I know many believe this film is comparable if not better than the original Ridley Scott film, ‘Alien’ (1979). On a rewatch, I realized that these two movies aren’t even close. Now this is what I will say, what ‘Alien’ (1979) did for the horror genre, ‘Aliens’ (1986) did for the action genre. Honestly, these are two completely different films, and I sort of love it and I sort of hate it. I thought I’d be more fond of this film after another rewatch, but I think I was just so mesmerized by Scott’s vision, that Cameron’s simply didn’t hit the mark as hard. I still had a fantastic time with ‘Aliens’ (1986), and this being such a change from the original really kept the franchise moving in all directions, so it didn’t get boring. So though this isn’t the best of the franchise, it’s definitely a great follow up to one of the best horror films of all time. 

So as I said, this was a big change for the entire franchise when it came to genre. The first film being so reliable on the atmospheric horror of it all, then this picture coming in, guns blazing (literally). There is also a much higher level of humor in the film that really makes the raunchy dialogue flow a bit better. The 1980’s were full of films like this. Pictures like ‘Mad Max: The Road Warrior’ (1981), ‘First Blood’ (1982), ‘The Terminator’ (1984), ‘Commando’ (1985), ‘Predator’ (1987), ‘Batman’ (1989), plus so many more were all getting released. It was the decade for the Arnold Schwarzenegger’s and Sylvester Stallone’s of the world to make a mark and take action. Of course James Cameron himself had to jump back into the ring and help reconstruct the Alien films, and oh did he do that. 

Being a loud and bombastic film, there is obviously going to be a lot more stunts and a load more action, of which there is. First of all, the fact that this is like watching action figures battle out for ground is just the funniest thing, then getting to see the futuristic combat is even more of a treat. There are loads more explosions, and plenty more deaths, and it makes the whole ride that much more fun. Violence was a big part of Scott’s vision, and it played into the first film very well, but very differently. It was more melodic than it is in Cameron’s film. Cameron makes sure the audience is having a good laugh, while also having a good scare with some adrenaline running all at once. It honestly is just a completely different tone when it comes to the genre and the style, and neither one is better than the other, it’s just all preference. 

Sigourney Weaver returns to the role that made her famous, and this time, much like the tone of the film, it’s amped up for sure. Sherry plays a vengeance seeking protagonist who has to lead a slew of misfit marines, and oh is it funny. Bill Paxton, Michael Biehn, and Paul Reiser, all also make appearances through the film, but the cast doesn’t even hold a light to what came before. Leaning more into humor instead of horror, this cast amps up a slapstick like comedy base, and it truly makes me care very little for the characters. The first film, I had a much closer attachment too because they were shown as more human instead of cartoon characters. Of course, this is an alien movie, so some might prefer that type of humor to counterbalance the action. 

James Cameron is well known for being a blockbuster icon. His previous films include, ‘Piranha II: The Spawning’ (1982), and ‘The Terminator’ (1984). He would then make ‘The Abyss’ (1989), ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ (1991), ‘True Lies’ (1994), ‘Titanic’ (1997), and the Avatar films. Most of these films are record breaking blockbuster films. Cameron has always been specific with his visions, and this movie is no different. The technology Cameron uses for his movies is often so complex, it changes the landscape of cinema all together. The way his mind works is fantastic, and the fact we got films like ‘Aliens’ (1986) because of him is all the better. 

If you were to compare the original film, ‘Alien’ (1979) with this sequel, ‘Aliens’ (1986), the best way to describe them is the former is a well calculated and meticulous film with many interesting ideas and clever storylines. The ladder is just one of the biggest action films of anyone’s lifetime. That is not a bad thing by any means, and frankly I know some people prefer that. I on the other hand definitely enjoy this franchise when it slows down a bit more and focuses on the horror instead of the action. That being said, you all know this is a great picture, and it’s absolutely worth a watch any time of year.