of Alien and regurgitates them bigger, louder and brasher than before. By the simple expedient of turning the singular beast of the original into a plural, Cameron transforms the franchise's focus from horror to all-out action. Sigourney Weaver's Ripley--one of the strongest roles for a female lead in mainstream cinema--is centre-stage throughout, more than able to hold her own either among the butch Marines and insectoid aliens. Although the director later revealed that there were only ever six alien costumes in any one shot, rapid-fire editing makes it seem like hundreds. Aliens is one of the most dynamic, viscerally exciting movies of the decade and, as a bug-fest, remained unsurpassed until the glorious Starship Troopers in 1997.

On the DVD: The Director's Cut reinstates 17 crucial minutes of footage deleted from the theatrical release. It reveals how the colony on LV-426 encountered the aliens, and more importantly why Ripley's maternal bond with Newt is so strong, which adds an extra dimension to the film's climax. Also included is a short, fairly bland interview with James Cameron, recorded at the time of the cinema release, as well as some background explanation on how specific special effects were created. Unlike the Alien disc, there is no directorial commentary. --Mark Walker

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Aliens is one of the few cases of a sequel that far surpassed the original. Sigourney Weaver returns as Ripley, who awakens on Earth only to discover that she has been hibernating in space so long that everyone she knows is dead. Then she is talked into travelling (along with a squad of Marines) to a planet under assault by the same aliens that nearly killed her. Once she gets there, she finds a lost little girl who triggers her maternal instincts--and she discovers that the company has once again double-crossed her, in hopes of capturing one of the aliens to study as a military weapon. Directed and written by James Cameron, this is one of the most intensely exciting (not to mention intensely frightening) action films ever, with a large ensemble cast that includes Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Paul Reiser, and Michael Biehn. Weaver defined the action woman in this film and walked away with an Oscar nomination for her trouble. --Marshall Fine

one of my favourite films
Review date: 2008-11-27 Rating: 10 out of 10

I saw this at the cinema when it first came out.

I wasn't sure if I should because I really wasn't over fussed on the first, and to top it all off sequels are notorious for being bad, but this was and still is a great film. I admit the overriding reason I saw it was that I am a Michael Biehn and Bill Paxton fan.

I admit that I hadn't watched it for a couple of years, but decided to lift it out a couple of days ago and watch it. I wasn't sorry. Even after more than 20 years this is a great film, and in my opinion the best of the alien series.

The special edition version was one of the first of the 'directors cut' film releases. It sold so well that other films were produced with a 'directors cut' extended version too. The speical edition has an extra 17 minutes which doesn't sound much but is, in fact, a great deal. The missing scenes add to the story, and are included situ within the film rather than in an extras section of their own.

There are a number of extras including an interview with James Cameron, behind the scenes footage, etc.

The story is that Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and the cat are rescued from the emergency pod that was left at the end of the first film. She has to face an enquiry over what happened to her crew and the vessel that they were in (it is the latter that appears to be the most important to the company).

Ripley is then approached by Carter Burke (Paul Reiser) and Lt Gorman (William Hope) to join them on a mission to the planet known as LV-426. She initially refuses but then agrees, and this is were we met the rest of the cast - the marines. The main marines for the film are Cpl Dwayne Hicks (Michael Biehn), Pvt Hudson (Bill Paxton), Pvt Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein), Pvt Drake (Mark Rolston), Sgt Apone (Al Matthews) and the "artifical person" Bishop (Lance Henriksen) - the entire group of actors who play the marines manage to pull off the feeling of a group that has been together for a while. Even the troops that we had only seen in passing are known to us because of the banter between the characters.

The film moves at a good pace after the initial and rapid story setting sequences. It's 148 minutes of outstanding film making. A true standard setting film.

This special edition does not contain a commentary for the film which is the only disappointment. Still an excellent film. Definitely a keeper.

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Reviews


Outstanding sci fi shooter!
Review date: 2008-11-04 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is one of the best sci fi films I've ever seen. It's got tension, gore, excellent setpieces and some brilliant lines. The direction is incredibly good and the DVD is well worth getting. It's a superb film that can be watched over and over again. Amazingly good.

A masterpiece sci-fi/action/war movie
Review date: 2008-08-19 Rating: 10 out of 10

Aliens is probably my favorite film of all time. It is one of the finest examples of a sequel surpassing the original. Not that Alien is bad, far from it, Alien is a fantastic film and a benchmark in cinema history. It set a very high standard, but is a very different type of film.

Aliens has everything, intense action/suspense, good story, characters you care about that have very individual personalities, excellent pacing, detail and subtlety when needed, stunning special effects and a great musical score. Despite being set in the future it is believable, mostly due to the quality acting by the cast and the non-CGI special effects. The character interplay is pheonominal and there is a lot of believable emotion throughout.

It is without doubt the best of the Alien films and one of the best sci-fi action movies ever made. Probably James Cameron's best movie although Terminator 2 is right up there too. Many films have tried to do similar things in this genre but nothing comes close. It doesn't get any better than this!

A slow beginning, but a fast end
Review date: 2008-08-14 Rating: 8 out of 10

Just finishing Aliens, I can see that it is a film that has inspired many others, just like its prequel, and I can also see some influences of Thunderbirds, in the way the space ships are built.

This sequel is set years after Alien.

It has an extremely slow beginning - quite a lot of the film shown did not need to be there. But, with some new loveable, and some non-loveable, characters, the pace soon quickens, making this film a match for its prequel. However, I still think that this film tops it.

Arguably best movie ever
Review date: 2008-07-14 Rating: 10 out of 10

First of all great review Lee Madden, i echo everything you say.

You know when you watch a films deleted scenes or you watch a directors cut with them included and you think "yes i can see why they left them out"? Well this is not one of those movies.

Every new scene from the colonists at the start to the sentry guns just adds to the quality of the film. This is the best extended version of a film ever.

You can read what everyone else says, legendary characters and the dialogue is so good you could quote it all day. This film is a masterpiece, pure and simple.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Lance Henriksen
Sigourney Weaver
Paul Reiser
Michael Biehn
Carrie Henn

Creators:
Sigourney Weaver (Primary Contributor)
Michael Biehn (Primary Contributor)
James Cameron (Writer)
David Giler (Producer)
David Giler (Writer)
Gale Anne Hurd (Producer)
Dan O'Bannon (Writer)
Ronald Shusett (Writer)
Walter Hill (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
EAN: 5039036001205
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, PAL, Special Edition, Widescreen,
Release date: 2000-05-15
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 148 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1986-07-18
Language: Czech (Subtitled)
Language: Danish (Subtitled)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: Finnish (Subtitled)
Language: Hebrew (Subtitled)
Language: Hungarian (Subtitled)
Language: Norwegian (Subtitled)
Language: Polish (Subtitled)
Language: Portuguese (Subtitled)
Language: Swedish (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)

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