Proved that James Cameron has a mind for directing action movies considerably more nuanced and plot-driven than just "find ways to blow things up".
Aliens (1986)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:44
Fresh:44
Rotten:0
Average Rating:8.8/10
Consensus: While Alien was a marvel of slow-building, atmospheric tension, Aliens packs a much more visceral punch, and features a typically strong performance from Sigourney Weaver.
Runtime: 2 hrs 34 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Synopsis: Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the sole survivor from the original ALIEN, is awakened after 57 years of drifting through space, her stories disbelieved by Company executives who tell her that the... Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the sole survivor from the original ALIEN, is awakened after 57 years of drifting through space, her stories disbelieved by Company executives who tell her that the alien's planet is now inhabited and colonized. When contact is suddenly lost with the colonists, Ripley returns to the planet with a squad of marines, an android (Lance Henriksen), and a Company executive (Paul Reiser) with a mission of his own. Once on the planet, no survivors can be found except for Newt, a little girl who awakens motherly instincts in Ripley just in time for the acid-blooded aliens to attack in what quickly becomes a one-sided battle for sheer survival. Considered by many to be the best of the series, ALIENS is a fast-paced, high-intensity thrill ride that set a new standard for action films and cemented director James Cameron's status as one of Hollywood's leading directors following the success of THE TERMINATOR. Weaver received an Academy Award nomination and became a feminist hero for her strong, sensitive performance as the survivor Ripley, while costars Reiser, Henriksen, and Bill Paxton all give career-making performances in this landmark sci-fi extravaganza. [More]
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, William Hope, Jenette Goldstein, Al Matthews, Mark Rolston, Ricco Ross, Colette Hiller
Director: James Cameron
Director: James Cameron
Screenwriter: James Cameron
Story: David Giler, Walter Hill, James Cameron
Producer: Gale Anne Hurd
Composer: James Horner
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Reviews for Aliens
If you were to only see one movie in your entire lifetime it would have to be ALIENS. James Cameron has delivered a masterpiece that will never in a million years be topped...
Some critics consider this chapter to be better than the first, but the two movies are vastly different: Ridley Scott's is a scary horror film, whereas James Cameron's is a high-tech actioner with superlative set-pieces.
The trouble Ripley has found this time is exponentially bigger and scarier than anything she encountered in Ridley Scott's memorably minimalist, eerily elegant 1979 film.
Cameron's strength lies in solid storytelling in the muscular fashion that he stages the action, creating exciting thrills and intense suspense without ever descending into the mere mechanical.
Weaver is superb -- tough, smart, and the best fighter, male or female, in the movie.
There is always an interesting tension in Cameron's work between masculine and feminine qualities. When it finally hits the fan here, we're in for the mother of all battles.
This sequel dares to build slowly, allowing Weaver to develop a multi-dimensional character even as it ups the ante by fetishising the Marines' hi-tech hardware and spawning legions of aliens.
Features Sigourney Weaver as a female Rambo with nurturing instincts.
The Director’s Cut of the film hauntingly amplifies Ripley’s disconnect from her dead daughter and her relationship to the young Newt.
Aliens never strives to be as accomplished as the original, but it's wit and turbo-charged battles make it a wild and electric ride, one with the best replay value of the franchise.
What happens when you take a premise, soak it in a combination of adrenaline and kerosene, then light the sucker.
The most instense and satisfying piece of science fiction ever made. James Cameron's masterpiece.
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| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
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| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
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