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Aliens (1986) 8.5
Ratings:
8.5/10 from 300,827 users
Metascore: 87/100
Reviews: 968 user | 211 critic | 9 from Metacritic.com The planet from Alien has been colonized, but contact is lost. This time, the rescue team has impressive firepower, but will it be enough? Director:James Cameron |
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Sigourney Weaver | ... | ||
| Carrie Henn | ... | ||
| Michael Biehn | ... | ||
| Paul Reiser | ... | ||
| Lance Henriksen | ... | ||
| Bill Paxton | ... | ||
| Jenette Goldstein | ... | ||
| William Hope | ... | ||
 |
Al Matthews | ... | |
| Mark Rolston | ... | ||
| Ricco Ross | ... | ||
| Colette Hiller | ... | ||
| Daniel Kash | ... | ||
| Cynthia Dale Scott | ... |
Cpl. Dietrich
(as Cynthia Scott)
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Tip Tipping | ... | |
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Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Fifty seven years after Ellen Ripley survived her disastrous ordeal, her escape vessel is recovered after drifting across the galaxy as she slept in cryogenic stasis. Back on earth, nobody believed her story about the "Aliens" on the planet LV-426. After the "Company" orders the colony on LV-426 to investigate, however, all communication with the colony is lost. The Company enlists Ripley to aid a team of tough, rugged space marines on a rescue mission to the now partially terraformed planet to find out if there are aliens or survivors. As the mission unfolds, Ripley will be forced to come to grips with her worst nightmare, but even as she does, she finds that the worst is yet to come. Written by Brian Rawlings
Taglines:
The bitch is back. See more »Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated R for monster violence, and for language | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Language:
EnglishRelease Date:
18 July 1986 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Alien 2 See more »Box Office
Budget:
$18,500,000 (estimated)Gross:
$85,200,000 (USA)Company Credits
Production Co:
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Brandywine Productions, SLM Production Group See more »
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (1992 special edition)Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Salvage team leader: Bio-readouts are all in the green, looks like she's alive. Well, there goes our salvage, guys.
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Sigourney Weaver threatened to not do any more "Alien" movies after seeing the movie's final cut, so as a compromise, the 1987 Special Edition was released on Laser-Disc. See more »Goofs
When Ripley tries to break the glass in the med lab there is a scuff mark on the glass before her first swing. After this finishes, the mark disappears and we see Ripley actually making the mark with her second swing. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Salvage team leader: Bio-readouts are all in the green, looks like she's alive. Well, there goes our salvage, guys.
See more »
James Cameron is an extremely talented action director because not only does he know great action, but he always backs the action up with a great story and interesting characters. Aliens is his finest achievement, as far as I'm concerned. Of course, I should specify: Aliens Special Edition is his finest achievement.
In 1986 several scenes were cut to keep the movie's run-time reasonable but there was one scene that was incredibly foolish to leave out. The scene I refer to is near the beginning where Ripley learns that her daughter has died while she was away in 'hypersleep' for 57 years. "I promised her I'd be home for her 11th birthday," cries Ripley. This is a very moving scene that adds a great deal the character's depth and makes more sense to why she cares for a little girl named Newt later in the film. She's seeking penance through Newt with her love and determination to keep her alive at all costs. The theatrical edition obviously doesn't elude to any of this, and even cheapens the relationship between Ripley and Newt- just a little bit. James Cameron has said that all of his movies are love stories, and Aliens is a story of parental love. He has also said that the special edition is his intended (if not definitive) version of the film. For about five years or so the Special Edition was the only version of Aliens you could get on DVD. It should have stayed that way.
Aliens is a unique film experience: it's genuinely thrilling and exciting, unlike a lot of movies where people shoot the evil monsters and there's disgusting blood and rapid gunfire, and it's really meaningless. In Aliens' case, the aliens are very threatening and more than just target practice. We don't see any aliens for over an hour, but once we do, it's a huge payoff. By that time, we get to know some interesting characters: Hicks (Michael Beihn), a take-charge marine who also turns out to be sweet and sincere, Hudson (Bill Paxton), a braggart who turns out to be a coward and complains most of the time, Vasquez (Jeanette Goldstein), the iron-willed woman soldier who proves to be one of the bravest characters in the film, Bishop (Lance Henrikson), a robot that is very helpful for everyone's survival, Burke (Paul Rieser), the slimy company man who the audience loves to hate, and of course, the adorable little Newt (Carrie Henn), a girl who has survived unspeakable horror. Holding the whole film together is Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver in her surprise-Oscar-nominated performance. I think the only reason why the audience cared for her in the first film is because she was the only person left and we wanted her to live. But for this film, James Cameron added so much to her. With all this investment in characters, we're really concerned for their well-being. We don't want those aliens to get them. Some die, and I'm always truly bummed out when it happens.
Filled with amazing performances and an abundance of thrills, Aliens is one of the greatest of any genre it attempts: whether it's action, sci-fi, horror, or even drama. I personally liked it better than the first film, but it's really like comparing apples and oranges. I prefer the special edition and don't see why anyone should view the other version instead.
My rating: 10/10