‘Aliens’: Movie Review
Confusing action loses the original authenticity
Prior to watching Aliens, Alien’s seuqel, I judge the movie by its cover and deem it lame. You can hate me all I want, but then all my fears come true.
This is not coming from my disappointment that Aliens is an action movie instead of a horror one. Because of that disappointment, I kept my expectations low and try assuming good faith in the movie and what James Cameron has to offer. The story revolves around our supergirl protagonist Ripley (electrifying Sigourney Weaver) who follows a colonial marine troop on a journey to investigate the place she landed before, where the Alien is present, to investigate a communication problem.
However, that’s not what I received in the movie. I see a movie about Ripley trying to prove to others that Alien is real, with — predictably — the cost of those who seek the answer. There could be more flavours of emotion if they remove the communication part, which I feel is vague: there are many more alternatives as to how these folks would want to investigate Alien. Right away from the start, it’s dishonest. If not for Weaver’s performances, and the existence of a child, the movie would’ve caused me to sleep.
What gradually follows are a series of cheap fights and wars et al., and nothing else. This sequel could’ve been a 40-minute short, and I would’ve praised it if it is, but this feature feels immensely vague. Nothing is at stake, and it never takes itself seriously. I love paradoxical sequels, but this is not it. Actually, wait — is this a paradoxical sequel? Well, fuck… the movie is forgettable, I guess. Sorry, Aliens fans, but this is just not it.
Don’t get me wrong, there are things I like about this movie, just like (almost) any other. Other than the acting, the visuals are just as good, if not more lively and understandable than that of Alien’s, which could come off as hard. It could also be an alternative to Alien for you horror crybabies. But all those technical marvels are sadly wasted into this foggy, dull sequel of a classic.
GENRE: Sci-fi, action
DURATION: 2 hours 17 minutes
WATCHED ON: Netflix
AGE RATING: 14+
LANGUAGE: English
