Subject: Retrospective: Aliens (1986)

From: [email-masked] (Chad Polenz)
Date: 10 Nov 1997 03:59:34 GMT

Aliens

Chad'z rating: ** (out of 4 = fair)

1986, R, 136 minutes [2 hours, 16 minutes]

[science fiction]

starring: Sigourney Weaver (Ripley), Michael Biehn (Corporal Hicks), Bill
Paxton (Private Hudson), Paul Reiser (Carter Burke); written by James
Cameron, David Giler, Walter Hill; produced by Gale Anne Hurd; directed by
James Cameron; based on characters created by Dan O'Bannon, Ronald Shusett.

Seen Friday, November 7, 1997 on home video.

I'm not sure what the appeal to "Alien" was, and I'm even more perplexed
that someone thought it was worthy of a sequel. The "us-versus-aliens"
formula has been used many times before, but never as moronic as "Aliens"
uses it. It's just a disguised horror flick and an excuse for special
effects, not the exciting thriller it tries to be.

This film picks up where its predecessor left off as Ripley (Weaver), the
sole survivor from the first movie, is awoken from her "hibernation" 57 years
later (funny, but she didn't seem to age a day!). We know somehow Ripley will
end up going back to the alien planet, but the film doesn't provide much of,
if any, rationale as to why this will happen. The only attempts at
justification are provided through elements so generic they're pathetic.
First there's Ripley's constant nightmares, then the  executives who think
she's insane. But the same execs have a sudden change of heart when they
realize a team of investigators sent to the alien planet have not returned
and they want Ripley to "advise" a military rescue team.
 
Now, it's not that these reasons alone are silly, it's the way the film
presents them: with complete logic when they're no different than cliches
most horror movies use.  The fact that within a five-minute period, Ripley
goes from being adamantly opposed to going back, to being more than willing
to go says it all.

And so, after 20 minutes of ridiculous sci-fi and military jargon, Ripley,
along with a troupe of Marine Special Forces, head out to the alien planet to
save some humans and kick alien butt. That's not the most intelligent plot in
the world, but it can yield great camaraderie and pride when done right.
Cameron knows this, but he goes about establishing these sensations in the
wrong way by over-doing it. The Marines do have a sense of unity to them, but
they're so one-dimensional it's corny. All they do is crack on each other and
act like idiots - where's the unity in that? Their dialogue is also laughable
because they seem more like characters from the cartoon "G.I. Joe."

Finally, after an hour or so we get our first encounter with the aliens but
many of the marines are wiped out. It's not surprising the survivors all turn
into cowards after this point, which is probably intended as satire, but
turns out to be annoying (especially Bill Paxton's character, Private Hudson,
whose constant whining drove me nuts after 10 minutes). The battle scenes are
reason these films were made, but they're shot so poorly it's impossible to
tell what's going on. Tension is worthless if it's confusing.

From here on the film just starts repeating itself: the Marines try to get
off the planet but are always prevented from doing so, in one way or another,
by the aliens. There's many scenes of the aliens closing in on the humans,
and then carnage ensues. Most of this is set up through cliches, such as the
Marines not being able to use their weapons in certain places, the aliens
suddenly jumping out of the walls, floors and ceilings, or the fact the
Marines always seem to corner themselves. There's also a sub-plot involving
the backstabbing exec Carter Burke, who should be an even slimier character
than the aliens, but isn't, due to the miscasting of Paul Reiser (!?) for the
part.

The ending not only clinches the predictable story, it symbolizes the entire
film. It's just one exhausting battle after another for no real reason. This
also demonstrates how the basic premise is the worst flaw: it's us invading
an alien planet and trying to exterminate them when they're not really a
threat to begin with. This would be like aliens coming to Earth millions of
years ago and fighting the dinosaurs.

There isn't much going for "Aliens" other than its special effects and
production design (which are excellent, I'll have to admit it), but that
doesn't make up for the mediocre story. Maybe if it had been scripted with
more wit, it would be worth getting excited over.

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(C) 1997 Chad Polenz