James camron ... the mans a genous what more can you say about him. this film was fairly low budget and is a sequel to ridley scotts Alien film which was pretty good . so things on the start wouldnt seem so good for a sequel . not for camron he took a already good film and made it way better . how you ask well instead of one alien he adds hundreds and toss in some action with a group of armed marines and you got one hell of a action horror movie that picks up and keeps moving foward and keeps getting better . the acting is great and weaver as rippley is truelly the most bad ass heroin of all time . so many great lines from this film i could go on and on listing them . this is a true roller coster ride film that doesnt dissapoint . for being as old as it is (i think 1984) it holds up and holds up well. with a final battle in the end that feels epic and leaves you feeling like you just saw one hell of a good film . its to bad camron wasnt involved with the other films . because this is the last of the good alien films in this franchise .… Expand

Ripley wakes up 57 years after the original film, bad nightmares, colonies now on LV-426, lose contact, marines go in, action-a-go-go!!
Sequel to Ridley Scott's masterpiece. It's not as creepy & maybe not as dark but the larger than life Marines, number of Aliens & fast dialogue make it big, loud & a lot of fun to watch.
After watching it again recently it's interesting to see how many video games have used this film as an influence.… Expand

What can I say? This movie was thrilling, and was ahead of its time.

"In space no one can hear you scream". This was the tagline for the 1979 cult classic movie Alien. Well now its new tagline is, "This time it's war". When I first saw Alien, I was blown away completely by its intense story, great special effects and superb acting, and I thought there is no way they can top this, but I was wrong. Its sequel, Aliens, is as terrifying and exiting, with twice the amount of action. The story takes place 57 years after the events of the first film, where Ripley escaped in the pod and ejected the alien into deep space. Having drifted into space for so long, she is rescued by a bunch of space crew members. Although trying to convince to the executives from her employer the events that occurred, even explaining how her crew got killed, they refuse to believe her and as a result terminate her space flight license. Ripley also discovers that the planet, where her former crew first found the alien, is now home to a colony of co workers, with women and children. Later Ripley is visited by one of the executive staff named Burke and a Lieutenant, who informs her that they have lost contact with the colony on the planet. They plan to send a number of marines, led by the Lieutenant, to investigate what is going on, and they would like Ripley to be their consultant. Hesitant at first, Ripley and Burke come to a deal that as long as they don't bring any unknown creature back to the ship and her space flight license is restored, she will accompany them. Once they land and investigate the colony, the marines discover that the co workers have all been killed by some horrific creature, Ripley suspects with no surprise at all, that this was done by the aliens. They then encounter a survivor, a little girl called Newt who informs them that everyone else is dead. At first in shock and trauma - even refusing to speak to anyone, finally starts talking, but only to Ripley as she somewhat feels more protected around her. Then all hell breaks loose, as the aliens surround the marines, as they attempt to fight them off with their pulse rifles. This film retains its special effects from the first film; there are great shots in out of space (even though we only see bits of them for a few seconds in the first 30 minutes), and of course those fabulous designs of the aliens. They look somewhat a little different, and in my opinion better, than the design for the first alien. The performance from the cast is once superb, especially from Sigourney Weaver; she has really upped her game from the last time. In the first film she was like an outsider from the rest of the crew, but in this one she is really the main star. She's like a female Bruce Willis in the Die Hard movies, because she is more fearless then ever when it comes to facing the aliens, especially the final battle which I will not reveal. Besides Sigourney Weaver, the little girl who plays Newt is bright and delightful; she really does a terrific performance when it comes to those traumatic moments. The bond between Ripley and Newt develops into a Mother and Daughter relationship, and we really care about them more than we do of the others. As well as action and thriller, there's also a real heart to this film. Also the sound effects are brilliant; I love the sound that comes out from those pulse rifles. Usually when it comes to sequels, all they do is copy all the ideas from the first film and rip themselves off the next time. At the time it came to the conclusion that sequels could never be as good, or better, and Aliens could have easily fallen into the same trap, but for once it didn't. James Cameron, remembered from making the brilliant Sci-fi 1984 movie Terminator, has not only directed, but also written an unbelievable script. I gave full credit to him for coming up with the idea of this incredible new story, I really think it's that good to be up there on one of those top 10 best Sci-fi action movies of all time. This is defiantly one of the best I have seen in all movies that I have watched in my time.… Expand

I saw this for the first time like 10 years a go and even then as a small child I still knew it was a good movie. The whole cast were brilliant, the directing ; well forget about Titanic and Avatar and James Cameron is one hell of a director/writer. He wrote the initial script and brought this whole thing to life in fantastic shape, his best film by a mile. Taking the idea of one Alien and having a whole army of them is one thing, but making it as horrifying and more action packed is a truly magnificent achievement. The Aliens themselves look absolutely terrifying and the way some of the shots were filmed were absolute genius. Alien was 10 and so is this. I don't think this is better than Alien, but this, Alien and 2001 are equally the best sci-fi films ever made. Watch this film.… Expand

It's hard to imagine that a completely new set of filmmakers could take a sequel and make it equal to, if not in some cases better than the original film. There are sequels that are famous for being arguably better than the original. Films come to mind like The Godfather Part 2, Terminator 2, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the King. These films were all made by the same people as the original films. Aliens was taken on by a new writer/director, producer, and many new designers. It's story is almost a total 180 of the original film's plot. It takes place in a different location. Most aspects of Aliens differ from Alien in such a way that sometimes it's more of an action film than a horror film. And somehow it still remains one of the greatest films in the sci-fi/horror genre and just as good as if not better than Alien.… Expand

Aliens is my favorite movie ever made. When it gets rolling, the film becomes an ultra exciting Juggernaut. As well as boosting testosterone levels through the roof, Aliens also features a slew of memorable performances. Bill Paxton's turn as Hudson is probably the greatest scene-stealing role of all time whilst Lance Henrikson also slam dunks a career best as the android Bishop. Basically speaking, if the idea of a big snarling monster squaring off against a robotic power loader sounds even the least bit intriguing, Aliens is guaranteed to own your soul for the rest of eternity!… Expand

My all time best sci-fi thriller. This movie has no setbacks imo. It progresses wonderfully over "Alien" as the story is logicaly developed so there`s none of that lets do a sequel stuff. From the moment of Alien ending I wanted to see what happens with Ripley. I have not been dissapointed as this fearsome and very smart woman goes through another xenomorph massacre. The story ofcourse puts her in this situation against her own will, as if the fate played a joke on her. It is clear that the main actress plays the best role, although she is very well accompanied by Hudson, Vasquez, Hicks , Bishop and Burke. The climate of this movies builds up almost 1/3 of it`s time. We know that something bad is going to happen and we await it with fear. This way the story is fairly simple though it still manages to put us on the edge of our seats. We`re never sure whether the next encounter with the black creatures will be the last one, and it`s the same until the end of the film. To add to that, the special effects easily hold on their own after 15 years, especially the alien customes and gore. I have this movie memorised.… Expand

In my opinion, this is one of the best sequels of all time. Right up there with T2, Evil Dead 2 and of course the Godfather Part 2. Besides spawning a whole line of comics, games and two further installments in the series (mediocre at best, IMO) the movie also established James Cameron, then known for Terminator, as a successful figure in the film industry, with his most notable blockbusters being Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009). All in all, a great watch with some of the best and most suspenseful action scenes in any sci-fi movie.… Expand

This movie is just flat out awesome! I watched it like 10 times! One of my favorite movies of all time! Exciting from start to finish, never a dull moment! Love it!

Depending on the mood I'm in, I often prefer this sequel over the first of the series. This film is far more action-packed and the visual effects are taken to the next level. Cameron has crafted a very worthy sequel and Weaver gives her strongest performance here from the entire franchise. The increased alien population makes this film even more effective because we get to see more of them. The Queen of the alien hive is truly something to be seen......literally amazing! There has never been such a live creation since! Excellent film!… Expand

For a movie to be this great requires a lot of work. A LOT of work. James Cameron's best movie (yes, beating Avatar) is stellar. This movie will appeal to sci-fi, horror, and action-adventure fans. The entire movie is so amazing and great that words can't describe it.

There are some movies that have the perfect atmosphere, story, cast, and visuals. Aliens is that film, and on top of that it happens to be a sequel. Aliens is absolutely brilliant, its stunning at everything it does. The film follows the unfortunate woman Ellen Ripely who finds herself confronted by the alien creature again, but this time she's not alone neither are the aliens, "this time its war". This film is everything a good sequel should be, it gives the main character new dimensions to work with in character terms. The horror elements are still there but now they are combined with an action/thriller-esk genre vibe as well. This new action element is executed nicely and only helps drive the plot forward. The new characters that are introduced are excellent and believable too. Each character is, for the most part given enough screen time, and depth, so that when they do die you actually care about them. The world that James Cameron creates for this movie is absolutely astounding. Cameron builds on the already rich universe that Ridley Scott created for the first film and capitalizes on it greatly. Each scene in the movie feels necessary and tightly planned out, making each scene interesting and moving the action along quite nicely. If you were only to watch one sci-fi movie in your entire life, Aliens would most certainly be the one.… Expand

So many franchises we have today owe their success to Aliens. The Zerg from Starcraft? Aliens. The Tyranids from Warhammer 40k? Aliens. The bugs from Starship Troopers the film (not the book)? Aliens. The Brood from X-Men? Aliens. The Flood from Halo? Aliens. Probably a few others I've missed? Aliens. James Cameron took Ridley Scott's spookhouse in space and completely changed gears to deliver the ultimate scifi war film. Do smartguns on steadycam mounts make a ton of logical sense? Maybe not, but they looked damn cool. So much of what James Cameron designed was incredibly cool and has influenced pop culture. The Pelicans from Halo? Just copies of the Dropship from Aliens. The dropship pilot telling us we're in the pipe five by five? A direct line from Aliens. Angry black sargeant? That's just Apone. Shotgun being good in Doom? Probably Hick's, for close encounters.

The greatness of Aliens, apart from its many cool little tidbits, is the pacing. It's relentless. You're on this sorta roller coaster ride, but it's not quite fun. It's tense, scary, completely draining. And when you think you've managed to escape the worst of it... the Queen pops out of the rear landing gear and you're right back in the thick of it, witnessing an epic fight with a goddamn power loader. This film is great because it dialed absolutely everything up to 11. Looking back, it's easy to see that Alien 3 would've been somewhat of a disappointment no matter what they chose to do. Aliens said pretty much everything that needed to be said about humans in space battling xenomorphs. Game over man, game over.… Expand

Most entertaining movie ever. Simply. And probably the better from James Cameron. Sigourney Weaver is an awesome actress, the action scenes are amazing, the alien creature is truly horrific.

Where a copy of the original would have gone wrong completely, this takes a great horror movie and turns into a gripping action story with remarkably memorable characters, gripping dialogue, and ramps up the horror to eleven.

This movie is one of my favorites. It doesn't matter that it was made in 1986, if you love sci-fi or horror just watch it. It is truly a scare-fest of the best kind. The effects were top-notch for the decade and are still great today. The acting by Sigourney Weaver is awesome and the plot and storyline are incredible. You don't have to watch the original Alien movie to get it, but it wouldn't hurt to get the full appreciation of this film. Truly awesome film.… Expand

57 years after the Xenomorph discovery and the destruction of the Nostromo, Ellen Ripley awakes from cryo and taken in by some of the Weyland corporation associates. After contact with the colony inhabiting the same planet Riley's crew found the alien on 57 years ago goes dark she and a squad of marines are sent in to fix the problem. A great action packed thriller from start to finish, still very little character development but the character of Ripley is fleshed out here. There are 2 kinds of people, those who prefer Alien and those who prefer Aliens, I am the former.… Expand

This is one of the best movies ever made, as it uses the first Alien film but instead turns it from a horror film into an action film, which may put many fans of the original film off.
The story is great and the suspense is built up through the 1st hour of the film where we learn about the characters and their personalities and then suddenly the action kicks in with them fighting for survival making you feel a part of the group of humans trying to survive.
Overall the film is great with a perfect cast and a great director in James Cameron and is exciting from start to finish. One of my favorite films. 10/10… Expand

Although Alien was a great movie, this one is awesome. It's an action movie that again contains some nice character dialogue amongst it's characters, while trapped with the vicious creature, or should i say vicious creatures. Sigourney Weaver finally shows the real bad-ass attitude, since Alien was more of a suspenful experience.
Interesting characters and fully-packed of action, some people consider it better than Alien. I just think they're both in the same level, and the great thing is that this is one of the few franchises that changes the whole atmosphere of a movie and still turns it into something great.… Expand

Action, emotion, cool-looking aliens, and one of the best female film protagonists in history..... What more could someone want in a movie? This is on a different level to any action film I have seen, and even beats its predecessor in terms of sheer, blood-curdling excitement. James Cameron's finest work.

Estupefacta me hallo al darme cuenta de que, con el cuento de ir a ver Prometheus, de Ridley Scott, hay más personas de las que pensaba que aún no han visto una de las obras maestras, no solo de Ridley Scott, sino del cine y de la ciencia ficción, el primer Alien.
Por eso hoy hago un llamamiento a todos aquellos afortunados (y digo

by the sheer amount of video games and movies this film has influenced should guarantee this film a 10 every time, i cant agree with critics saying its not as suspenseful as the original.. the original this the original that, this is an entirely different movie and should be taken as such.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It just doesn't get any better. It revisit an eerily haunting universe and takes a modern horror film and turns it into possibly the best sic-fi action movie to date. Almost 30 years after it's release it enjoys a cult following due largely to Cameron's high production values and is watchable over and over and over...Played HALO? Aliens is so recognizable in much of the this premiere shooter's canon.

Dialogue is loose, realistic and doesn't get caught up in the mumbo jumbo. Seriously, you can feel the Sulaco crew's distress, the palpable feeling of 'oh And through all this bravado, machismo and testosterone, Ripley emerges as the ultimate badass.… Expand

this is the single greatest movie ever made by humanity in the history of the world. as long as the earth is round aliens will always be the greatest movie of all time.

Another classic film from James Cameron. The tension is incredible, as well as the action. Also, the aliens themselves are some of the most terrifying creatures ever to appear in a movie. Some of the acting can feel a bit corny, but no film is perfect. 9/10

One of the greatest Sci-Fi movies ever created, if you have not seen this masterpiece then you don't know what your missing, it's tense and enjoyable, and the only reason it's not getting a perfect 10 is because I happened to watch the directors cut afterwards (which gets a perfect 10) which adds even more emotion to the movie, but even if it's not as good as the directors cut this is still a must watch (but then watch the directors cut afterwards), all I can say is that this is fantastic and one of my favorite movies of all time and you must watch it.… Expand

A fun to watch action/ sci-fi/ thriller movie. This movie was directed by James Cameron (same person who directed Titanic and Avatar). It has a good script and voice acting. Fun to watch action scenes and a couple spooky moments. This is an enjoyable movie.

Awesome movie. A good film mixed with scary sci-fi and deadly action. Mysteries build up in the discoveries and you feel that you are part of the group of humans and you are about to die. 8.4/10

Aliens is a worthy sequel to an already classic horror film. It differs slightly from Alien from the fact that it is more of an action movie in comparison to Alien, which is a suspense, sci-fi horror movie. No doubt, it still retains some horror elements like the fact that the Aliens and facehuggers haven't changed in appearance and the disgusting Alien breeding process. However, even though this movie retains the same horrifying characters from the previous film, it's not as scary. Going down, the action route, I could where James Cameron was going. Because there are now loads of Aliens, they can afford to have loads of action and shootouts with the Aliens and still not be rid of the creepy creatures. If Alien was an action movie and the scientists were marines, it would be only about 5 minutes after the Alien had reached adulthood because there is only one Alien. This film introduces the Alien Queen, which now gives us a good explanation of how the Alien race came to be and how those dreaded facehuggers were made. I toughly enjoyed the plot and it moves at a faster pace from the previous film; no waiting for something to happen, although it takes a while for Ripley and the marines to find the Alien hideout. James Cameron has written a really good story and I found it really enjoyable to see Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) emerge as a determined, tough heroine, trying to protect Newt and battle against the Alien scum. Ripley forms a bond with this little girl and the final scene is a highlight of this fact, where Ripley has a one on one battle in a mech against the Alien Queen (which is pi**ssed off because Ripley torched all of her precious eggs). This sets the stage for a pretty satisfying climax to what is actually quite a long movie, longer than the first one. The line, "Get away from her you Bi**h" that Ripley says when a close up of her is shown while she is in the mech is possibly the best line in this movie; I love the way she raises her voice when she says the word "Bi**h!" It's almost like she's saying, "bring it on" in a rather more intimidating and threatning way. Ripley was definately scared of going after the Aliens with the marines at the start of the movie but she then learns to confront her own fear. The sets are again, astonishing and expand on the scope from the first Aliens. The special effects are really good; like the Aliens design and the fire effects of the machine guns that the marines use. This movie is just as violent as the first movie and one scene just made me go "Ugggh"; the scene when the android, Bishop gets sliced in half by the Alien Queen and this "Milk" substance pours out of his nostrils and mouth. James Cameron has made the right choice to make this an action movie rather than a suspense horror film because I couldn't really see what he could have done more with the Alien character in that situation. Although, this action packed take on the Alien series would be abandoned and return to the slow, suspenseful film in the next Alien film, Alien 3. In my opinion, Aliens is a brilliant sci-fi movie and is overall, the best Alien film I enjoyed in the series.… Expand

A bit slow for the first hour but the last hour and a half really packs a punch and leaves you on the edge of your seat. The acting at times isn't the greatest (Sigourney Weaver just isn't a great actress) and their is some cheesy dialog but for the most part Aliens is top notch Sci-Fi and even if you aren't a Sci-Fi fan you still might be able to enjoy it.

"Aliens" is nevertheless a amazing film that beats its prequel. It has the same tense moments, but director James Cameron even skillfully added blockbuster components, making "Aliens" a more braver and bolder film then its prequel.

This not the best Alien movie in my opinion. But is still a great movie. With lots more aliens and This is a great movie and a must buy. Aliens 8.1/10

"Choke on it and die already!" Words intended to quiet down a guy that was loudly chomping on pop corn during the early suspense scenes of this film. I've held on to those words with fondness. They symbolize the undying hunger in audiences for a good ass kicking film. And back in the day, this one kicked ass like no other.
I had read the script to this film and wondered where those additional atmospheric scenes had gone in that theatrical cut. It was truly satisfying to see that they had been sitting dormant in James Cameron's editing bin, and were now part of this Extended Cut. I won't give away all the goodies to allow you for a better surprise, but let's just say the additions are well placed and definitely help the establishment of plot and character.
It is fun to look back at Mr. Avatar and see the early makings of a phenomenal action director. The tough guys with damaged egos. Technology turned on its side. And, of course, the curiosity for alien races quickly becoming a predicament larger than expected.
For those of you who haven't seen this film, it's an action extravaganza centered around the Alien universe created by Ridley Scott in the film of the same title. Only this time the fun is not contained to one ugly guy playing hide and sick in a space ship. James Cameron's outing has a high count on casualties and enough opposition to take over a foreign country, or in this case, a small planet.
Where this film might benefit from an upgrade is in the special effects department. Which is an interesting comment to make in regards to a Cameron picture, since the guy got his start doing effect shoots. He practically invented the genre. But since my viewing of this film is taking place in 2012 and we have all been bombarded by the likes of Lord of the Rings and the Avengers, the effects clearly show the cracks in the shell.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the film thoroughly and I would gladly watch it again. In fact, it makes for a perfect marathon if watched together with the first one.
This is sadly the last in the Alien series where the production was taking the future of the xenophorms with any seriousness. Yes, David Fincher was a very good call for the third installment, but it was also the moment when the studio decided to put the franchise in the hands of accountants with little regard for filmmaking, and our award winning director never gained the proper production tools to do the franchise any justice... All that being said, I am actually a fan of Fincher's version. It's just hard to follow up a gory gun fest like Aliens with an emotionally driven piece like Alien 3.… Expand

Truly a cult classic. In no way is this a good movie. It's cheesy, it's full of cliches, and there is little to no character development (aside from Ripley and Bishop a little.) But that aside, it is entertaining as hell! It's fun to watch, the music is appropriately timed. The action fits the situation and keeps you glued to the screen. The fights are as spectacular as they should have been. Overall: This movie is a SCi-Fi as they get. It's not Shakespeare, but it does define it's genre and has a mountain of catchphrases that everyone knows (at least one.) OK movie, but a whole lot of fun!… Expand

Showcasing Weaver and bringing a new feel and dynamic to the cat and mouse ambiance the original so brilliantly captured means this is arguably the better out of the two. Arguably.

With all the discussions on which installment was better than the other, I honestly cannot say. The two are drastically different in tone, with the first film focusing a lot more in horror elements and has a more quiet subdued and mysterious feel to it, while this film is a lot more balls-to-the-wall crazy and a lot more action-oriented than the earlier. To me, they're both equally great in their own different ways, along with the fact that they're both carried by one of the strongest female protagonists in cinema. The film has it faults though, mainly on plotholes. But still, classic.… Expand

Stronger than before only it doesn't have the same feel. Sigourney Weaver's performance is beyond anyone's imagination and the visuals are a hell of a ride but for some Aliens doesn't have the same feel as the original. Maybe its because James Cameron directed it I mean that could be the only explanation. The only thing James Cameron is good at is making mega box-office hits......

This movie is a great movie, let me just start by saying that. The thing is though that if you watch this movie right after watching the first one it's just hilariously not as good. It makes me sad that it got a better review on here than the first one. The attention to detail, the pacing, even the dialogue is just simply not as magnificently put together as the original. It is a fun watch though and should be considered a classic. Just simply not better than the first one.… Expand

As an action film there are few better than Aliens, but a a sequel to Alien it hugely disappoints. There are few actual scares, of course there are thrilling action sequences, but nothing like the original nerve shredding moments in Alien. It also destroys the representation of the Alien itself. We barely see it in Alien and when we do we are terrified for the characters and the threat of the Alien coming back to Earth is actually scary. In Aliens the creatures are mere cannon fodder, only in large numbers can the be intimidating. As action movie Aliens reigns supreme but as a sci fi or horror its older brother Alien is the one to watch.… Expand