Overkill? I watched Aliens, left the theatre, walked five blocks, turned around, went back and waited on line to see it again. For me, two hours of overkill wasn't enough. The only other time I ever did that was Terminator 2.
I was about 14 when I watched Terminator 2 - after seeing it ( Us Canadians were on vacation driving through the U.S and I think my cousin and I watched it in Park City, Utah) I think we both agreed that it was one of the greatest films we'd ever seen! And it still holds up today too!
These must have been the good old days... the movie was SO good, SO engaging, that they’re complaining about how disturbed they were about how invested they were in the story!
Yeah... believe it or not I remember a lot of people saying similar things back then. But they looked at it as a positive... I think a lot of people realized that Aliens had re-set the bar for action movies.
@@johnd.obrien6838 , I was very stressed and felt a bit I'll after the movie back then. I loved it, but it was a harrowing experience back then. That is why it is such a classic 33 years later. People today don't understand how different it was in 1986, and how a film like this really had a strong effect on the audience!
Jamie Braswell something about the closing credits and the ost that plays over it just made you feel dreadful as you reflect on the movie. And it still makes me feel like that to this day. I could never put my finger on it but I think you used the right word, harrowing. Dreary or gloomy are other words I would use to describe the feeling the movie leaves you with. It was a dark, brutal, intense, engaging and immersive film and when it ends, you feel that way too.
The little kid was essential to the movie. It completely opened up Ripley's character. Without the kid Ripley might give up in despair. The kid is what explains Ripley's ferocity and almost superhuman effort to defeat the Alien. Siskel blew it, big time.
The director's cut would have better explained the connection between Ripley and Newt, being Ripley lost her own child due to hyper sleep for over 50 years (or however long).
@@crescendo2441 they did the same crap with terminator 2 putting a little kid in it, and since arnold became a big movie star because of the 1st terminator, he wouldnt play bad guys anymore, so he had to be the hero in the 2nd one.
He didn't argue that the device didn't work so much as it was just cheap; Ripley suddenly has a deceased daughter that she never saw grow up and, suddenly, ALSO meets a surrogate that she can go all Rambo to rescue by becoming an action hero.
They left out the funniest part of the scene: Ripley: "this little girl survived longer than that with no weapons and no training." Ripley: Looks down at Newt "Right?" Newt: ***salutes*** Hudson: "Why don't you just put her in charge!?"
@@BullToTheShit Absolutely, but Siskel pans almost every classic. It's crazy going back and watching these old reviews how many he was just way off. He's the worst critic I've ever seen.
The only type of movies Siskel Ever likes, are dramas Featuring Suburban families with either a terminally ill person, a divorce or some other depressing issue. He sucks.
He often is. He pretty much gives a lot of great films bad reviews. This one, Scream, Casino, Apocalypse Now. Although one of the few times I agree with him was The Cable Guy 😂
@@casesoutherland4175 they sold out, they knew they could make more money with an action movie than a horror movie.it's hollywood crap, aliens is fine for a one time view, but i wouldnt want to see it again like i did with the first alien movie, everytime i watch the first alien i see something i never saw before. it has so many little things in it you miss.it's truly an art film compared to it's hollywood crap sequel.
Which is a part of the reason why a good portion of their reviews don’t hold up that well because all they were doing were crapping on classic movies that were more entertainment or dark level of movies and praising mediocre artsy fartsy movies. In addition, they did come across as bit of pussies for film critics at times because they crapped on movies that were disturbing but were still great movies in spite of that calling them disturbing, violent and too much for them (which was the literal point).
Not just of the 80s. And no, The Thing is not an action-horror movie, and Aliens is a lot more horror than Predator, but many folks wouldn't label either of them horror. And as good as Predator is, I don't think it holds a candle to Aliens. Very few movies do.
How could he say it's "wall to wall" monsters attack? "Aliens" is paced very well, you really only get three attacks from the aliens, and then the finale with the queen.
The scene with the remote machine guns was a massive misstep. In the original movie one of these creatures provided us with two hours of wrought tension, and then in this scene they’re being swatted like flies. That’s the ‘on the one hand’ negative. ‘On the other hand’ it was overall excellent and looked incredible, in some ways better than the original.
@@jp3813 Gene doesn't like Sci-Fi - his bias shows all the time. This is a great example of that bias. Roger gave Weaver the credit she deserved (she was nominated for best actress for this role) - Gene did not. About 90% of the time I would agree with Roger's review - only about 50% with Gene.
@@shizuokaBLUES they’re both great movies which I highly recommend but I give the edge to Aliens cuz of how more suspenseful it was compared to the original.
well i love the avengers but it does the blue lazer in the sky trope that every superhero movie does, it doesn’t change all the great stuff about the movie. he just thinks that in this case it takes away from the movie, and sometimes it can. guess what, this is a different movie with a different director who can be better/worse at different things in peoples eyes.
@@elimitchell9716 Correction: every superhero movie does AFTER the Avengers did. Siskel clearly said "one of the cheapest shots you can do in a movie". Hence, he was talking in a general sense. And the specific exception he named was "comedy/splatter films", which Jurassic Park isn't. Plus, he pretty much implied it as something that does make a difference for him as opposed to your issue w/ sky lasers.
Gene played the "child in danger" card often but inconsistently. Ebert had his own lame escape pod criticisms as well. Neither of them hold up well to scrutiny, especially in hindsight. They were often Gene and Roger saying: "This film really upset / disturbed / frightened me but I need a more cerebral reason to express my dislike for it."
@@Mc.Garnagle But that was the genius of this show. You knew the personalities and tastes of Gene and Roger, and they gave you enough information to figure out if the movie would be to your taste. It's just amazing that no-one has ever equaled (or come close to) their ability to connect with the movie going audience. Of course, they could be spectacularly wrong (e.g. Blade Runner), which could hurt a movie initially, but not prevent it from finding its audience.
Bill Paxton is a national treasure. He should have been bigger than he was, but I'm so happy he wasn't. What a great actor and I love everything he did. R.I.P.
I agree totally.......he stole every scene he was ever in.....he was amazing in films like Twister and A Simple Plan. I'll watch any film with him in it 100 times and never get tired of it. The only other actor I feel that way about is Patrick Swayze.......both gone way way too soon.
Just to be clear, Ebert actually recommended Aliens. He gives it a thumbs up, which means he liked it. Out thumbs up and thumbs down, he chose thumbs up.
Yeah, he was just talking about how intense it was and that some people may not be able to handle it. It wasn't a criticism. Also, his "I felt bad at the end" is kind of silly, considering that it's not exactly supposed to make you feel GOOD. lol It's a horror movie. So was the original. You don't walk out skipping on air. lol
Time for you to get the hate mail ready. No. I'm very very serious. Literally nobody is going to agree with this. Hands on the keyboards. Here we go. I absolutely hated it. As a follow-up to one of the most perfect horror films of all time, it's embarrassing! From suspenseful, terrifying, gory and exciting to boring '80s action fluff. The only purpose of the new characters is to get killed off, Siskel is 100% correct about the child (I don't even remember her name. I just call her "plot point" girl.), And the line "get away from her, you b****" is one of the cheesiest movie lines I've ever heard. Sorry, but not sorry. The "Alien" franchise absolutely does not need to exist and at this point, I think Ridley Scott should have gone with the original ending of the first one. F*** that overrated borefest.
@@sawmaster6095 i agree with you sawmaster. the first alien is awesome, the 2nd one is just hollywood crap to make a fast buck, same with t2. the first terminator was great but i hated the sequel.
Yup. That deleted scene when Ripley mourns for her own daughter. My one sentence review of Aliens: Mothers argue about child raising techniques; men get hurt.
I was 6 years old when my babysitter took me to see this movie. I loved every minute of it, and is one of my favorite movies till this day. My mom almost fired my babysitter for taking me to see this.
This film opened on my 11th birthday, and being huge fans of ALIEN, my dad took me and several of my friends to see it. It was one of the most special days of my entire life. We all loved it, I am not sure how two grown men could have been overwhelmed by it in a negative way.
@i SkyWalKing Aliens is good, but it is trash when compared to Alien. In the first movie they made the Alien a unstoppable killing machine that Ripley BARELY escaped from. In the sequel they are made to be canon fodder.
Siskel was such a snob, this was the greatest science fiction film and he still maintains his snobbery. Dude go to the opera if you want everything in pleasantries.
@@malafakka8530 I've been to Movie Theaters All Of My Life, Each and every one of them was incredible, I remember in the year 1984, I was on a date with my then boyfriend named Ben, we went to the movie theater to see the movie, Footloose, and it was incredible, then later on in the week we went to see the movie, Pete's Dragon, It was incredible, then we started seeing other movies in the movie theater over the year, Splash, Police Academy, Romancing The Stone, Ghostbusters, Gremlins, The Karate Kid, The Muppet's Take Manhattan (Yes I'm a Muppet's Fan), The Never Ending Story, Sheena, A Christmas Story, Supergirl, Beverly Hills Cop, and In 1985 My Now Husband Ben and I took our 6-year-old daughter named Zoe to the movie theater to see the movie, The Black Cauldron (animated movie), Then we went to see, D.A.R.Y.L, Ewoks The Battle For Endor, The Journey Of Natty Gann, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Police Academy 2 Their First Assignment, Return To OZ, Rocky 4, Santa Claus The Movie, Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird, and In 1986, GoBots The Movie The Battle Of The Rock Lords (Animated Movie), Heathcliff The Movie (Animated Movie), Howard The Duck, Jumping Jack Flash, The Karate Kid Part 2, Labyrinth, My Little Pony The Movie (Animated Movie), Police Academy 3 Back In Training, Short Circuit, Top Gun, Transformers The Movie Animated Movie, In 1987, Baby Boom, Benji The Hunted, The Brave Little Toaster Animated Movie, Dirty Dancing, Ernest Goes To Camp, G.I. Joe The Movie Animated Movie, Harry and The Henderson's, Lethal Weapon, Pinocchio and The Emperor Of The Night Animated Movie, Police Academy 4 Citizens On Patrol, The Princess Bride, Project X, Robocop, Spaceballs, Three Men and a Baby, and In 1988, Beetlejuice, Big Top Pee-Wee, Cocoon The Return, Daffy Duck's Quackbusters, Ernest Saves Christmas, Gorillas In The Mist, Grave Of Fireflies Anime Movie, Hot To Trot, The Land Before Time Animated Movie, Oliver & Company Animated Movie, etc. etc.
Imagine if you could have taken a random movie audience from the 1950s and magically showed them Alien and then Aliens from the future. There would probably have been heart attacks and strokes from the intensity.
Yale grad & a Pulitzer Prize winner. The movie went right over their heads. Aliens is a very pro woman movie. Hero - Female Only survivor - Female Child Biggest baddest alien - Queen Toughest Marine - Female Pilot - Female *Incompetent Military Leaders - Male Corporate Weasel - Male Soldier having a breakdown - Male
Siskel just doesn't get it, he's so out of touch with the mainstream audience. Ebert is way more down to Earth and in touch with the mainstream audience. Aliens is a James Cameron master piece of sci-fi just like Terminater. It's a kick ass, action ride from start to finish.
@@Jolly-Green-Steve Its easy to see things from 2019 and say the person was out of touch. But back in 1986 Siskel represented a portion of the viewing public. Ebert represented another part of that public. AND Aliens was a radical movie for its time. I saw it when I was 16 and I remember feeling horrified by the intensisty of it. It was very gritty compared to Star Wars or Star Trek and like Ebert, my stomach was knotted up when I left the theatre. Since then I have come to appreciate its many well-done aspects. Siskel was looking out for his viewers' interests in 1986. And having been a "big" volunteer in Big Brothers/Sisters I decided to show it to my "little" who was 16 at the time(year 2012). afterwords, he said that Aliens was "ghetto." He thought it was cheap and he didn't like it. But He LOVED Fast and Furious franchise. Tastes are often based on the time we were born and raised.
@@Jolly-Green-Steve I am really sorry you misunderstood what I wrote. I am also saorry you feel the need to be hostile when that was not my intent. I hope you find some peace.
Aliens is a perfect action movie. These two are considered among the best reviewers ever and time has shown how totally wrong they could be. This is a classic film and should have received 30 thumbs up.
He was right about the intensity of the movie. I remember seeing it when I was 18, and as it progressed, I found myself slumping down further and further in my chair, just overwhelmed by the sheer amount of never-ending action! I had never seen a movie quite that intense before, but I absolutely loved it! Still do.
I saw it opening night or so 1986, I was about 18 myself, with my aunt who I'd seen ALIEN with the first time, and were just happy it was a very good sequel, wasn't a retread of the original, had Sigourney, and it delivered what it promised, a solid sequel to the first movie. It could have been so supremely wretched, but it wasn't. I didn't find it that intense. The battle scenes on first viewing are a tad confusing and frenetic, a blur, but if you watch the film in a quality way a few times it becomes less of a problem. Also, it's less "gore horror" in ALIENS and more just total suspense, and action, and a question of how to battle the xenomorphs and a total battle for survival. It's also a question of who is fit for survival considering it turns out not everyone's mettle is cut out for this exploratory mission that turns into, essentially, a suicide mission. Gorman is the first to collapse on that score.
Imagine Siskel & Ebert trying a roller coaster when they were first invented. It would be too intense for them, preferring the good ole merry go round.
How anyone could see this as anything other than a masterpiece is baffling? Siskel keeps bleating on about 'kids in peril'. It's a film grow some balls man
Watched the directors cut whole 160 min at least 40 times and every single time I descover a brilliant detail not noticed before! Such a masterpiece…stood the test of time!
You know you done well when the only criticism of your movie is that its "too scary" "too upsetting" "too hard-going" basically all translations of "too intense" which actually means you made the movie "too well". These are the best criticisms of a movie you want.
As much as I enjoyed Gene & Roger they misfired too often on horror & action films. Blade Runner, Aliens & Silence of the Lambs are all classic films that did not get the immediate respect they deserved. Bias is everywhere even in those whose opinions you respect. Do not go mindless into that goodnight.
ebert gave jurassic park a thumbs down LOL. Whether you like dinosaurs or not there is no denying that is a fantastically well made film from its writing, acting, music, casting etc. Groundbreaking cgi and practical effects.
There were certain genres they were often very wrong about ... Ebert gave The Phantom Menace 3 1/2 stars! I remember being absolutely shell shocked in the theater at how bad it was.
This review has not aged well. The legacy of Aliens, Sigourney Weaver, and James Cameron has grown over the years, and I don't know anyone now who has seen this movie that doesn't consider it an all-time classic as an action film, a sci-film, and a horror film. Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd were decades ahead of their time in leading with a female action hero, and Ripley really still is probably the best of them, with only Terminator 2's Sarah Connor (another Cameron/Hurd creation) in the same class.
It's like they barely wanted to talk about it lol. One of the greatest sci-fi films ever (maybe best). "Hey, I just saw a little film called The Matrix,... my review is MEH; had too much fighting... Anywho, did you know Skittles are delicious and air filters are on sale at Home Depot?..."
I wonder if James Cameron showed them the longer version. On the back of the laserdisc, Cameron also says, the longer version is "too long" and "too intense." I just have a feeling S and E are reacting to the longer version.
Long after Aliens left the movie theaters, the cable companies especially HBO constantly broadcasted the film for months and replayed the sequel a few more times in over two decades. The movie was that popular. It's a rollercoaster ride you are willing to ride over and over.
Alien pushed back the boundaries of sci fi action. It does everything right, works on all levels, and is a masterpiece in all aspects of filmmaking. Siskel, an old school critic, just couldn't accept that it broke the mold and redefined the genre.
Its a shame that they couldn't see the power or the magic of Aliens, which might be the most timeless sci-fi action film ever made. They should've been gushing over this experience for the next 15 years
Ha, here you are as well. Roger didn't get it really wrong though. The movie had just probably shocked him too much and didn't know how to assess that. I would have liked to know what his reaction would have been nowadays. Yes, as far as action movies are concerned Siskel really seemed to have some bias and dislike for them. And then he liked movies like Rambo 2&3 (which I like as well, but they don't compare to Aliens in my opinion).
I admire Siskel, but he is such a wimp sometimes. And the point of Newt wasn't that she might be infected by an alien parasite, but that Ripley felt maternal toward her and that was part of Ripley's motivation, (which does kind of blunt Ripley's role as the hero--wouldn't a man have been just as motivated to rescue Newt?)--but it can be overlooked in the overall view of the story.
Carrie Henn was so essential to how well this flick turned out. I'm sure they never told her this during production, but if her character hadn't worked, it would've dragged the whole film down with it. We've seen it before. But she CRUSHED it. Some of the VERY best moments in 'Aliens' were hers and Sigourney's. She really had a lot riding on her performance and as a completely inexperienced film actress, it's amazing how well she did. 'Aliens' would be on a short list of contenders for my favorite film of all time.
I think Siskel's issue is he always goes on about kids. In their Alien review he of course has to start the "this movie is not for kids and hence I hate it" schtick, to which Ebert correctly points out "its rated R for a reason". Here he's more or less doing something similar. Its a weird reason to hate a movie, especially considering Newt and Ripley's bonding helps the movie.
Cameron made such a good decision... A completely difference film from it's predecessor, and therefore no comparison can be made. Both classics in their own right.
Actually there is a comparison. Alien is a perfect masterpiece of horror and suspense, while Aliens is a completely unnecessary follow-up to a movie that never needed follow-ups in the first place.
@@casesoutherland4175 Correction: the latter half of Alien was a tedious reproduction of conventional horror cliches... and a cliched horror film is one of the worst, most dullest things imaginable. But Aliens made up for this by blending additional genres into the horror base and this is how we ended up with the sublime and terrifying scene of them staring at the motion tracker at a wall of aliens headed their way, with everyone in the room filled with fear, confusion and rising panic. And then the aliens start dragging people through the floor. Easily scarier than anything in the first movie (and especially the second half.)
@@casesoutherland4175 I nearly forgot to add: Aliens had memorable characters. Alien did not. Even Ripley was muted and meh. Having characters you know little about and don't care about is the absolute epitome of what bad horror movies are all about.
Empire Strikes Back,Wrath of Khan,Superman II,X-Men 2,The Two Towers,Toy Story 2,Spider-Man 2,The Dark Knight,Mamma Mia!Here We Go Again,The Bourne Supremacy,From Russia With Love,Spy Kids 2 Island of Lost Dreams,Shrek 2,Terminator 2:Judgement Day,Police Story 2,Paddington 2,10 Cloverfield Lane,Mad Max 2,Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,Lethal Weapon 2,The Chronicles of Narnia:Prince Caspian
@@gadai4609 WOW! Did you ever tell me to STFU! LOL. I agree with 10. 4 I haven't seen. The other 8 I RESPECTFULLY disagree. Mainly because they're movies I haven't watched 40 or more times. Of the 10 - 3 movies. Terminator 2. Mad Max 2. The Bourne Supremecy have I watched 20 or so times. How often do you hear quotes from your movie list. Like you may hear quotes from mine? Thanks for reminding me of some "GREAT" movies.
@@williammassey8514 hahaha well in the interest of fairness I limited it to second films, if we were doing threequels and onwards I'd have another dozen,I also left out sequels that I enjoy despite them being much much worse like The Crow:City of Angels or Highlander II,Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,Dracula Prince of Darkness,Sin City 2,Clerks II or Pocahontas II,I also left out films that feature the same characters but aren't sequels to one another like Jacque Tatis Mr Hulot films or the Three Colours Trilogy,had to leave out films that are spiritual succesors like The Cornetto Trilogy or Casino to Goodfellas,and I had to leave out sequels that are only as good by virtue of the previous one being bad like Resident Evil Apocalypse or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Out of the Shadows or Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer,lesson of the story I suppose,don't make blanket statements cause there's always a counter argument,and speaking of counter arguments,which ones do you disagree on?
@@gadai4609 I bow to the Master. I'll list the ones that I liked. The others I didn't care for or didn't see. Highlander II. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Sin City 2. Clerks II. Casino. Resident Evil Apocalypse. You are so right about blanket statements. I consider myself put in my place. LOL. I think we could spend 4-5 hours and a case of beer discussing Movies and Performances. Take care and "May The Swartz Be With You". Couldn't help myself. hahaha.
I was a projectionist at a theater when this movie came out. Spliced it together and then watched it at like 2am on a Friday with about 9 other coworkers. Right when Ridley is walking through the eggs, the janitor crew showed up and opened the theater doors . Scared the living crap out of all of us!
"Aliens" is about motherhood. Ripley finds her spot in the universe becoming Newt's mother, and she ultimately has to defeat the mother queen of the aliens to reach such goal.
This, after discovering that her own daughter grew up and old and then died before she herself was luckily discovered and brought out of hypersleep. Her tragedy of having lost her chance to reconnect with her own daughter is her primary motivation to become the adoptive surrogate mother to newt. And, as horrible as the alien monsters are, the most monstrous being in the film is Carter Burke, who sought to make a tidy profit by betraying the human beings -- Ripley and Newt to be 'impregnated' by the face-huggers -- so that the Company could make bio-weapons from this deadly species. Siskel was soooo off the mark with his dismissive review. As great as ALIEN was, ALIENS was a phenomenal masterpiece, even better than the first film -- and that's saying a lot.
There are moments when you just sat there thinking: What a couple of pompous arrogant twits. Their review of Aliens was one of the moments. I was riveted to my seat and blown away by Aliens, I knew it was one of the greatest action movies I'd ever seen while it was going on. Still love it, I can put it on and still get into it. Lost some of the subtlety of the 1st Alien movie, which was equally great in it's own way, but the incredibly intense action scenes more than made up for it. I think Ebert secretly loved it but was just too much of a pompous ass to admit it, at least Ebert acknowledged there was something there but he also did not want to admit just how great it was. It's like they deliberately wanted to go against something they knew the mass audience was going to love to prove how much more they knew about movies than anybody else. Reality is, the passage of time has revealed just how often they were wrong. Sometimes they lavished praise on movies that sucked, like Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing, which was terrible but they had to virtue signal and love it.
Siskel is so right. Aliens cheapened the monster. It's amazing that people in the comments put Aliens ahead of Alien. It's insane. First one had style, mood, characters. Every single character had personality. Not some silly cliches, stereotypes, and catchfrases "Game over maaan!". It's Schwarzeneger, Stallone stuff. We're talking here scenes like Ripley denying access to the ship, grilling Ash over quarantine, breakfast with the whole crew, duo of Brett and Parker, reveal of spacejockey etc. These are precious moments. It's no dialogue written by a guy who wrote Titanic. It's fine action movie, alright and no doubt better than anything made today. But still nowhere near the first one. it's blashemy to say so. ugh and this little girl in helmet "oh sweet" baaarf, such a cheap play.
I agree with Siskel. I've tried watching this movie 3 times now and I honestly hate it. It just takes everything that makes the first one great and throws it out the window. The mystery of what they discovered is part of what was so great. This one is just a senseless action movie with bad acting and corny dialogue from everybody except Weaver. I just simply have no idea what movie people are watching here. I'd rather watch the two newest movies since they at least go back to the mystery that's so intriguing.
THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!! I absolutely hated it! It takes a horror film that almost made me cry out of fear and turns it into cheesy '80s action fluff with a memorable line that I just find cheesy! The only other movie I could bring myself to enjoy involving xenomorphs was Alien vs Predator, because that was a pretty cool crossover, NGL. The Alien franchise absolutely does not need to exist and to be honest, I wish the original would have gone with the alternate ending where Ripley gets killed and the alien mimics her voice.
Well, films are subjective, he's wrong because you disagree with him is one thing, I tend to agree with him on many of his reviews, so I'm wrong too lol Movies are for everyone, like music They just gave their opinions
@@alexanderfish4797 Absolutely not, 50 years from now, who are people going to remember more, Marlee Matlins performance, or Sigourney Weavers performance?
I wish these movie critics wouldn't be so self centered and just put themselves into the heads of the typical summer blockbuster movie goer sometimes... 😕
Alien is one of the greatest movies ever created. Full stop. Aliens is a good follow-up but it doesn't even come close to the original. IMO, of course :)
Man, Siskel and Ebert weren't nearly as observant as they thought they were! If they'd been paying attention to the very scene they'd just ran, they'd have realized that A. Newt had survived perhaps weeks or months in the colony after everyone had been killed or taken by the xenomorphs on her own by hiding out and knowing the place inside out and B. she'd have long been dead already had a facehugger gotten to her. I agree seeing the movie opening night it was a bit disturbing seeing a child menaced by them, but you kind of know she'll somehow be rescued, in a sense, because Ripley promised her earlier she wouldn't let her go, etc. Normally it would be a cheap shot as they stated, but in ALIENS it's an integral part of the plot, that Newt is a survivor as Ripley is/was.
As much as I love Aliens, I have to prefer Alien. It was the original. It gave us a view to Sci-Fi and horror that we had never seen before. The imagination & the sets were astounding.
Yep! Because if she already had one inside her, the alien would've sensed that. There would have been no need to take her and use her for that last open egg. Besides, the alien would've burst from her chest way soon into the movie.
I did the first time I saw it. I knew it wouldn't happen but the possibility was always in the back of my mind. That's exactly what the filmmaker intended.
For me, the first time I saw it I wondered. But bc she was a kid you didn't think so. You don't have time to think logically and realize the aliens were still trying to get her, and by the time you see that, the point is moot.
@@ibrun5151 the 70's movies were not as nice to kids and animals. Now they have to always live. I can only remember two or three movies where kids die. Ironically, Alien vs Predator:Requiem takes killing kids and animals to a new level I have never seen before or since. I don't want to give anything away but holy crap, no kid is safe, unless it's the main character
Overkill? I watched Aliens, left the theatre, walked five blocks, turned around, went back and waited on line to see it again. For me, two hours of overkill wasn't enough. The only other time I ever did that was Terminator 2.
I did that with the Abyss. Another James Cameron movie. It was a total ride that I just wanted to buy another ticket.
Ditto.
I paid to see it in the theater nine times. Seven for T2, if I recall.
Saw it in theater opening weekend…on a huge screen…it was mind blowing
I was about 14 when I watched Terminator 2 - after seeing it ( Us Canadians were on vacation driving through the U.S and I think my cousin and I watched it in Park City, Utah) I think we both agreed that it was one of the greatest films we'd ever seen! And it still holds up today too!
Are you nuts? You made it a whole FIVE BLOCKS before turning around??? 🤪
Siskel missed the mark on this movie, Aliens has stood the test of time and became a timeless classic.
He missed the mark on many classics.
But back then it was a new film and noones eyes were fogged with „it’s a classic“
These two missed the marked all the time. Worthless egos😅
It was ahead of the curve.
Haha! That's a good one! 🤣🤣🤣 I am quite literally the only person on Earth that agrees with Siskel on this one.
These must have been the good old days... the movie was SO good, SO engaging, that they’re complaining about how disturbed they were about how invested they were in the story!
Yeah... believe it or not I remember a lot of people saying similar things back then. But they looked at it as a positive... I think a lot of people realized that Aliens had re-set the bar for action movies.
@@johnd.obrien6838 , I was very stressed and felt a bit I'll after the movie back then. I loved it, but it was a harrowing experience back then. That is why it is such a classic 33 years later. People today don't understand how different it was in 1986, and how a film like this really had a strong effect on the audience!
And now the summer blockbusters are mostly shit... mostly.
@@dan_hitchman007 Ha! Good one Dan!
Jamie Braswell something about the closing credits and the ost that plays over it just made you feel dreadful as you reflect on the movie. And it still makes me feel like that to this day. I could never put my finger on it but I think you used the right word, harrowing. Dreary or gloomy are other words I would use to describe the feeling the movie leaves you with. It was a dark, brutal, intense, engaging and immersive film and when it ends, you feel that way too.
Aliens was so ahead of it’s time. Siskel and Ebert just weren’t ready for it, but their kids are gonna love it.
HEY, that's the line they said in Back to the Future II.
@@residentgomez well played 👏
@@residentgomez actually, think it was in BTTF 1 when he played the guitar solo at the Enchantment Under the Sea school dance.
i didnt like it., i loved the first alien movie however.
Even Quentin Tarantino said he loved this movie
The little kid was essential to the movie. It completely opened up Ripley's character. Without the kid Ripley might give up in despair. The kid is what explains Ripley's ferocity and almost superhuman effort to defeat the Alien. Siskel blew it, big time.
THIS. The kid wasn't just a cheap prop to tug at your emotions. She was there to boost Ripley's character to the max.
Had the longer version been released Siskel might have liked it as it goes into more detail about the connection between Newt and Ripley.
The director's cut would have better explained the connection between Ripley and Newt, being Ripley lost her own child due to hyper sleep for over 50 years (or however long).
@@crescendo2441 they did the same crap with terminator 2 putting a little kid in it, and since arnold became a big movie star because of the 1st terminator, he wouldnt play bad guys anymore, so he had to be the hero in the 2nd one.
He didn't argue that the device didn't work so much as it was just cheap; Ripley suddenly has a deceased daughter that she never saw grow up and, suddenly, ALSO meets a surrogate that she can go all Rambo to rescue by becoming an action hero.
They left out the funniest part of the scene:
Ripley: "this little girl survived longer than that with no weapons and no training."
Ripley: Looks down at Newt "Right?"
Newt: ***salutes***
Hudson: "Why don't you just put her in charge!?"
🤣👽👽👽
Bill Paxton did get enough credit in keeping this movie entertaining.
RIP to my man Bill "Chet" Paxton.
That is a classic scene and it would have spoiled it for the rest of us. I'm glad they didn't give it away it.
Bill paxton gave that movie the comic relief it needed being so action packed..
It makes you wonder how Siskel was able to make a career out of calling so many movies the wrong way.
Ebert was equally wrong labeling it as "Overkill".
Overkill? What a couple of pussies.
I was just about to post the same thing.
@@BullToTheShit Absolutely, but Siskel pans almost every classic. It's crazy going back and watching these old reviews how many he was just way off. He's the worst critic I've ever seen.
The only type of movies Siskel Ever likes, are dramas Featuring Suburban families with either a terminally ill person, a divorce or some other depressing issue.
He sucks.
@@BullToTheShit They are total beta males...pussies.
You've gotta hand it to Siskel, when he's wrong he goes all in.
I think he's 100% right. I seriously cannot wrap my mind around why Alien needed to be turned into a franchise.
@@casesoutherland4175one perfect sequel is just enough
He often is. He pretty much gives a lot of great films bad reviews. This one, Scream, Casino, Apocalypse Now. Although one of the few times I agree with him was The Cable Guy 😂
i should have scrolled down first.
@@casesoutherland4175 they sold out, they knew they could make more money with an action movie than a horror movie.it's hollywood crap, aliens is fine for a one time view, but i wouldnt want to see it again like i did with the first alien movie, everytime i watch the first alien i see something i never saw before. it has so many little things in it you miss.it's truly an art film compared to it's hollywood crap sequel.
"This movie is awesome!
Don't go see it because I'm a pussy."
-Siskel & Ebert
For real 😆 especially sissykel
Which is a part of the reason why a good portion of their reviews don’t hold up that well because all they were doing were crapping on classic movies that were more entertainment or dark level of movies and praising mediocre artsy fartsy movies. In addition, they did come across as bit of pussies for film critics at times because they crapped on movies that were disturbing but were still great movies in spite of that calling them disturbing, violent and too much for them (which was the literal point).
LMAOOO ..siskel was always a clueless moron !
Common critics L. I especially love their The Thing review.
Aged like milk on the refrigerator door.
😂
Probably the best action horror movie of the 80's
With ' the thing ' .
Predator would challenge that
@@rainierwolfcastle5946 up and at them .
...of all time.
Not just of the 80s. And no, The Thing is not an action-horror movie, and Aliens is a lot more horror than Predator, but many folks wouldn't label either of them horror. And as good as Predator is, I don't think it holds a candle to Aliens. Very few movies do.
How could he say it's "wall to wall" monsters attack? "Aliens" is paced very well, you really only get three attacks from the aliens, and then the finale with the queen.
The tension was maintained not the action. Which is uh the whole point of this kind of film.
We don't even see any aliens until the second half!
That's how it felt for them. Remember, these were the days before Michael Bay's wall-to-wall noise.
You’re right, it wasn’t wall to wall. There was a good chunk between attacks that built up the suspense and back story.
The scene with the remote machine guns was a massive misstep. In the original movie one of these creatures provided us with two hours of wrought tension, and then in this scene they’re being swatted like flies. That’s the ‘on the one hand’ negative. ‘On the other hand’ it was overall excellent and looked incredible, in some ways better than the original.
Gene Siskel complaining about an hour straight of action? He would HATE today's action films.
I'd love to see that because I don't like most of them very much.
He liked Speed (1994) for its almost continuous action. Audiences and critics adapt to the ever-changing film industry.
@@jp3813 Gene doesn't like Sci-Fi - his bias shows all the time. This is a great example of that bias. Roger gave Weaver the credit she deserved (she was nominated for best actress for this role) - Gene did not. About 90% of the time I would agree with Roger's review - only about 50% with Gene.
@@sedawk He liked the first Alien.
@@jp3813 Yes - but that was rare.
Siskel was way off on his review, it's an iconic film.
I disagree. It’s a fun, popcorn 🍿, roller coaster ride of a film.
But the first one was iconic.
@@shizuokaBLUES they’re both great movies which I highly recommend but I give the edge to Aliens cuz of how more suspenseful it was compared to the original.
@@reneperez7903 I agree. I think I just prefer the first one because I’m old now.
@@shizuokaBLUES nothing wrong with that at all
@@reneperez7903 🥂 thanks
Siskel: Hey Vasquez, have you even been mistaken for a man?
Vasquez: No. Have you?
Yea this is the best one of all ^^^
Siskel had no problem giving Jurassic Park a mild thumbs up even though the kids were constantly in peril.
well i love the avengers but it does the blue lazer in the sky trope that every superhero movie does, it doesn’t change all the great stuff about the movie. he just thinks that in this case it takes away from the movie, and sometimes it can. guess what, this is a different movie with a different director who can be better/worse at different things in peoples eyes.
@@elimitchell9716 Correction: every superhero movie does AFTER the Avengers did. Siskel clearly said "one of the cheapest shots you can do in a movie". Hence, he was talking in a general sense. And the specific exception he named was "comedy/splatter films", which Jurassic Park isn't. Plus, he pretty much implied it as something that does make a difference for him as opposed to your issue w/ sky lasers.
Gene played the "child in danger" card often but inconsistently. Ebert had his own lame escape pod criticisms as well. Neither of them hold up well to scrutiny, especially in hindsight. They were often Gene and Roger saying: "This film really upset / disturbed / frightened me but I need a more cerebral reason to express my dislike for it."
@@Mc.Garnagle In this case, Ebert did admit to being disturbed by the film, yet he still recommended it.
@@Mc.Garnagle But that was the genius of this show. You knew the personalities and tastes of Gene and Roger, and they gave you enough information to figure out if the movie would be to your taste. It's just amazing that no-one has ever equaled (or come close to) their ability to connect with the movie going audience. Of course, they could be spectacularly wrong (e.g. Blade Runner), which could hurt a movie initially, but not prevent it from finding its audience.
Literally nobody walked out of Aliens in 1986 disappointed, I'll always remember how crazy opening night was in the packed theater.
Bill Paxton is a national treasure. He should have been bigger than he was, but I'm so happy he wasn't. What a great actor and I love everything he did. R.I.P.
I agree totally.......he stole every scene he was ever in.....he was amazing in
films like Twister and A Simple Plan. I'll watch any film with him in it 100 times
and never get tired of it. The only other actor I feel that way about is Patrick Swayze.......both gone way way too soon.
RIP Bill Paxton, Stan Winston and James Horner
One False Move was amazing.
@@winstonmccollum8992 Can't forget the low-life women swindler in True Lies. lol
Fuckin love & miss Bill Paxton.
Hudson went down LIKE A BOSS in this film!!!
Aliens is a masterpiece. James Cameron’s best film.
It is my favorite James Cameron film as well, which is saying something because he has so many greats!
Terminator
Especially considering he got picked to direct a sequel to a movie that was already well on its way to being a classic.
@i SkyWalKing man. You have no idea .
@i SkyWalKing loves The Last Jedi
Just to be clear, Ebert actually recommended Aliens. He gives it a thumbs up, which means he liked it. Out thumbs up and thumbs down, he chose thumbs up.
He respected it, but he didn't like it.
@@jp3813 He definitely didn't enjoy it.
Yeah, he was just talking about how intense it was and that some people may not be able to handle it. It wasn't a criticism. Also, his "I felt bad at the end" is kind of silly, considering that it's not exactly supposed to make you feel GOOD. lol It's a horror movie. So was the original. You don't walk out skipping on air. lol
Alien, Aliens and Bladerunner.
Decades old yet better than all the recent crapola, by far.
By far!!!!
My favorite sci-fi movie of all time. Arguably one of the greatest all time.
Doesn't hold a candle to Alien. Alien is a profound artistic achievement, whereas Aliens is just a very good and entertaining film
My favourite 3 films are aliens t2 and masters of the universe
@@sawmaster6095 true without Alien we wouldn't have Aliens. But the idea expanding it more is what sells it...and ofcoarse the characters!
Time for you to get the hate mail ready. No. I'm very very serious. Literally nobody is going to agree with this. Hands on the keyboards. Here we go.
I absolutely hated it. As a follow-up to one of the most perfect horror films of all time, it's embarrassing! From suspenseful, terrifying, gory and exciting to boring '80s action fluff. The only purpose of the new characters is to get killed off, Siskel is 100% correct about the child (I don't even remember her name. I just call her "plot point" girl.), And the line "get away from her, you b****" is one of the cheesiest movie lines I've ever heard. Sorry, but not sorry.
The "Alien" franchise absolutely does not need to exist and at this point, I think Ridley Scott should have gone with the original ending of the first one.
F*** that overrated borefest.
@@sawmaster6095 i agree with you sawmaster. the first alien is awesome, the 2nd one is just hollywood crap to make a fast buck, same with t2. the first terminator was great but i hated the sequel.
I think Gene missed one of the themes of this movie: motherhood.
Yep, my thoughts exactly. The film school kids should notice something like that, right? Cheap shot, indeed.
Yes, human *and* alien mothers. :-)
Yup. That deleted scene when Ripley mourns for her own daughter.
My one sentence review of Aliens: Mothers argue about child raising techniques; men get hurt.
I was 6 years old when my babysitter took me to see this movie. I loved every minute of it, and is one of my favorite movies till this day. My mom almost fired my babysitter for taking me to see this.
6!! I would have been terrified and completely traumatized if I saw this at 6.
I saw Aliens in the cinema when it came out in 1986. Its good movie but I wouldn't say it was better than the first one in 1979.
Aliens was FAR ahead of its time and Siskel & Ebert, solid reviewers, were simply unprepared for it.
Ebert gave it 3 1/2 stars despite not liking how it made him feel.
Their review hasn’t aged well. Aliens is highly regarded now.
This film opened on my 11th birthday, and being huge fans of ALIEN, my dad took me and several of my friends to see it. It was one of the most special days of my entire life. We all loved it, I am not sure how two grown men could have been overwhelmed by it in a negative way.
Different people have different sensibilities. As well as tastes.
Ya can't blame the movie because it got you so invested.
Good gosh Siskel missed this so freaking bad....Aliens is one of the best movies of all time.
No it's not lol. It's a pretty good action movie but he's totally right about the little girl
He wasn't thrilled about Alien either...so yeah, Siskel probably hated scifi...
@TheBrabon1 That scene was in the original theatrical release. I remember being disappointed it was cut when I saw it on VHS.
@i SkyWalKing
Aliens is good, but it is trash when compared to Alien.
In the first movie they made the Alien a unstoppable killing machine that Ripley BARELY escaped from.
In the sequel they are made to be canon fodder.
@@Cherokeechuck9 Easily one of the best movies of all time. Now scram.
Hicks is a "flamethrower half-full" kind of guy.
Hudson is a “flamethrower half-empty. GAME OVER!” kind of guy.
Gorman is an asshole.
Siskel was such a snob, this was the greatest science fiction film and he still maintains his snobbery. Dude go to the opera if you want everything in pleasantries.
Operas have all sorts of killings beheadings and suicides among other things...
Dude, watch the original 1979 Alien which makes this sequel look like the usual action flick.
James Vinson No aliens popping out of chests though.
... Opera is not about pleasantries.
What's wrong with him? A tumor in his head?
This movie was in theaters for 6 months, as opposed to today’s three week theatrical runs.
That's something I miss. Movies were around for months, slowly seeping into the culture. Well, something like that 😅
Who needs movie critics anyway. We go see these movies regardless. This is my 2nd favorite movie from the 80's, right behind Amadeus....
@@malafakka8530 I've been to Movie Theaters All Of My Life, Each and every one of them was incredible, I remember in the year 1984, I was on a date with my then boyfriend named Ben, we went to the movie theater to see the movie, Footloose, and it was incredible, then later on in the week we went to see the movie, Pete's Dragon, It was incredible, then we started seeing other movies in the movie theater over the year, Splash, Police Academy, Romancing The Stone, Ghostbusters, Gremlins, The Karate Kid, The Muppet's Take Manhattan (Yes I'm a Muppet's Fan), The Never Ending Story, Sheena, A Christmas Story, Supergirl, Beverly Hills Cop, and In 1985 My Now Husband Ben and I took our 6-year-old daughter named Zoe to the movie theater to see the movie, The Black Cauldron (animated movie), Then we went to see, D.A.R.Y.L, Ewoks The Battle For Endor, The Journey Of Natty Gann, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Police Academy 2 Their First Assignment, Return To OZ, Rocky 4, Santa Claus The Movie, Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird, and In 1986, GoBots The Movie The Battle Of The Rock Lords (Animated Movie), Heathcliff The Movie (Animated Movie), Howard The Duck, Jumping Jack Flash, The Karate Kid Part 2, Labyrinth, My Little Pony The Movie (Animated Movie), Police Academy 3 Back In Training, Short Circuit, Top Gun, Transformers The Movie Animated Movie, In 1987, Baby Boom, Benji The Hunted, The Brave Little Toaster Animated Movie, Dirty Dancing, Ernest Goes To Camp, G.I. Joe The Movie Animated Movie, Harry and The Henderson's, Lethal Weapon, Pinocchio and The Emperor Of The Night Animated Movie, Police Academy 4 Citizens On Patrol, The Princess Bride, Project X, Robocop, Spaceballs, Three Men and a Baby, and In 1988, Beetlejuice, Big Top Pee-Wee, Cocoon The Return, Daffy Duck's Quackbusters, Ernest Saves Christmas, Gorillas In The Mist, Grave Of Fireflies Anime Movie, Hot To Trot, The Land Before Time Animated Movie, Oliver & Company Animated Movie, etc. etc.
Before VCRS movies would be in theatres for years
It was an experience to see this movie in a theater setting
The reviewer's are insane, it's the best action movie of all time.
What about Shooter, with Dolph Lungren? You know, that movie about a guy who shoots?
@@Myndir :D thumbs up for your comment. I laughed for 5'
One of the best action movies
Haha! Maybe?
Could not agree more
Imagine if you could have taken a random movie audience from the 1950s and magically showed them Alien and then Aliens from the future. There would probably have been heart attacks and strokes from the intensity.
Well those criticisms didn't age well - Aliens went on to be regarded as one of the best sci-fi action movies of all time!
Yale grad & a Pulitzer Prize winner. The movie went right over their heads. Aliens is a very pro woman movie.
Hero - Female
Only survivor - Female Child
Biggest baddest alien - Queen
Toughest Marine - Female
Pilot - Female
*Incompetent Military Leaders - Male
Corporate Weasel - Male
Soldier having a breakdown - Male
Siskel just doesn't get it, he's so out of touch with the mainstream audience. Ebert is way more down to Earth and in touch with the mainstream audience. Aliens is a James Cameron master piece of sci-fi just like Terminater. It's a kick ass, action ride from start to finish.
@@Jolly-Green-Steve Its easy to see things from 2019 and say the person was out of touch. But back in 1986 Siskel represented a portion of the viewing public. Ebert represented another part of that public.
AND Aliens was a radical movie for its time. I saw it when I was 16 and I remember feeling horrified by the intensisty of it. It was very gritty compared to Star Wars or Star Trek and like Ebert, my stomach was knotted up when I left the theatre. Since then I have come to appreciate its many well-done aspects. Siskel was looking out for his viewers' interests in 1986.
And having been a "big" volunteer in Big Brothers/Sisters I decided to show it to my "little" who was 16 at the time(year 2012). afterwords, he said that Aliens was "ghetto." He thought it was cheap and he didn't like it. But He LOVED Fast and Furious franchise.
Tastes are often based on the time we were born and raised.
@@Jolly-Green-Steve I am really sorry you misunderstood what I wrote. I am also saorry you feel the need to be hostile when that was not my intent. I hope you find some peace.
5:33 "Is she a real little girl?" What the heck. Those guys were dumb as hell.
Agreed. I don't know where that came from.
Aliens is a perfect action movie. These two are considered among the best reviewers ever and time has shown how totally wrong they could be. This is a classic film and should have received 30 thumbs up.
RIP Bill Paxton
He was right about the intensity of the movie. I remember seeing it when I was 18, and as it progressed, I found myself slumping down further and further in my chair, just overwhelmed by the sheer amount of never-ending action! I had never seen a movie quite that intense before, but I absolutely loved it! Still do.
Top two or three action movies ever made. T2 is the other.
I saw it opening night or so 1986, I was about 18 myself, with my aunt who I'd seen ALIEN with the first time, and were just happy it was a very good sequel, wasn't a retread of the original, had Sigourney, and it delivered what it promised, a solid sequel to the first movie. It could have been so supremely wretched, but it wasn't. I didn't find it that intense. The battle scenes on first viewing are a tad confusing
and frenetic, a blur, but if you watch the film in a quality way a few times it becomes less of a problem. Also, it's less
"gore horror" in ALIENS and more just total suspense, and action, and a question of how to battle the xenomorphs and a total battle
for survival. It's also a question of who is fit for survival considering it turns out not everyone's mettle is cut out for this
exploratory mission that turns into, essentially, a suicide mission. Gorman is the first to collapse on that score.
@@thiscorrosion900 just watched again for 50th time it tonight. Goddammit Cameron is the best.
Imagine Siskel & Ebert trying a roller coaster when they were first invented. It would be too intense for them, preferring the good ole merry go round.
I don't think I ever saw Aliens in the theater. What I did see in the theater was the Matrix and that took me 2 days to come down from.
How anyone could see this as anything other than a masterpiece is baffling? Siskel keeps bleating on about 'kids in peril'. It's a film grow some balls man
Siskel: "...and I know that the kid is not gonna get nailed."
Alien 3 screenwriters: "hold my beer"
You always knew a movie was great when Ebert liked it and Siskel hated it.
Watched the directors cut whole 160 min at least 40 times and every single time I descover a brilliant detail not noticed before! Such a masterpiece…stood the test of time!
You know you done well when the only criticism of your movie is that its "too scary" "too upsetting" "too hard-going" basically all translations of "too intense" which actually means you made the movie "too well". These are the best criticisms of a movie you want.
As much as I enjoyed Gene & Roger they misfired too often on horror & action films. Blade Runner, Aliens & Silence of the Lambs are all classic films that did not get the immediate respect they deserved. Bias is everywhere even in those whose opinions you respect. Do not go mindless into that goodnight.
ebert gave jurassic park a thumbs down LOL. Whether you like dinosaurs or not there is no denying that is a fantastically well made film from its writing, acting, music, casting etc. Groundbreaking cgi and practical effects.
There were certain genres they were often very wrong about ... Ebert gave The Phantom Menace 3 1/2 stars! I remember being absolutely shell shocked in the theater at how bad it was.
Modern horror and action movies do not hold a candle to this masterpiece. So much suspense and tension. Leaves you absolutely breathless.
Ebert seemed genuinely disheartened by Siskel's complete dismissal of the film.
Whenever a critic says, "I don't think you should see this movie." You want to see the movie.
Aliens is my favorite movie of all time. The fact that you felt that exhausted tension at the end of the movie is exactly why it’s so great.
Cameron told the studio "if ALIEN was a haunted house in space, Our film is a roller coaster."
This review has not aged well. The legacy of Aliens, Sigourney Weaver, and James Cameron has grown over the years, and I don't know anyone now who has seen this movie that doesn't consider it an all-time classic as an action film, a sci-film, and a horror film. Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd were decades ahead of their time in leading with a female action hero, and Ripley really still is probably the best of them, with only Terminator 2's Sarah Connor (another Cameron/Hurd creation) in the same class.
Little did they know they were talking about one of the greatest directors in history and one of the greatest sequels possible
The movie was too intense and scary for these grown adults.
It's like they barely wanted to talk about it lol. One of the greatest sci-fi films ever (maybe best). "Hey, I just saw a little film called The Matrix,... my review is MEH; had too much fighting... Anywho, did you know Skittles are delicious and air filters are on sale at Home Depot?..."
I wonder if James Cameron showed them the longer version. On the back of the laserdisc, Cameron also says, the longer version is "too long" and "too intense." I just have a feeling S and E are reacting to the longer version.
@CC C As children me my friends and cousins watched it repeatedly on VHS.
There's isn't a better scifi action movie. Some equal but none better.
I agree with you all the way!!!
Siskel made it 99% Rotten tomatoes in Aliens, just one person
Lol are you serious?
It's 97% now.
I'm also contributing to that, because I HATED Aliens.
Siskel is so off base. Great movie, thrilling action, and in real life- hello?!- kids are in peril all the time.
This movie is now a classic.
Long after Aliens left the movie theaters, the cable companies especially HBO constantly broadcasted the film for months and replayed the sequel a few more times in over two decades. The movie was that popular. It's a rollercoaster ride you are willing to ride over and over.
Siskel mostly comes out at night. Mostly.
Alien pushed back the boundaries of sci fi action. It does everything right, works on all levels, and is a masterpiece in all aspects of filmmaking. Siskel, an old school critic, just couldn't accept that it broke the mold and redefined the genre.
Its a shame that they couldn't see the power or the magic of Aliens, which might be the most timeless sci-fi action film ever made. They should've been gushing over this experience for the next 15 years
Gene was off his rocker thumbing down this movie. I actually prefer the first film but this is damn great too.
Shocking, so-called professional film critics getting it so wrong.
Ha, here you are as well. Roger didn't get it really wrong though. The movie had just probably shocked him too much and didn't know how to assess that. I would have liked to know what his reaction would have been nowadays. Yes, as far as action movies are concerned Siskel really seemed to have some bias and dislike for them. And then he liked movies like Rambo 2&3 (which I like as well, but they don't compare to Aliens in my opinion).
@@malafakka8530 His written review of the film gave it a 3.5 / 4 rating, so he really appreciated it.
@@ianwestc I know.
Roger praised it highly
I admire Siskel, but he is such a wimp sometimes. And the point of Newt wasn't that she might be infected by an alien parasite, but that Ripley felt maternal toward her and that was part of Ripley's motivation, (which does kind of blunt Ripley's role as the hero--wouldn't a man have been just as motivated to rescue Newt?)--but it can be overlooked in the overall view of the story.
Carrie Henn was so essential to how well this flick turned out. I'm sure they never told her this during production, but if her character hadn't worked, it would've dragged the whole film down with it. We've seen it before. But she CRUSHED it. Some of the VERY best moments in 'Aliens' were hers and Sigourney's. She really had a lot riding on her performance and as a completely inexperienced film actress, it's amazing how well she did. 'Aliens' would be on a short list of contenders for my favorite film of all time.
I think Siskel's issue is he always goes on about kids. In their Alien review he of course has to start the "this movie is not for kids and hence I hate it" schtick, to which Ebert correctly points out "its rated R for a reason". Here he's more or less doing something similar. Its a weird reason to hate a movie, especially considering Newt and Ripley's bonding helps the movie.
Cameron made such a good decision... A completely difference film from it's predecessor, and therefore no comparison can be made. Both classics in their own right.
Actually there is a comparison. Alien is a perfect masterpiece of horror and suspense, while Aliens is a completely unnecessary follow-up to a movie that never needed follow-ups in the first place.
@@casesoutherland4175 Correction: the latter half of Alien was a tedious reproduction of conventional horror cliches... and a cliched horror film is one of the worst, most dullest things imaginable. But Aliens made up for this by blending additional genres into the horror base and this is how we ended up with the sublime and terrifying scene of them staring at the motion tracker at a wall of aliens headed their way, with everyone in the room filled with fear, confusion and rising panic. And then the aliens start dragging people through the floor. Easily scarier than anything in the first movie (and especially the second half.)
@@casesoutherland4175 I nearly forgot to add: Aliens had memorable characters. Alien did not. Even Ripley was muted and meh. Having characters you know little about and don't care about is the absolute epitome of what bad horror movies are all about.
I can think of only two movies where the sequel was as good as the original. ALIEN and The Godfather.
Empire Strikes Back,Wrath of Khan,Superman II,X-Men 2,The Two Towers,Toy Story 2,Spider-Man 2,The Dark Knight,Mamma Mia!Here We Go Again,The Bourne Supremacy,From Russia With Love,Spy Kids 2 Island of Lost Dreams,Shrek 2,Terminator 2:Judgement Day,Police Story 2,Paddington 2,10 Cloverfield Lane,Mad Max 2,Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,Lethal Weapon 2,The Chronicles of Narnia:Prince Caspian
@@gadai4609 WOW! Did you ever tell me to STFU! LOL. I agree with 10. 4 I haven't seen. The other 8 I RESPECTFULLY disagree. Mainly because they're movies I haven't watched 40 or more times. Of the 10 - 3 movies. Terminator 2. Mad Max 2. The Bourne Supremecy have I watched 20 or so times. How often do you hear quotes from your movie list. Like you may hear quotes from mine? Thanks for reminding me of some "GREAT" movies.
@@williammassey8514 hahaha well in the interest of fairness I limited it to second films, if we were doing threequels and onwards I'd have another dozen,I also left out sequels that I enjoy despite them being much much worse like The Crow:City of Angels or Highlander II,Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,Dracula Prince of Darkness,Sin City 2,Clerks II or Pocahontas II,I also left out films that feature the same characters but aren't sequels to one another like Jacque Tatis Mr Hulot films or the Three Colours Trilogy,had to leave out films that are spiritual succesors like The Cornetto Trilogy or Casino to Goodfellas,and I had to leave out sequels that are only as good by virtue of the previous one being bad like Resident Evil Apocalypse or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Out of the Shadows or Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer,lesson of the story I suppose,don't make blanket statements cause there's always a counter argument,and speaking of counter arguments,which ones do you disagree on?
@@gadai4609 I bow to the Master. I'll list the ones that I liked. The others I didn't care for or didn't see. Highlander II. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Sin City 2. Clerks II. Casino. Resident Evil Apocalypse. You are so right about blanket statements. I consider myself put in my place. LOL. I think we could spend 4-5 hours and a case of beer discussing Movies and Performances. Take care and "May The Swartz Be With You". Couldn't help myself. hahaha.
I was a projectionist at a theater when this movie came out. Spliced it together and then watched it at like 2am on a Friday with about 9 other coworkers. Right when Ridley is walking through the eggs, the janitor crew showed up and opened the theater doors . Scared the living crap out of all of us!
Siskel was such a prude.
Siskel really whiffed on this one.
He also completely whiffed on Taxi Driver, Silence of the Lambs, Unforgiven, and the Terminator.
@@HugoSoup57 Yeah he was a fucking Joke...
Yeah haha, his whole concept of the CINEMA seemed kinda weird.
I'm 60. The best movie I have ever seen.
"Aliens" is about motherhood.
Ripley finds her spot in the universe becoming Newt's mother, and she ultimately has to defeat the mother queen of the aliens to reach such goal.
This, after discovering that her own daughter grew up and old and then died before she herself was luckily discovered and brought out of hypersleep. Her tragedy of having lost her chance to reconnect with her own daughter is her primary motivation to become the adoptive surrogate mother to newt. And, as horrible as the alien monsters are, the most monstrous being in the film is Carter Burke, who sought to make a tidy profit by betraying the human beings -- Ripley and Newt to be 'impregnated' by the face-huggers -- so that the Company could make bio-weapons from this deadly species.
Siskel was soooo off the mark with his dismissive review. As great as ALIEN was, ALIENS was a phenomenal masterpiece, even better than the first film -- and that's saying a lot.
There are moments when you just sat there thinking: What a couple of pompous arrogant twits. Their review of Aliens was one of the moments. I was riveted to my seat and blown away by Aliens, I knew it was one of the greatest action movies I'd ever seen while it was going on. Still love it, I can put it on and still get into it. Lost some of the subtlety of the 1st Alien movie, which was equally great in it's own way, but the incredibly intense action scenes more than made up for it. I think Ebert secretly loved it but was just too much of a pompous ass to admit it, at least Ebert acknowledged there was something there but he also did not want to admit just how great it was. It's like they deliberately wanted to go against something they knew the mass audience was going to love to prove how much more they knew about movies than anybody else. Reality is, the passage of time has revealed just how often they were wrong. Sometimes they lavished praise on movies that sucked, like Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing, which was terrible but they had to virtue signal and love it.
Siskel is so right. Aliens cheapened the monster. It's amazing that people in the comments put Aliens ahead of Alien. It's insane. First one had style, mood, characters. Every single character had personality. Not some silly cliches, stereotypes, and catchfrases "Game over maaan!". It's Schwarzeneger, Stallone stuff. We're talking here scenes like Ripley denying access to the ship, grilling Ash over quarantine, breakfast with the whole crew, duo of Brett and Parker, reveal of spacejockey etc. These are precious moments. It's no dialogue written by a guy who wrote Titanic.
It's fine action movie, alright and no doubt better than anything made today. But still nowhere near the first one. it's blashemy to say so.
ugh and this little girl in helmet "oh sweet" baaarf, such a cheap play.
Finally someone who gets it!! I hated Aliens and it's beyond refreshing to hear someone with the same criticisms.
Yada, yada, yada, that’s why it superseded the first alien movie.
In that one clip they showed, they should have included Bill Paxton's hilarious response: "Well why don't you put her in charge?!"
"I was horrified by this horror movie! It was so effective that I vote thumbs down."
That's like a comedy that's too funny to recommend. Say what?
I agree with Siskel. I've tried watching this movie 3 times now and I honestly hate it. It just takes everything that makes the first one great and throws it out the window. The mystery of what they discovered is part of what was so great. This one is just a senseless action movie with bad acting and corny dialogue from everybody except Weaver. I just simply have no idea what movie people are watching here. I'd rather watch the two newest movies since they at least go back to the mystery that's so intriguing.
THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!! I absolutely hated it! It takes a horror film that almost made me cry out of fear and turns it into cheesy '80s action fluff with a memorable line that I just find cheesy! The only other movie I could bring myself to enjoy involving xenomorphs was Alien vs Predator, because that was a pretty cool crossover, NGL.
The Alien franchise absolutely does not need to exist and to be honest, I wish the original would have gone with the alternate ending where Ripley gets killed and the alien mimics her voice.
The "GREATEST" SCI-FI MOVIE OF ALL TIME!!!!
Siskel was wrong so many times on movie reviews, this was one of the big ones. Probably one of the best sci-fi movies ever made.
Well, films are subjective, he's wrong because you disagree with him is one thing, I tend to agree with him on many of his reviews, so I'm wrong too lol
Movies are for everyone, like music
They just gave their opinions
Siskel: "You better not be having too much fun over there, movie!"
Are you freaking kidding me??um kids did die, And it gradually showed the Aliens, and they looked great, these guys always did suck
Siskel and Ebert are most of the time on point with classic films, but they (mostly Siskel) really missed the mark on this one.
If this movie left a lasting impression on you after you saw it, then that is a win, not a weakness. This movie did it's job.
Siskel wanted aliens to be a romantic movie kind of thing
So their complaint for a thriller is that it was too thriling? 😆
Too many super quality SciFi monsters chasing kids + hero Sigourney Weaver = Masterpiece ;-)
The actress who played Ripley deserved an Oscar for this movie.
Sigourney Weaver WAS nominated for the Oscar for Aliens.
Have you actually seen the performance of the actress who won?
Marlee Matlin, Children of a Lesser God. The better performance IMO.
@@alexanderfish4797 Absolutely not, 50 years from now, who are people going to remember more, Marlee Matlins performance, or Sigourney Weavers performance?
@@arielperez5885 Sigourney may be remembered, but that doesn't discount that Marlee had the better performance that year.
They skipped Bill Paxton's best line: Put her in charge ...
Correction; “Game over, man, game over!” was Paxton’s best/most memorable line.
this is probably the first time someone has ever said a movie had too much action
Wrong again Gene. This series should have been called Ebert and He's Wrong Again!
I wish these movie critics wouldn't be so self centered and just put themselves into the heads of the typical summer blockbuster movie goer sometimes... 😕
Wow. Siskel really blew this one. Aliens is one of the greatest action films of all time.
One of the greatest films of all time
The review is hilarious. "This was too stressful!" They also didn't realize what scenes had been deleted (and never should have been)
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. Weaver was so good in it she was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar.
Many forget she got the nomination for this. Didn't the movie also get nominated for Best Film?
Ebert: But I want a happy ending to my dystopian sci-fi horror movies!
Just wait until Alien 3...
Keep in mind people that back in 1986 there were no sci-fi movies that violent. This was a fresh experience for many people.
Cameron had made The Terminator a few years earlier... It was pretty violent.
Alien is one of the greatest movies ever created. Full stop. Aliens is a good follow-up but it doesn't even come close to the original. IMO, of course :)
Man, Siskel and Ebert weren't nearly as observant as they thought they were! If they'd been paying attention to the very scene they'd
just ran, they'd have realized that A. Newt had survived perhaps weeks or months in the colony after everyone had been killed
or taken by the xenomorphs on her own by hiding out and knowing the place inside out and B. she'd have long been dead already had a facehugger gotten to her. I agree seeing the movie opening night it was a bit disturbing seeing a child menaced by them, but you kind of know she'll somehow be rescued, in a sense, because Ripley promised her earlier she wouldn't let her go, etc. Normally it would be a
cheap shot as they stated, but in ALIENS it's an integral part of the plot, that Newt is a survivor as Ripley is/was.
a little surprised by Ebert here, i know he had often valued a visceral intense movie experience - it is called art
As much as I love Aliens, I have to prefer Alien. It was the original. It gave us a view to Sci-Fi and horror that we had never seen before. The imagination & the sets were astounding.
alien aliens were so good its shocking how bad 3 was
The series ended after Aliens
@@Blodia1990 or should have
I've seen this movie many times but I never considered that Newt may have an alien inside her.
Yep! Because if she already had one inside her, the alien would've sensed that. There would have been no need to take her and use her for that last open egg. Besides, the alien would've burst from her chest way soon into the movie.
I did the first time I saw it. I knew it wouldn't happen but the possibility was always in the back of my mind. That's exactly what the filmmaker intended.
For me, the first time I saw it I wondered. But bc she was a kid you didn't think so. You don't have time to think logically and realize the aliens were still trying to get her, and by the time you see that, the point is moot.
Can you imagine if they did that! 😂 The studios would never allow it
@@ibrun5151 the 70's movies were not as nice to kids and animals. Now they have to always live. I can only remember two or three movies where kids die. Ironically, Alien vs Predator:Requiem takes killing kids and animals to a new level I have never seen before or since. I don't want to give anything away but holy crap, no kid is safe, unless it's the main character