Same as the 1 minute thing, when he says they have a minute to get off the ship. The thing to remember is that these video essays run on quite long. I appreciate the 15 minute countdown, but dramatically it doesn't offer a whole lot.
@@Rossatron Sure, I just think it was another neat touch, and that it kind of justified the length of the elevator scene (which I've never considered to be a problem to begin with, it's kind of cool to see Ripley taping the assault rifle and the flamethrower together)
While Terminator 2 is definitely more action oriented, Aliens is much more of a blend of action and horror, with quite a few very unsettling scenes. It isn't just one thing.
If you're the kind of person that actually skips the first hour of Aliens to the first action sequence, you obviously have no appreciation or respect for this film, or indeed for filmmaking in general. As a consequence, you should be permanently banned from ever watching Aliens ever again. Or possibly any films at all.
That was the first thing that crossed my mind when he mentioned it early in the video. I love Aliens, and the main reason I love it is not the action at all, but rather the atmospheric build up, excellent performances and the interaction between characters. For me the most memorable parts of Aliens are the times when the Marines are holed up and trying to get a grip on the situation. The action is a bonus, and it drives me crazy when I try to introduce this movie to someone and they get bored.
Yeah the first hour of Aliens is absolutely essential to both world building, establishing the kind of company Weyland Yutani is and how incompetently and self defeatingly greedy they are, establishing multiple themes as well as the predicament and mentality Ripley's character is in...damaged and alone and unable to move on, and the tension build up that eventually pays off when shit hits the fan. Half the very soul of Alien and Aliens is its theme of humanity confronting its own hubris in the face of something so unremorseful and almost violatingly brutal and that parts established by the build up. Without it, the action scenes as amazing as they are, are just flashy noise.
hey quit acting like such an asshole, while i agree that the whole movie was great, people dont have to like what you like, if they enjoy the action then let them enjoy
The amazing female action idols of Ripley and Vasquez, the comic relief of Hudson, the quiet determination of Hicks, the horror of the Queen. This movie has some of the best characters ever. No lie, my favorite film of all time.
You should do a video examining why there were so many great action films in the late 80s and early 90s that we are still (unsuccessfully) trying to replicate now. Aliens, Predator, Terminator, Robocop and the rest have had a massive cultural impact that's still felt now.
I think a lot of it has to do with coming out when stars still had a lot of power to sell films, more so than they do now. High concept cinema was really only just coming into its own too, since it wasn't that long after the success of films like The Godfather and Jaws. Those two things combined along with action cinema really not existing 'proper' before the eighties led to these true originals being made. We have had films of a similar quality come out since, but those you mention stand out quite a lot due to simply setting the foundations so well.
That's interesting because I found the first hour of Aliens to be very well-paced having established the premise and characters quite intriguingly. Even the original Alien film I found to be not very "slow" at all. And I'm typically one to start snoozing with a slower-paced movie. Maybe it's just me...
Oh I think it is very well paced, though it is slower in it's set up than much of action cinema. It's an action film the way Seven Samurai is really, another masterwork.
In the context of action films, actually, yes, I guess I would agree (not sure if you mentioned that in the video and I just missed it). But I haven't seen Seven Samurai lol The closest thing to that is the 2000s remake of Magnificent Seven XD
@@FilmFightFanatic Oh man you need to watch Seven Samurai. I consider it, along with perhaps Stagecoach, as the film that really defined the structure which became the 'modern action film'. For me, it is the first true action film.
@@FilmFightFanatic I have friends who just don't get sci-fi horror who will say Alien is slow-paced. Yet they are perfectly willing to watch other movies that are even slower. I think a lot of it is simple engagement with the source material. If space monsters and starships aren't your thing, you just won't like it.
It's not that I dislike it, but I feel like the tension was built enough as it is. You can work out how many xenos there probably are, because he already established the population of the terraformer families, and by this point everyone is already quite shaken. For a film that definitely runs a little long, even if it is great to watch, I can see why they cut it first time. It's a solid sequence for sure, but to me it just isn't particularly needed.
Agreed on both counts. I feel that the turret scene helps to drive home just how insurmountable the number of aliens infesting the facility is. Even if the marines fought smart, they just. don't. have. enough bullets.
@Rossatron ...back in '91, it was a big deal when the director's cut was released ...nowadays director's cuts are common, but 28 years ago it was a rare hype! ...in my town, i bought the only available VHS-tape with my pocket money, so for a few weeks i was the "cool guy" in my school-class :p ...these +20 minutes extra-footage are pure gold for people who grew up with the theatrical-release.
@@Rossatron I think at this point in the movie is just suggested that there might be something bigger than your regular xenomorph with ripley saying "but these things come from eggs...so where are all the eggs coming from ?" I don't feel the scene is there to show their numbers, but to hammer home the fact that they act like an ant colony, throwing themselves at the guns looking for a way in like ants will throw themselves at the river to build a bridge across it . A way to foreshadow the Queen.
The best thing about the Hadley's Hope sequence is the joke in the first episode of Red Dwarf (the colony commander being Red Dwarf's captain): "Lister, if you've bought a pet on board..."
Oh...I remember THAT night. I remember walking out of the theater after seeing Aliens. I remember sitting in my car...feeling the adrenalin slowly drain outta my system.
What makes Aliens so great, when compared to the scifi action/horror pics today (esp. Prometheus and Covenant), is that the characters are competent at their jobs. They don't make stupid decisions to further the plot or build tension. They're doing the best they can against a creeping and overwhelming enemy, and still losing. Now that's how you build tension!
30 years later and we're still talking about this film. It's a masterpiece. This is my favorite movie with Die Hard a close second. Both excellent character driven movies.
I've always saw Aliens as horror-action. It's not the SLAM BANG POW bombastic movie people portray it as. It's almost as much of a slow burn as the original. I don't always agree with your viewpoints, but you nail it here. I just watched the entire quadrilogy with a group of friends - one had never seen any of them except the first AVP. I was fully expecting him to tune out and get bored. He never did. In fact, he kept saying "it's so cool seeing something without a bunch of CGI. They had to build all of this." I was shocked. I WOULD call Aliens a perfect film - as much as a film can be perfect. It's a masterfully written screenplay that knows exactly how to deliver tension and continuously raise the stakes in a way that feel organic to the narrative. The earnest portrayal of the characters save them from being more than just xeno chow and on a technical level, it still holds up beautifully. In function and emotion, it's as pure as entertainment gets.
Sure, the Aliens became cannon fodder in the 2nd film, but one has to remember, the protagonists of “Alien” were a bunch of scared-shitless, blue-collar truckers relying on a bunch of improvised weaponry, to deal with a threat they’ve never been trained for, as compared to those of “Aliens”, a top-tier military unit with an arsenal 7 decades more advanced than anything the Nostromo crew had.
But that was still a conscious choice, which led to the ruination of the creatures true horror and mystique. Not that I'm complaining too much, but it is sad that we never got to spend any more time truly scared of Giger's original creation.
And mind you, they still got their asses whooped. Even if the ammo had not explode, the xenomorph numbers would have overwhelmed like the yautja in the shitty alien vs. predator movie.
@@Rossatron I wonder what was Giger's impression on Aliens, especially the Queen since it was not his creation anymore. I wonder how would he portrayed the Queen.
@Dalle Smalhals haha, true ;) still, I wonder how it would end up. I've been to Giger's museum in Switzerland and it was totally amazing... this guy had endless imagination.
Aliens scared the crap out of when I first watched it years ago. My brothers rented it out from the video store and I watched it with them. My mother would have never let me watch a film like Aliens. The experience of watching Aliens and a young age has always stuck with me. I remember what scared to shit out of me and what action scene had me on edge. For me, Ellen Ripley is the greatest female character ever put to film. Something that has sadly been forgotten in this new SJW driven world. Aliens for me personally is the greatest film ever made. It's perfect. Yes, I'm a massive fanboi of the film.
The turret scene wouldn't have been bloat, imo. It's very tense and, importantly, the aliens retreated before the ammunition ran out. It had expositional relevance. The lift scene wasn't just a ticking clock. It was Ellen's transformation. When she wipes her hair and breathes in, she became something else. The mother against mother analogy is spot on. You're right, and describing it that way elevates the final act in a context that goes beyond just a creature and a human needing to survive (even though it works that way as well). After all, the Queen didn't want to take Ripley, it wanted to murder her. And, you know what... I could be making that up. Great stuff. Thanks.
One of my favorite movies of all time just show how a genius Cameron is, just this and Terminator is enough to make a director a legend but the guy also give us True Lies and Terminator 2 By the way a video essay about True Lies would be great also
Difficult with a single film made in 1986, but I did my best. I don't think it would work all the time in a narrative film, but when it's a video essay I think it's simply quite nice to watch something with a bit of style to it. You wouldn't enjoy an essay with dull prose, so why watch one with dull editing?
I remember being 10 years old in about 1987 and my mum got Aliens from the video shop. It seemed every kid in my street was in our living room. The blinds were closed, it was a summer evening outside. At no point did i think "Wow, a woman ìs kicking ass here." We took it all for granted. Its only now people imagine that there was an inferiority. And by the way, no one ever thought Alien better than Aliens, you are deluding yourself.
Me being an old soldier had to view this Marine unit as more of a hunting club, not a well-honed military organization. They were obviously overwhelmed. Advanced technology set aside, the principles of leadership and combat remain the same. Why was Gorman sitting back in the rear while his Marines were well into the interior of this processing plant? Notice he was losing contact and at the height of mass confusion. He can't help his guys with immediate decisions if his ass is not out there with the rest. Further, I would think there would be a reserve force for back up as needed and they needed it, and a staff to maintain the mothership while the forces were away.
I like all the group dialogue scenes taking place in the control room. As Cameron puts it in the commentary track, they "work out the problem". The characters grapple with the situation as well as with each other. Rarely do movies manage to deliver exposition and character simultaneously.
I prefer this to Alien, but don’t think either are perfect. It’s true that they dumbed down the aliens a lot, but if all of them were as competent as the one in the first film, the humans probably wouldn’t have even lasted the first hour. I agree with everything you said regarding the build up, though. Few action films can get away with having no action for the first hour, but Aliens manages it masterfully.
The Queen deserves much more credit as a character than you give. She shows concern for her offspring, pulls rank with her guards in attempting to come to a mutually beneficial understanding with Ripley, she was intelligent enough to figure out the elevator and to stow away in the wheel well of the drop ship, she realized how much Newt meant to Ripley, and she had enough foresight to stow an egg aboard the Sulaco for Alien 3 in the event she didn’t survive. She was _far_ from being just a “tank”. I’d argue what was most terrifying about her was how cunning she was as a character. She was close to, if not, Ripley’s equal.
T2 and Aliens are my top 2 favorite movies. I definitely like Aliens much more than the first Alien, but I think this comes down to the fact that I'm way more into action and adventure movies than I am of horror genres movies. I can watch Aliens over and over. Alien, not so much. Though it is a good movie too.
See Marvel. This is how you do badass women characters. Some of the female leads of today have no right to call themselves by that title as they assume one earns it by being "Tough". Bullshit. It's earned by doing what is right and fighting without praise or demand of praise.
The sentry guns are a great scene, and you're actually the first person I've ever heard say that it should be left out. It's outrageously popular. I love it. Plus, I think you're slightly wrong in saying it adds nothing. It helps build the sense of inevitable death and loss: the best their tech and defenses have to offer just aren't enough. The aliens are relentless, just like the Terminator. And let's not forget: it's fun. Which is kind of the point, at the end of the day. (reminds me of the mad minute shooting scene in predator)
I don’t think you’ve ever talked about the Indiana Jones movies, outside of a Raiders of the Lost Ark having a place on your top 10 action movies list. It would be interesting to see you talk about them in more depth in a video.
I used to watch that Alien Queen climax on repeat with my recorded VHS. I'm still fascinated when the Queen ripped Bishop in two. That shot of her coming down from hiding still left me in awe.
Hands down, best action film female lead ever written and portrayed by the actress. So many important notes the Hollywood of today needs to take from this master class in female led action films... Both ALIEN, and ALIENS.
That shot of the lit, but unsmoked, cigarette in Ripley's hand, establishing character through a single second of implication, is one of my favorite scenes ever in film. Cameron liked it too. He reused it in Terminator 2.
I don't get the "Cannonfodder" argument so many people throw around.First movie had one alien and a bunch of space-truckers. This movie has a platoon of marines. Trained soldiers (sort of) that would make short work with the one alien, no matter how good a stalker it is. But on the colony? There is an entire Alien 1 movie woth of stalking that already happened and lead to the army of Xenomorphs. So the playingfield is stacked against the marines from the start.
To add.. I think this should be put on cinemas again today.. maybe a couple of cg enhancements (dropship in third act greenscreen could use some tidy up now).. this film should be seen by all the younger generation smothered with transformers films and remakes of stuff that doesn't need to be (but will be).
I personally like the addition of the turrets, as they allow more time for the aliens to try to get into the barricaded room. Them going for the lights right off the bat seemed a bit too intelligent and preplanned to me. The addition of the scene where Ripley finds out about her daughter gives her fight to protect Newt WAAAY more weight and an explanation for her actions. It was great before, but now it makes total sense.
It's quite fascinating, how ever since the release of Ridley Scott's masterpiece "Alien", which I completely agree is as perfect as a movie can be, and it's sequel, a classic in its' own right, are films many adore yet prefer one over the other. For me personally, while I LOVE "Aliens" (and I really do!), I prefer the claustrophobic and hyper-intense nature of the 1st film, which to this day haunts me to no end. That's horror at its' finest! :D
Love this video essay, well done, Rossatron. My one qualm is with your comment on Horner needing more time. He had ample time but, through interviews, felt that he couldn't start prepping his score because the film was behind schedule. To me, that's not a good excuse, and considering the heavy amount of music editing in the film, I don't think his heart was in it enough. And I say this as a fan of Horner and the score. He did well, but I feel like his score is lifted to legendary status through the music editors, Robin Clarke and Michael Clifford.
Welcome back Rossatron, great Video Essay on Aliens. I agree with a lot of your points and arguments. In my professional opinion, I consider "Aliens" more as a Horror film than an Action film, even though the film is mostly action at it's core. In other words, The Narrative of Aliens is truly Horror, but with an Action flow and pace to it. To me, The Ultimate Action Film arguably is "The Bourne Ultimatum" (2007). (IMO The Bourne Ultimatum is a Pure Masterpiece). And I feel that fans of Action films misunderstood "Bourne Ultimatum" and only looked at the film from one perspective, which of course is the heavy use of the "Shaky Cam", but the Shaky Cam was only a small aspect of the film. The film itself entirely was "Action", and it is Action told through not only various perspectives, but it's pure Realism. It is a film about viewers going on a chaotic journey with a very strong formidable character through "both Lenses". Meaning, the viewer is apart of the action (the viewer is in Jason Bourne's Shoes), as well as spectating it. But to each his own, I love Action. By the way, have you see Cameron and Rodriguez's "Alita: Battle Angel"? very good Action Film, I think Cameron has created another Badass Female Gem of a character on par with Sarah Conner and Ellen Ripley with Alita.
I think the same thing about the director's cut. Not knowing what was the colony before the aliens' attack, brings some eerie mystery of what happened and imagine the horror and despair it was.
That article about skipping through to the first action - are they kidding - I only watch this films extended version and can't watch the theatrical version. No skipping for me! 😄
Such a classic. I was able to see it in cinema recently .. and man .. they really don't make them like this anymore. It was just mind blowing. Even if you watch the movie twice a year, find a way to see it on big screen.
This video and the movie as well should be used as inspiration for how to make a great action movie with great characters, great story, great action sequences and great writing. They’re both inspirational to me and I'm going to rewatch Aliens soon for the third time and this time I will take notes and pay more attention to the subtle details in the film.
I watched this movie on 123 movies with buffering and ads and low quality and I still think this might be one of my favorite movies of all time. I just loved how everything works together like the mother scene with the girl the giant robot fight where she rides it in the beginning the girl knows the air vents and I could go on and on. The effect don't hold up like the thing 1982 does for me still but that's ok because it's an old movie and they were pretty crazy effects while the thing was just a monster and monsters if done properly will always looks real unlike computers and lightning
great review of an amazing film - i rewatched it not long ago but many years after i'd first seen it and it still provides that thrilling shiver in the tense moments. bonus props for mentioning how much the score adds to the experience, that music is heart-pumping by itself.
It's a great movie! I could watch it over and over and never get bored. But here's an opinion that may not be too popular... It's not a great "Alien" movie. In fact, the much derided Alien 3 is a much better "Alien" movie imo, in the sense that everything about it is much more in line with the original 79 movie. It's beautifully dark and dingy, it's sets a tone of hopelessness (they always win, like it or not) The creature is terrifying and deadly whereas Aliens demotes them to being bug like cannon fodder at times. And the characters are all wonderfully realised. I'm not saying that Aliens 3 is a better movie than Aliens (it isn't) But it is arguably one of the most underrated movies ever made imo.
I hate this attitude. It's so arrogant. Yes, it is a great "Alien" movie...because it's a, well, Alien movie...and widely considered an absolute, all-time classic. This idea that sequels that deviate from the original are somehow "missing the point" of the original is so ass backwards.
@@tylermane77 its more that for me, I dont consider it a bad Alien movie, just that I lament what happened to the creature in the sequel. I still say in the video that I love the film, and that it can and should be compared to the original.
The scene where Ripley and Hicks tell each other their first names is in the special edition. Just like with T2, there is a lot of gold in the spec eds, but it's mostly Cameron paring away his heavy handedness.
I agree with Rossatron on the importance of the 'slow' non-action opening hour. I've usually considered "Aliens" a "war movie" (with horror, action, etc suffusing it). I think for Cameron non-action and action is a dialog. In Rossatron's clips, he shows Ripley and Hicks in the elevator as he shoots the monster to bits, the elevator closes and they start down. But following this there are moments of quiet (just as before the monster appears in the doorway) where one thinks "this is over." But Cameron uses the quiet, non-action to set up further action. This "inter-action" is part of Cameron's storytelling. For lesser directors, they end up (I think) relying on mere action technique and tropes. Also, the Marines as stereotypes: this seems inherent in the idea of genre, yes? What Cameron did in "Aliens" is to turn stereotypes into archetypes by humanizing them.
The pacing was good built up the tension and suspense and gave you time to like the characters . Predator did it too with the team before they predator starts hunting them. people used to modern action films with short attention spans can't take it tho lol . Yeah theatrical version is better without the Hadleys hope stuff as you know what's happened to colony already
It's my favorite military movie and it shows an absolute failure of the military. Which I think was the point as Cameron was going for a Vietnam theme. A single squad of marines on a ship big enough to hold perhaps hundreds. Using automation instead of a dedicated naval crew. Even the squad tactics are flawed. The two heavy gunners go in first and together. And most importantly, an inexperienced leader. I wonder if military units use this film as what not to do.
The brilliant action will never work if you skip the first hour of this outmost masterpiece. What's the point of the action if you skip what it's about & why? Personally, I love when the marines first arrive & enter Hadley's Hope & check out corridors & rooms & find it's all empty. There's no action, besides maybe finding Newt at best. But the first time you see this you don't know that no Xeno will show up, the tension can be cut with a knife! I have surely seen Aliens easily 200 times in my lifetime, will surely be another 200 if I'm lucky. Comparing it to modern films just makes me appreciate it even more & realize just how bad overall most films are today, especially when it comes to tension, action, world building & especially focus on character & allowing them to evolve, giving them TIME to evolve! What's really funny is that Cameron indeed copied a lot from Alien into Aliens, especially the ending having a countdown, escaping a huge explosion, the alien is still around anyway & Ripley blows it into space, all that happens in both films & that's just the ending. Compare to how JJ copied ANH with his TFA. That wasn't appreciated by most but how Cameron did the same thing with Aliens is fine with most. That's because Cameron did a lot that JJ didn't. He gave his film an identity of its own despite all the copying. And he EVOLVED the returning character while JJ made a mockery out of the OT SW characters returning (Johnson doing it tremendously much worse). And Cameron gave us new very GOOD characters that make sense, characters that are iconic, that we care about & love, characters that fitted the narrative & was there for a reason, even if they are stereotyped they are brilliant stereotypes. The new characters in TFA & forward are boring at best! And I am even gonna reach this far; I consider Carter Burke as one of my fav villains of all time! This office man with the looks of a sweet boy from next door, a regular guy with no super power at all, does never even pick up a gun. But he does what all great villains do = cause tremendous problems for the protagonists! The man is pure evil, not only sacrificing Ripley & Newt to hide his former crimes of the colony but also trying to earn money from this terror. Compare that to Kylo Ren, that has super powers & a cool outfit, but what has he exactly done? Besides patricide, not much. He hates his past for some unknown reason & his agenda is unknown to us still after two films. Burke represents the worst of mankind = greed! Corporate greed at its worse. It's not as if he's unaware of the danger, he even admits himself he understands what's going on. Yet he risks them all, naively even himself, to come home insanely rich. No story is better than its villain. The villains of most films today are bland. They get cool outfits & powers but they don't do much. Burke is a regular guy in a suit yet what he represents is pure evil. And just because of his boyish looks (& brilliantly played by Paul Reiser) Cameron makes us think Burke is maybe OK while we suspect Bishop, being the android of this sequel, to be the antagonist, especially since we copy how Ripley reacts to Bishop initially. Cameron tricks us for a time to believe the bad guy is someone else. So he even copies the android thing yet does not by having Bishop being the good guy while "the company" remains the real villain of this franchise. The action is still to this day spectacular. After 30 years & over 200 views I still feel adrenaline most times seeing it, even if I know every spoken word by heart, the same with every sound effect. The motion tracker's sound is a masterpiece of its own! It's the sound you love to hate! When it's not beeping you think you are safe, but are you really? Are the Xeno's just laying still close by? And when you do hear the beep you know where they are, right? Not necessarily. And it's Xeno's we are talking about, even if you know where they are you don't want them near anyway. The tension of the motion tracker alone is a work of brilliance, yet another copy from Alien made so much better & more important to the story. That's what a real sequel does, taking what was already there & evolving it. Something modern filmmakers no longer understand. They just wanna change everything instead of using what is already there. And finally, indeed the score! Aliens has the best action score of all time! How many trailers in the past did not use Bishop's Countdown as their music for other films? As our beloved, late Bill Paxton described this film: "Aliens is the gift that just keeps on giving!" He was so right! And when you compare Aliens to modern films, there is NO game over for Aliens any time soon!
I’m going to say something normally I don’t give out compliments but I believe the way you are reviewing this movie is absolutely fantastic and you definitely deserve more views and more likes so thank you for going through my favourite movie of all time
Absolutely agree on everything. I think both Alien and Aliens are so good, that choosing between them is rather a matter of preference. There are days in which I prefer Alien to Aliens and vice versa. I think it depends on which one I'm watching at the moment.
First time I saw his I loved the buildup. made me understand the world, got me into full concentration, then when it was time to drop in with the marines I felt like I was going with them and had long anticipated this mission.
Interesting what you think about the turret scene. For me it is the other way around. I still remember how I felt when I first watched the movie. The turret scene is great (IMHO), because it starts with them setting up the turrets, which are this ultra-heavy military tech with a seemingly very high number of bullets in the chamber. Later, when they fire, I had this short moment of relief, when they absolutely shred the aliens in the tunnel. But only a few seconds later this sinking feeling sets in as the ammunition drops and drops and drops. Then the first turret is empty, then the next. Also the muffled sound from where the characters witness the whole thing is somehow great. They don't actually see what wee see, they can only guess what's happening out there. This short scene ends with the turrets being empty - symbolized only by the number that dropped to zero. If this was a scene, where some of the characters had operated the turrets, it wouldn't have worked so well on me. The turrets are some kind of automated defense. Like a promise technology gives us - that machines will take care of it. But in the end, the turrets accomplished nothing and the unknown monster is still out there. In short, I think the turrets are a great kind of metaphor for this badass high power military technology, that the humans rely on - and it is completely meaningless once this unknown danger appears. A little droplet on a hot stone in the desert.
Love this video essay! Pointing out the differences between the original horror thriller and the sequel, i wonder if another, more subconscious, reason that Aliens is so high on the list of action films is due to the fact that we (humans) are not only effectively able to defend against these 'unstoppable aliens' but actually able to go on the offense. Compared to the first movie, humans end up looking a lot better in comparison.
I would call Aliens a flawed masterpiece since the original cuts doesn't develop well the motherhood themes by cutting Ripley's daughter reference, and the Director's cut does but it drags and kills the tension... Thanx!!
In my opinion it’s the best because it just left you wanting more at the end of Alien and with questions, and the sequel didn’t disappoint and went way beyond my expectations. It’s very memorable, also Terminator 2 is like this as well.
Despite it's flaws, I think Alien 3 captures the horror vibe of the first Alien movie much better than Aliens. While over all it may be the weakest of the three films, I still have a lot of love for it.
It's super impressive, but I don't particularly enjoy it. I need to see it again, but I found it disorientating to a fault, and the film around the stunts and action just isn't that compelling.
@@Rossatron I honestly thought the FP aspect for a movie would throw me off. Nope, I dealt pretty well. The action and stunts were cool, Don't Stop Me Now playing during a badass scene helped, and Sharlto Copley just swinging for the fences.
@@Rossatron It's a video game. If you look at it in terms of video game structure (opening cinematic, first level, trash mobs, escort missions, boss battles) it makes more sense. Even has things like a voiceless protagonist, re-used assets, and character upgrades.
I think a big counter argument towards people criticizing the film not having any action for a good hour is that you have to remember the wait. This film came out 7 years after the first one, people are going to want to know what happened with Ripley, and since this film is set more than half a century after the first, some world building is kind of necessary. I agree the first Hadley's Hope scene was unnecessary, but the turret scene wasnt. It was great context as to why the Aliens didn't just charge at the command deck to kill all the survivors at first. I love the fact that just before the last turret empties Hicks' nerves get to him and he grabs his rifle in an anxious rush right before the Aliens stop, superb direction on Cameron's part, and excellent acting on Michael Beihn's part.
My all time fave film.. half a dozen guys in rubber suits and a budget so small it would hardly get any action film off the ground today in Hollywood. The visual fx have aged a bit but I honestly don't mind nor care.. its a reminder of the era it was filmed and the tensuon pacing and action and fear are still amazing today. I disagree with him weakening the alien.. in the first film the alien was up against half dozen sleep weary science boffs who witnessed their friend tore open then try to take it out with basic homemade weapons. In the 2nd they go up against marines with heavy firepower who know how to handle themselves. Great vid tho thanks.. this and your predator video are so good 😎 as are many others!
The differences between the solitary xeno in 1 & 3, and the swarm of bugs in 2 is easily explained. Xenomorphs follow the Inverse Ninja Law; one xenomorph is an existential threat, dozens of them become a target rich environment.
The last of the Alien movies I need to see in a theater. Got to see the original for the 25th re-release, hoping something like Alamo Drafthouse will do a showing of.
Aliens is an absolute masterpiece and my all time favourite film regardless of genre.. "get away from her you bitch" is the most venom filled line ever delivered by any actor..
Hey Rossatron, this review made me reminisce on how when I last saw The Terminator in 2016 I was impressed by how hectic the film managed to be on such a tight budget and whilst still getting in a good amount of character development. Haven't seen this film in a while, but I get similar vibes from this. Oh I did see Terminator 2 a few months after I last saw T1 and was amazed by how Cameron managed to catch lightning-in-a-bottle twice. He somehow manages to throw everything but the kitchen sink at us while making sure there is method to the madness. I like Titanic and Avatar too, for how cliché they both are (the latter especially, sometimes to the point of hilarity). There are two other major points I want to discuss relating to this film. The first is that the ONLY negative review of this film on Rotten Tomatoes comes from Gene Siskel of all people, who felt it was overkill, and even Roger Ebert, despite giving the film a rave review, admitted one doesn't really "enjoy" it in the traditional sense. The scenes from the movie you showed in this video does make it seem kind of that way, but it should be noted that Gene didn't care for the first Terminator and admitted up-front he was not a big fan of the science fiction genre at all (he did name Back to the Future and The Fly as being some of the best films of their respective years, but all that does is to show what kind of sci-fi he did take to. He even compared Aliens very unfavorably to The Fly when he reviewed that film, saying something to the tune of "all Aliens does is throw spindly creatures at Sigourney Weaver for two hours", and as a HUGE fan of Aliens the best defense I can come up with is that both movies are aiming for different experiences and need to be judged as such. And then later Gene gave Armageddon of all movies a positive review even as his colleague named it the worst film of 1998). The second is how often Ripley is favorably compared to today's brand of "strong" heroines like Rey from Star Wars, specifically how Ripley has a personality and flaws compared to Rey supposedly being a "Mary Sue". From what I remember of the sequel trilogy films there's decent enough justification for Rey to be proficient in a lot of the tasks she carries out and her just giving off an air of positive attitude, so sometimes I get driven to anger and outright label anyone with such a criticism of Rey as outright sexist. However, I can come up with a more charitable explanation without calling others bigots. See, to me, the problem is that Ripley is a civilian who comes into her own as an "action hero" due to her maternal instincts, whereas Rey has been a scavenger her whole life and thus already acts like a "strong, independent heroine", so I view both characters as being separate archetypes. However, a lot of people simply find the Ripley archetype to be more relatable vs. the Rey archetype because Ripley's is better established as a three-dimensional character who is also more self-explanatory compared to Rey, ergo people simply identify with Ripley faster than they do with Rey. As I said, I personally feel that The Force Awakens at least does a good enough job of justifying Rey's abilities through Show, Don't Tell methods, and thus people who compare it unfavorably to the prequels and Rogue One which IMO were chock full of dull exposition come off to me as being just dim, but I should really learn to cool down and accept that people just feel differently in situations like this. I personally do not watch movies just to watch characters stand or walk and talk for 50% of the time - not saying the rest has to be action, sometimes epic films like The Godfather and Lawrence of Arabia can make 3- or 4-hour films feel like a breeze because of how good they are - but I hope you get my point. For all I know, this might be a big reason why the newer Star Wars and Alien films just don't work for a lot of people. The franchises largely started out with self-explanatory stories and characters, whereas the new films either invent convoluted explanations or go out of their way to avoid exposition, making it seem like stupid crap happens out of nowhere. EDIT: I forgot to mention one really dumb complaint of Gene's that I take legitimate issue with: he felt Newt being put in danger was a cheap ploy for sympathy which doesn't work because you know she won't get killed off. He evidently missed how Newt was the sole survivor of the alien attack on the colony and how the marines often deferred to her for advice for that reason. It's like he just saw a kid and got turned off. I don't think Siskel was a bad critic, far from it, but even the greats have their misses.
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
The 15 minutes countdown at the end of the movie actually *really* lasts 15 minutes on-screen, surprised you didn't mention that
Hercule Devantrien kinda like an homage to *High Noon* being a Western that happens more or less in real time
Same as the 1 minute thing, when he says they have a minute to get off the ship. The thing to remember is that these video essays run on quite long. I appreciate the 15 minute countdown, but dramatically it doesn't offer a whole lot.
@@Rossatron Sure, I just think it was another neat touch, and that it kind of justified the length of the elevator scene (which I've never considered to be a problem to begin with, it's kind of cool to see Ripley taping the assault rifle and the flamethrower together)
HA! That's really cool. I know so much about this movie and I didn't know that.
terminator = horror
alien = horror
terminator 2 = action
Aliens = action
tension of both kinds
Agreed. Tension and horror aren’t the same thing.
While Terminator 2 is definitely more action oriented, Aliens is much more of a blend of action and horror, with quite a few very unsettling scenes. It isn't just one thing.
I wouldn't call Terminator horror, it has a blend of action and some elements of horror, kind of like Aliens.
If you're the kind of person that actually skips the first hour of Aliens to the first action sequence, you obviously have no appreciation or respect for this film, or indeed for filmmaking in general. As a consequence, you should be permanently banned from ever watching Aliens ever again.
Or possibly any films at all.
Really skipping the start ruins the action for me.
That was the first thing that crossed my mind when he mentioned it early in the video. I love Aliens, and the main reason I love it is not the action at all, but rather the atmospheric build up, excellent performances and the interaction between characters. For me the most memorable parts of Aliens are the times when the Marines are holed up and trying to get a grip on the situation. The action is a bonus, and it drives me crazy when I try to introduce this movie to someone and they get bored.
Not skipping, but sometimes I do just watch the action scenes in isolation. The med bay firefight in particular is brilliantly done.
Yeah the first hour of Aliens is absolutely essential to both world building, establishing the kind of company Weyland Yutani is and how incompetently and self defeatingly greedy they are, establishing multiple themes as well as the predicament and mentality Ripley's character is in...damaged and alone and unable to move on, and the tension build up that eventually pays off when shit hits the fan. Half the very soul of Alien and Aliens is its theme of humanity confronting its own hubris in the face of something so unremorseful and almost violatingly brutal and that parts established by the build up. Without it, the action scenes as amazing as they are, are just flashy noise.
hey quit acting like such an asshole, while i agree that the whole movie was great, people dont have to like what you like, if they enjoy the action then let them enjoy
The amazing female action idols of Ripley and Vasquez, the comic relief of Hudson, the quiet determination of Hicks, the horror of the Queen. This movie has some of the best characters ever. No lie, my favorite film of all time.
I feel more like u can characterize the Hicks with the phrase “I believe in you.”
You should do a video examining why there were so many great action films in the late 80s and early 90s that we are still (unsuccessfully) trying to replicate now. Aliens, Predator, Terminator, Robocop and the rest have had a massive cultural impact that's still felt now.
I think a lot of it has to do with coming out when stars still had a lot of power to sell films, more so than they do now. High concept cinema was really only just coming into its own too, since it wasn't that long after the success of films like The Godfather and Jaws. Those two things combined along with action cinema really not existing 'proper' before the eighties led to these true originals being made. We have had films of a similar quality come out since, but those you mention stand out quite a lot due to simply setting the foundations so well.
John Wick
The latest mad max as well haha
That's interesting because I found the first hour of Aliens to be very well-paced having established the premise and characters quite intriguingly. Even the original Alien film I found to be not very "slow" at all. And I'm typically one to start snoozing with a slower-paced movie. Maybe it's just me...
Oh I think it is very well paced, though it is slower in it's set up than much of action cinema. It's an action film the way Seven Samurai is really, another masterwork.
In the context of action films, actually, yes, I guess I would agree (not sure if you mentioned that in the video and I just missed it). But I haven't seen Seven Samurai lol The closest thing to that is the 2000s remake of Magnificent Seven XD
@@FilmFightFanatic Oh man you need to watch Seven Samurai. I consider it, along with perhaps Stagecoach, as the film that really defined the structure which became the 'modern action film'. For me, it is the first true action film.
@@FilmFightFanatic I have friends who just don't get sci-fi horror who will say Alien is slow-paced. Yet they are perfectly willing to watch other movies that are even slower.
I think a lot of it is simple engagement with the source material. If space monsters and starships aren't your thing, you just won't like it.
I actually love the turret sequence. It always felt to me like it builds a lot of tension. I do agree that the Hadley's Hope sequence is unnecessary.
It's not that I dislike it, but I feel like the tension was built enough as it is. You can work out how many xenos there probably are, because he already established the population of the terraformer families, and by this point everyone is already quite shaken. For a film that definitely runs a little long, even if it is great to watch, I can see why they cut it first time. It's a solid sequence for sure, but to me it just isn't particularly needed.
Agreed on both counts. I feel that the turret scene helps to drive home just how insurmountable the number of aliens infesting the facility is. Even if the marines fought smart, they just. don't. have. enough bullets.
@Rossatron ...back in '91, it was a big deal when the director's cut was released ...nowadays director's cuts are common, but 28 years ago it was a rare hype! ...in my town, i bought the only available VHS-tape with my pocket money, so for a few weeks i was the "cool guy" in my school-class :p ...these +20 minutes extra-footage are pure gold for people who grew up with the theatrical-release.
@@Rossatron I think at this point in the movie is just suggested that there might be something bigger than your regular xenomorph with ripley saying "but these things come from eggs...so where are all the eggs coming from ?"
I don't feel the scene is there to show their numbers, but to hammer home the fact that they act like an ant colony, throwing themselves at the guns looking for a way in like ants will throw themselves at the river to build a bridge across it .
A way to foreshadow the Queen.
The best thing about the Hadley's Hope sequence is the joke in the first episode of Red Dwarf (the colony commander being Red Dwarf's captain):
"Lister, if you've bought a pet on board..."
Oh...I remember THAT night.
I remember walking out of the theater after seeing Aliens.
I remember sitting in my car...feeling the adrenalin slowly drain outta my system.
What makes Aliens so great, when compared to the scifi action/horror pics today (esp. Prometheus and Covenant), is that the characters are competent at their jobs. They don't make stupid decisions to further the plot or build tension. They're doing the best they can against a creeping and overwhelming enemy, and still losing. Now that's how you build tension!
Very similar to John Carpenter's The Thing and Dog Soldiers, smart characters working together to survive.
Nimaz Sheik Agreed. Haven't seen Dog Soldiers, though. I'll look it up, thanks.
30 years later and we're still talking about this film. It's a masterpiece. This is my favorite movie with Die Hard a close second. Both excellent character driven movies.
i've never wanted to fast forward to the action in aliens as i love the character and world building in the first hour.
Same!
I know right who the hell does that? It's not like skipping Commando to the bit when he jumps off the plane.
@@avidgamer5676 why would you skip the beginning of commando? It's funny as hell.
@@avidgamer5676 Yes and I love the banter between the marines
@nph53 that is true i just meant that it's a little different to most of the other actions film of the same decade.
Ps i love Commando too.
James Cameron: King of Sequels.
Let’s see if he can hold that title with those four Avatar sequels.
King of strong female characters
@@jopvos9242 he can
I've always saw Aliens as horror-action. It's not the SLAM BANG POW bombastic movie people portray it as. It's almost as much of a slow burn as the original. I don't always agree with your viewpoints, but you nail it here.
I just watched the entire quadrilogy with a group of friends - one had never seen any of them except the first AVP. I was fully expecting him to tune out and get bored. He never did. In fact, he kept saying "it's so cool seeing something without a bunch of CGI. They had to build all of this."
I was shocked.
I WOULD call Aliens a perfect film - as much as a film can be perfect. It's a masterfully written screenplay that knows exactly how to deliver tension and continuously raise the stakes in a way that feel organic to the narrative. The earnest portrayal of the characters save them from being more than just xeno chow and on a technical level, it still holds up beautifully. In function and emotion, it's as pure as entertainment gets.
Sure, the Aliens became cannon fodder in the 2nd film, but one has to remember, the protagonists of “Alien” were a bunch of scared-shitless, blue-collar truckers relying on a bunch of improvised weaponry, to deal with a threat they’ve never been trained for, as compared to those of “Aliens”, a top-tier military unit with an arsenal 7 decades more advanced than anything the Nostromo crew had.
But that was still a conscious choice, which led to the ruination of the creatures true horror and mystique. Not that I'm complaining too much, but it is sad that we never got to spend any more time truly scared of Giger's original creation.
And mind you, they still got their asses whooped. Even if the ammo had not explode, the xenomorph numbers would have overwhelmed like the yautja in the shitty alien vs. predator movie.
@@Rossatron I wonder what was Giger's impression on Aliens, especially the Queen since it was not his creation anymore. I wonder how would he portrayed the Queen.
@Dalle Smalhals haha, true ;) still, I wonder how it would end up. I've been to Giger's museum in Switzerland and it was totally amazing... this guy had endless imagination.
Jakub Badełek
I believe Giger liked alien's queen design.
Aliens scared the crap out of when I first watched it years ago. My brothers rented it out from the video store and I watched it with them. My mother would have never let me watch a film like Aliens.
The experience of watching Aliens and a young age has always stuck with me. I remember what scared to shit out of me and what action scene had me on edge. For me, Ellen Ripley is the greatest female character ever put to film. Something that has sadly been forgotten in this new SJW driven world.
Aliens for me personally is the greatest film ever made. It's perfect. Yes, I'm a massive fanboi of the film.
The turret scene wouldn't have been bloat, imo. It's very tense and, importantly, the aliens retreated before the ammunition ran out. It had expositional relevance.
The lift scene wasn't just a ticking clock. It was Ellen's transformation. When she wipes her hair and breathes in, she became something else.
The mother against mother analogy is spot on. You're right, and describing it that way elevates the final act in a context that goes beyond just a creature and a human needing to survive (even though it works that way as well). After all, the Queen didn't want to take Ripley, it wanted to murder her. And, you know what... I could be making that up.
Great stuff. Thanks.
the "Ultimate Action Film" for me will always be Terminator 2, but really... comparing priceless gems against each other doesn't diminish either or.
Agree. T2 is by far the best of them. Super action, supreme FX work and a good story.
T2 is my favorite movie. Period. But Aliens is a pretty close second.
Both are easily my top 2.
Either way Cameron wins
One of my favorite movies of all time just show how a genius Cameron is, just this and Terminator is enough to make a director a legend but the guy also give us True Lies and Terminator 2
By the way a video essay about True Lies would be great also
The match cuts Rossatron applies to each video is so satisfying to watch. Wish Hollywood would do this more
Difficult with a single film made in 1986, but I did my best. I don't think it would work all the time in a narrative film, but when it's a video essay I think it's simply quite nice to watch something with a bit of style to it. You wouldn't enjoy an essay with dull prose, so why watch one with dull editing?
for me, Die Hard, Mad Max Fury Road, T2 and Aliens are the GREATEST Hollywood action movies of all time
Mad Max Fury Road escaped 80's and come to us, to save action movies...
I remember being 10 years old in about 1987 and my mum got Aliens from the video shop. It seemed every kid in my street was in our living room. The blinds were closed, it was a summer evening outside. At no point did i think "Wow, a woman ìs kicking ass here." We took it all for granted. Its only now people imagine that there was an inferiority.
And by the way, no one ever thought Alien better than Aliens, you are deluding yourself.
Me being an old soldier had to view this Marine unit as more of a hunting club, not a well-honed military organization. They were obviously overwhelmed. Advanced technology set aside, the principles of leadership and combat remain the same. Why was Gorman sitting back in the rear while his Marines were well into the interior of this processing plant? Notice he was losing contact and at the height of mass confusion. He can't help his guys with immediate decisions if his ass is not out there with the rest.
Further, I would think there would be a reserve force for back up as needed and they needed it, and a staff to maintain the mothership while the forces were away.
I like all the group dialogue scenes taking place in the control room. As Cameron puts it in the commentary track, they "work out the problem". The characters grapple with the situation as well as with each other. Rarely do movies manage to deliver exposition and character simultaneously.
Been watching this film at least once a year since i was newts age.__ and im now Ripleys age.
Love it upon every viewing.
I prefer this to Alien, but don’t think either are perfect. It’s true that they dumbed down the aliens a lot, but if all of them were as competent as the one in the first film, the humans probably wouldn’t have even lasted the first hour. I agree with everything you said regarding the build up, though. Few action films can get away with having no action for the first hour, but Aliens manages it masterfully.
"Get away from her, you BITCH!!!!!" - Best action one liner EVER!
The Queen deserves much more credit as a character than you give.
She shows concern for her offspring, pulls rank with her guards in attempting to come to a mutually beneficial understanding with Ripley, she was intelligent enough to figure out the elevator and to stow away in the wheel well of the drop ship, she realized how much Newt meant to Ripley, and she had enough foresight to stow an egg aboard the Sulaco for Alien 3 in the event she didn’t survive. She was _far_ from being just a “tank”. I’d argue what was most terrifying about her was how cunning she was as a character. She was close to, if not, Ripley’s equal.
my absolute favourite child hood classic, best film ever mad, master piece of a film. God it is actually unreal how much this film means to me
T2 and Aliens are my top 2 favorite movies. I definitely like Aliens much more than the first Alien, but I think this comes down to the fact that I'm way more into action and adventure movies than I am of horror genres movies.
I can watch Aliens over and over. Alien, not so much. Though it is a good movie too.
My all time fave since it was released back in '86!
See Marvel. This is how you do badass women characters. Some of the female leads of today have no right to call themselves by that title as they assume one earns it by being "Tough". Bullshit. It's earned by doing what is right and fighting without praise or demand of praise.
Nice video, hope you talk about the true awesomeness of Mad Max: Fury Road,
another masterpiece of Action.
Yeah we definitely need that.
The sentry guns are a great scene, and you're actually the first person I've ever heard say that it should be left out. It's outrageously popular. I love it.
Plus, I think you're slightly wrong in saying it adds nothing. It helps build the sense of inevitable death and loss: the best their tech and defenses have to offer just aren't enough. The aliens are relentless, just like the Terminator.
And let's not forget: it's fun. Which is kind of the point, at the end of the day. (reminds me of the mad minute shooting scene in predator)
I don’t think you’ve ever talked about the Indiana Jones movies, outside of a Raiders of the Lost Ark having a place on your top 10 action movies list. It would be interesting to see you talk about them in more depth in a video.
I used to watch that Alien Queen climax on repeat with my recorded VHS. I'm still fascinated when the Queen ripped Bishop in two. That shot of her coming down from hiding still left me in awe.
Michael Biehn is such an underrated actor.
Never disappoints! Great in Tombstone and so many others as well!
Hands down, best action film female lead ever written and portrayed by the actress. So many important notes the Hollywood of today needs to take from this master class in female led action films... Both ALIEN, and ALIENS.
That shot of the lit, but unsmoked, cigarette in Ripley's hand, establishing character through a single second of implication, is one of my favorite scenes ever in film. Cameron liked it too. He reused it in Terminator 2.
Fast forward the first hour? The character back and forth on the Sulaco alone is a masterpiece of film making.
I don't get the "Cannonfodder" argument so many people throw around.First movie had one alien and a bunch of space-truckers.
This movie has a platoon of marines. Trained soldiers (sort of) that would make short work with the one alien, no matter how good a stalker it is. But on the colony? There is an entire Alien 1 movie woth of stalking that already happened and lead to the army of Xenomorphs. So the playingfield is stacked against the marines from the start.
Your love for action movies is infectious
To add.. I think this should be put on cinemas again today.. maybe a couple of cg enhancements (dropship in third act greenscreen could use some tidy up now).. this film should be seen by all the younger generation smothered with transformers films and remakes of stuff that doesn't need to be (but will be).
I personally like the addition of the turrets, as they allow more time for the aliens to try to get into the barricaded room. Them going for the lights right off the bat seemed a bit too intelligent and preplanned to me.
The addition of the scene where Ripley finds out about her daughter gives her fight to protect Newt WAAAY more weight and an explanation for her actions. It was great before, but now it makes total sense.
It's quite fascinating, how ever since the release of Ridley Scott's masterpiece "Alien", which I completely agree is as perfect as a movie can be, and it's sequel, a classic in its' own right, are films many adore yet prefer one over the other. For me personally, while I LOVE "Aliens" (and I really do!), I prefer the claustrophobic and hyper-intense nature of the 1st film, which to this day haunts me to no end. That's horror at its' finest! :D
Its either Aliens, Predator or Terminator 2.
Predator 2?
Terminator, Robocop and Die Hard as well. All mentioned are the goats.
Who the hell would fast forward through the mess hall scene?
Aliens along with Terminator 2 are damn good sequels. I'm glad I saw them both in the theater with my dad in the 80s and 90s when I was a little kid.
Hell yea! He is back!
Love this video essay, well done, Rossatron. My one qualm is with your comment on Horner needing more time. He had ample time but, through interviews, felt that he couldn't start prepping his score because the film was behind schedule. To me, that's not a good excuse, and considering the heavy amount of music editing in the film, I don't think his heart was in it enough. And I say this as a fan of Horner and the score. He did well, but I feel like his score is lifted to legendary status through the music editors, Robin Clarke and Michael Clifford.
I've never considered Aliens an action movie. For me it was always pure sci-fi horror.
Welcome back Rossatron, great Video Essay on Aliens. I agree with a lot of your points and arguments. In my professional opinion, I consider "Aliens" more as a Horror film than an Action film, even though the film is mostly action at it's core. In other words, The Narrative of Aliens is truly Horror, but with an Action flow and pace to it. To me, The Ultimate Action Film arguably is "The Bourne Ultimatum" (2007). (IMO The Bourne Ultimatum is a Pure Masterpiece). And I feel that fans of Action films misunderstood "Bourne Ultimatum" and only looked at the film from one perspective, which of course is the heavy use of the "Shaky Cam", but the Shaky Cam was only a small aspect of the film. The film itself entirely was "Action", and it is Action told through not only various perspectives, but it's pure Realism. It is a film about viewers going on a chaotic journey with a very strong formidable character through "both Lenses". Meaning, the viewer is apart of the action (the viewer is in Jason Bourne's Shoes), as well as spectating it. But to each his own, I love Action. By the way, have you see Cameron and Rodriguez's "Alita: Battle Angel"? very good Action Film, I think Cameron has created another Badass Female Gem of a character on par with Sarah Conner and Ellen Ripley with Alita.
I think the same thing about the director's cut. Not knowing what was the colony before the aliens' attack, brings some eerie mystery of what happened and imagine the horror and despair it was.
That article about skipping through to the first action - are they kidding - I only watch this films extended version and can't watch the theatrical version. No skipping for me! 😄
Such a classic. I was able to see it in cinema recently .. and man .. they really don't make them like this anymore. It was just mind blowing. Even if you watch the movie twice a year, find a way to see it on big screen.
This video and the movie as well should be used as inspiration for how to make a great action movie with great characters, great story, great action sequences and great writing. They’re both inspirational to me and I'm going to rewatch Aliens soon for the third time and this time I will take notes and pay more attention to the subtle details in the film.
GAME OVER MAN. Bill Paxton so brilliant in this.
Perfect timing I’ve been watching aliens behind the scenes documentaries all week
I watched this movie on 123 movies with buffering and ads and low quality and I still think this might be one of my favorite movies of all time. I just loved how everything works together like the mother scene with the girl the giant robot fight where she rides it in the beginning the girl knows the air vents and I could go on and on. The effect don't hold up like the thing 1982 does for me still but that's ok because it's an old movie and they were pretty crazy effects while the thing was just a monster and monsters if done properly will always looks real unlike computers and lightning
Rossatron: you are the ultimate action film analyst. Thanks for another great video.
great review of an amazing film - i rewatched it not long ago but many years after i'd first seen it and it still provides that thrilling shiver in the tense moments. bonus props for mentioning how much the score adds to the experience, that music is heart-pumping by itself.
It's a great movie! I could watch it over and over and never get bored. But here's an opinion that may not be too popular... It's not a great "Alien" movie. In fact, the much derided Alien 3 is a much better "Alien" movie imo, in the sense that everything about it is much more in line with the original 79 movie. It's beautifully dark and dingy, it's sets a tone of hopelessness (they always win, like it or not) The creature is terrifying and deadly whereas Aliens demotes them to being bug like cannon fodder at times. And the characters are all wonderfully realised. I'm not saying that Aliens 3 is a better movie than Aliens (it isn't) But it is arguably one of the most underrated movies ever made imo.
Yeah I do somewhat agree. I went into it on my earlier video on which is the best Alien film. You might like that.
@@Rossatron I shall have a look. Many thanks.
I hate this attitude. It's so arrogant. Yes, it is a great "Alien" movie...because it's a, well, Alien movie...and widely considered an absolute, all-time classic. This idea that sequels that deviate from the original are somehow "missing the point" of the original is so ass backwards.
@@tylermane77 its more that for me, I dont consider it a bad Alien movie, just that I lament what happened to the creature in the sequel. I still say in the video that I love the film, and that it can and should be compared to the original.
@@tylermane77 You missed my point entirely. But that's, fine. No arrogance intended, like I said, it's truly is a great movie.
The scene where Ripley and Hicks tell each other their first names is in the special edition. Just like with T2, there is a lot of gold in the spec eds, but it's mostly Cameron paring away his heavy handedness.
This movie is like a lost Art, we won't see anything like it ever again.
I agree with Rossatron on the importance of the 'slow' non-action opening hour. I've usually considered "Aliens" a "war movie" (with horror, action, etc suffusing it). I think for Cameron non-action and action is a dialog. In Rossatron's clips, he shows Ripley and Hicks in the elevator as he shoots the monster to bits, the elevator closes and they start down. But following this there are moments of quiet (just as before the monster appears in the doorway) where one thinks "this is over." But Cameron uses the quiet, non-action to set up further action. This "inter-action" is part of Cameron's storytelling. For lesser directors, they end up (I think) relying on mere action technique and tropes. Also, the Marines as stereotypes: this seems inherent in the idea of genre, yes? What Cameron did in "Aliens" is to turn stereotypes into archetypes by humanizing them.
The pacing was good built up the tension and suspense and gave you time to like the characters . Predator did it too with the team before they predator starts hunting them. people used to modern action films with short attention spans can't take it tho lol . Yeah theatrical version is better without the Hadleys hope stuff as you know what's happened to colony already
It's my favorite military movie and it shows an absolute failure of the military. Which I think was the point as Cameron was going for a Vietnam theme. A single squad of marines on a ship big enough to hold perhaps hundreds. Using automation instead of a dedicated naval crew. Even the squad tactics are flawed. The two heavy gunners go in first and together. And most importantly, an inexperienced leader. I wonder if military units use this film as what not to do.
The brilliant action will never work if you skip the first hour of this outmost masterpiece. What's the point of the action if you skip what it's about & why? Personally, I love when the marines first arrive & enter Hadley's Hope & check out corridors & rooms & find it's all empty. There's no action, besides maybe finding Newt at best. But the first time you see this you don't know that no Xeno will show up, the tension can be cut with a knife! I have surely seen Aliens easily 200 times in my lifetime, will surely be another 200 if I'm lucky. Comparing it to modern films just makes me appreciate it even more & realize just how bad overall most films are today, especially when it comes to tension, action, world building & especially focus on character & allowing them to evolve, giving them TIME to evolve! What's really funny is that Cameron indeed copied a lot from Alien into Aliens, especially the ending having a countdown, escaping a huge explosion, the alien is still around anyway & Ripley blows it into space, all that happens in both films & that's just the ending. Compare to how JJ copied ANH with his TFA. That wasn't appreciated by most but how Cameron did the same thing with Aliens is fine with most. That's because Cameron did a lot that JJ didn't. He gave his film an identity of its own despite all the copying. And he EVOLVED the returning character while JJ made a mockery out of the OT SW characters returning (Johnson doing it tremendously much worse). And Cameron gave us new very GOOD characters that make sense, characters that are iconic, that we care about & love, characters that fitted the narrative & was there for a reason, even if they are stereotyped they are brilliant stereotypes. The new characters in TFA & forward are boring at best! And I am even gonna reach this far; I consider Carter Burke as one of my fav villains of all time! This office man with the looks of a sweet boy from next door, a regular guy with no super power at all, does never even pick up a gun. But he does what all great villains do = cause tremendous problems for the protagonists! The man is pure evil, not only sacrificing Ripley & Newt to hide his former crimes of the colony but also trying to earn money from this terror. Compare that to Kylo Ren, that has super powers & a cool outfit, but what has he exactly done? Besides patricide, not much. He hates his past for some unknown reason & his agenda is unknown to us still after two films. Burke represents the worst of mankind = greed! Corporate greed at its worse. It's not as if he's unaware of the danger, he even admits himself he understands what's going on. Yet he risks them all, naively even himself, to come home insanely rich. No story is better than its villain. The villains of most films today are bland. They get cool outfits & powers but they don't do much. Burke is a regular guy in a suit yet what he represents is pure evil. And just because of his boyish looks (& brilliantly played by Paul Reiser) Cameron makes us think Burke is maybe OK while we suspect Bishop, being the android of this sequel, to be the antagonist, especially since we copy how Ripley reacts to Bishop initially. Cameron tricks us for a time to believe the bad guy is someone else. So he even copies the android thing yet does not by having Bishop being the good guy while "the company" remains the real villain of this franchise.
The action is still to this day spectacular. After 30 years & over 200 views I still feel adrenaline most times seeing it, even if I know every spoken word by heart, the same with every sound effect. The motion tracker's sound is a masterpiece of its own! It's the sound you love to hate! When it's not beeping you think you are safe, but are you really? Are the Xeno's just laying still close by? And when you do hear the beep you know where they are, right? Not necessarily. And it's Xeno's we are talking about, even if you know where they are you don't want them near anyway. The tension of the motion tracker alone is a work of brilliance, yet another copy from Alien made so much better & more important to the story. That's what a real sequel does, taking what was already there & evolving it. Something modern filmmakers no longer understand. They just wanna change everything instead of using what is already there. And finally, indeed the score! Aliens has the best action score of all time! How many trailers in the past did not use Bishop's Countdown as their music for other films?
As our beloved, late Bill Paxton described this film: "Aliens is the gift that just keeps on giving!" He was so right! And when you compare Aliens to modern films, there is NO game over for Aliens any time soon!
I’m going to say something normally I don’t give out compliments but I believe the way you are reviewing this movie is absolutely fantastic and you definitely deserve more views and more likes so thank you for going through my favourite movie of all time
Absolutely agree on everything. I think both Alien and Aliens are so good, that choosing between them is rather a matter of preference. There are days in which I prefer Alien to Aliens and vice versa. I think it depends on which one I'm watching at the moment.
First time I saw his I loved the buildup. made me understand the world, got me into full concentration, then when it was time to drop in with the marines I felt like I was going with them and had long anticipated this mission.
New Rossatron video and its about Aliens. Today is a good day.
The Resident Evil 4 of movies.
I like this comment. And it's pretty accurate. A great game, that arguably derailed the series.
Doesn't help that RE4 has plenty of shout-outs to the franchise.
Interesting what you think about the turret scene. For me it is the other way around. I still remember how I felt when I first watched the movie. The turret scene is great (IMHO), because it starts with them setting up the turrets, which are this ultra-heavy military tech with a seemingly very high number of bullets in the chamber. Later, when they fire, I had this short moment of relief, when they absolutely shred the aliens in the tunnel. But only a few seconds later this sinking feeling sets in as the ammunition drops and drops and drops. Then the first turret is empty, then the next. Also the muffled sound from where the characters witness the whole thing is somehow great. They don't actually see what wee see, they can only guess what's happening out there.
This short scene ends with the turrets being empty - symbolized only by the number that dropped to zero.
If this was a scene, where some of the characters had operated the turrets, it wouldn't have worked so well on me. The turrets are some kind of automated defense. Like a promise technology gives us - that machines will take care of it. But in the end, the turrets accomplished nothing and the unknown monster is still out there.
In short, I think the turrets are a great kind of metaphor for this badass high power military technology, that the humans rely on - and it is completely meaningless once this unknown danger appears. A little droplet on a hot stone in the desert.
Love this video essay! Pointing out the differences between the original horror thriller and the sequel, i wonder if another, more subconscious, reason that Aliens is so high on the list of action films is due to the fact that we (humans) are not only effectively able to defend against these 'unstoppable aliens' but actually able to go on the offense. Compared to the first movie, humans end up looking a lot better in comparison.
I would call Aliens a flawed masterpiece since the original cuts doesn't develop well the motherhood themes by cutting Ripley's daughter reference, and the Director's cut does but it drags and kills the tension... Thanx!!
In my opinion it’s the best because it just left you wanting more at the end of Alien and with questions, and the sequel didn’t disappoint and went way beyond my expectations. It’s very memorable, also Terminator 2 is like this as well.
Loved the aside to Scarface, a great parallel to draw
I'm glad it's appreciated. There's so much to learn from De Palma.
Great video as always can't wait for the next one
_FINALLY_ the Ross has come _back_ ... to youtube.
Best movie ever.
Yes it definitely is
THIS is the stuff I grew up on. The best.
Never before have I found myself agreeing with you to this extant.
Despite it's flaws, I think Alien 3 captures the horror vibe of the first Alien movie much better than Aliens. While over all it may be the weakest of the three films, I still have a lot of love for it.
I like that the alien queen was out for revenge after ripley destroyed the eggs
I've always wondered, what're your thoughts on Hardcore Henry?
It's super impressive, but I don't particularly enjoy it. I need to see it again, but I found it disorientating to a fault, and the film around the stunts and action just isn't that compelling.
@@Rossatron I honestly thought the FP aspect for a movie would throw me off. Nope, I dealt pretty well. The action and stunts were cool, Don't Stop Me Now playing during a badass scene helped, and Sharlto Copley just swinging for the fences.
@@Rossatron It's a video game. If you look at it in terms of video game structure (opening cinematic, first level, trash mobs, escort missions, boss battles) it makes more sense. Even has things like a voiceless protagonist, re-used assets, and character upgrades.
@@jackkain7141 I dont particularly like watching other people play video games.
Can you cover Alien 3 in a future video? Highly underrated and not deserving most of the hate it got when it released.
I think a big counter argument towards people criticizing the film not having any action for a good hour is that you have to remember the wait. This film came out 7 years after the first one, people are going to want to know what happened with Ripley, and since this film is set more than half a century after the first, some world building is kind of necessary.
I agree the first Hadley's Hope scene was unnecessary, but the turret scene wasnt. It was great context as to why the Aliens didn't just charge at the command deck to kill all the survivors at first. I love the fact that just before the last turret empties Hicks' nerves get to him and he grabs his rifle in an anxious rush right before the Aliens stop, superb direction on Cameron's part, and excellent acting on Michael Beihn's part.
('Have you ever been mistaken for a man?' 'No, have you?' -Vasquez ) - Brianne of Tarth
My all time fave film.. half a dozen guys in rubber suits and a budget so small it would hardly get any action film off the ground today in Hollywood.
The visual fx have aged a bit but I honestly don't mind nor care.. its a reminder of the era it was filmed and the tensuon pacing and action and fear are still amazing today.
I disagree with him weakening the alien.. in the first film the alien was up against half dozen sleep weary science boffs who witnessed their friend tore open then try to take it out with basic homemade weapons.
In the 2nd they go up against marines with heavy firepower who know how to handle themselves.
Great vid tho thanks.. this and your predator video are so good 😎 as are many others!
The differences between the solitary xeno in 1 & 3, and the swarm of bugs in 2 is easily explained. Xenomorphs follow the Inverse Ninja Law; one xenomorph is an existential threat, dozens of them become a target rich environment.
One of the most perfect movies of all time. period! it will pass 100 years and this movie will still be studied and appreciated
The last of the Alien movies I need to see in a theater. Got to see the original for the 25th re-release, hoping something like Alamo Drafthouse will do a showing of.
Top drawer as usual, Ross. 👍🏼
Thanks, welcome to the party pal
Superb in every way!!!
Aliens had awesome soundtrack, to me though, Alien 3 had the best soundtrack out of all of the movies. It is mesmerizing to say the least.
Aliens is an absolute masterpiece and my all time favourite film regardless of genre.. "get away from her you bitch" is the most venom filled line ever delivered by any actor..
love the 1st one atmospheric wise
EDIT:
2nd is good as well action wise!
Hey Rossatron, this review made me reminisce on how when I last saw The Terminator in 2016 I was impressed by how hectic the film managed to be on such a tight budget and whilst still getting in a good amount of character development. Haven't seen this film in a while, but I get similar vibes from this.
Oh I did see Terminator 2 a few months after I last saw T1 and was amazed by how Cameron managed to catch lightning-in-a-bottle twice. He somehow manages to throw everything but the kitchen sink at us while making sure there is method to the madness. I like Titanic and Avatar too, for how cliché they both are (the latter especially, sometimes to the point of hilarity).
There are two other major points I want to discuss relating to this film. The first is that the ONLY negative review of this film on Rotten Tomatoes comes from Gene Siskel of all people, who felt it was overkill, and even Roger Ebert, despite giving the film a rave review, admitted one doesn't really "enjoy" it in the traditional sense. The scenes from the movie you showed in this video does make it seem kind of that way, but it should be noted that Gene didn't care for the first Terminator and admitted up-front he was not a big fan of the science fiction genre at all (he did name Back to the Future and The Fly as being some of the best films of their respective years, but all that does is to show what kind of sci-fi he did take to. He even compared Aliens very unfavorably to The Fly when he reviewed that film, saying something to the tune of "all Aliens does is throw spindly creatures at Sigourney Weaver for two hours", and as a HUGE fan of Aliens the best defense I can come up with is that both movies are aiming for different experiences and need to be judged as such. And then later Gene gave Armageddon of all movies a positive review even as his colleague named it the worst film of 1998).
The second is how often Ripley is favorably compared to today's brand of "strong" heroines like Rey from Star Wars, specifically how Ripley has a personality and flaws compared to Rey supposedly being a "Mary Sue". From what I remember of the sequel trilogy films there's decent enough justification for Rey to be proficient in a lot of the tasks she carries out and her just giving off an air of positive attitude, so sometimes I get driven to anger and outright label anyone with such a criticism of Rey as outright sexist. However, I can come up with a more charitable explanation without calling others bigots. See, to me, the problem is that Ripley is a civilian who comes into her own as an "action hero" due to her maternal instincts, whereas Rey has been a scavenger her whole life and thus already acts like a "strong, independent heroine", so I view both characters as being separate archetypes. However, a lot of people simply find the Ripley archetype to be more relatable vs. the Rey archetype because Ripley's is better established as a three-dimensional character who is also more self-explanatory compared to Rey, ergo people simply identify with Ripley faster than they do with Rey. As I said, I personally feel that The Force Awakens at least does a good enough job of justifying Rey's abilities through Show, Don't Tell methods, and thus people who compare it unfavorably to the prequels and Rogue One which IMO were chock full of dull exposition come off to me as being just dim, but I should really learn to cool down and accept that people just feel differently in situations like this. I personally do not watch movies just to watch characters stand or walk and talk for 50% of the time - not saying the rest has to be action, sometimes epic films like The Godfather and Lawrence of Arabia can make 3- or 4-hour films feel like a breeze because of how good they are - but I hope you get my point.
For all I know, this might be a big reason why the newer Star Wars and Alien films just don't work for a lot of people. The franchises largely started out with self-explanatory stories and characters, whereas the new films either invent convoluted explanations or go out of their way to avoid exposition, making it seem like stupid crap happens out of nowhere.
EDIT: I forgot to mention one really dumb complaint of Gene's that I take legitimate issue with: he felt Newt being put in danger was a cheap ploy for sympathy which doesn't work because you know she won't get killed off. He evidently missed how Newt was the sole survivor of the alien attack on the colony and how the marines often deferred to her for advice for that reason. It's like he just saw a kid and got turned off. I don't think Siskel was a bad critic, far from it, but even the greats have their misses.
No mention of the build up to 'get away from her, you bitch!" Best line in action cinema.
Your videos are so good. Thanks for your work.