Review of Aliens (1986) by Gerardo R — 14 Jun 2013

One of the only near perfect films I have ever seen. I've been a rabid James Cameron fan ever since my eight year old mind was blown away by Terminator 2. Now that I'm older and have seen all of Jim's work, his best film is undoubtedly Aliens, with Titanic following close behind. When analyzing Aliens and determining just why Aliens is near perfect, it's not very hard. Aside from the brilliant effects, amazing model designs, and still impressive creature effects, it's the story and relationships between the characters that really carry the film. This top notch character development is present in each one of Jim's films. Without the level of emotional excellence and story here, Aliens would just be a really good looking monster film. Imagine what Terminator 2 would be like without the relationship between the T101 and John Connor. It would have been a groundbreaking special effects achievement, but it wouldn't have been nearly as effective. And that's really why Jim's films work so well, in my opinion. Aliens is the best example of this because the collection of characters are diverse and interesting and the story is truly terrifying.

I don't want to overlook the effects as if they don't matter. For the time and even today, the effects in Aliens is one of the best examples of true craftsmanship in film. With the exception of a few early green screen moments, everything in Aliens holds up to this day. The puppets don't look like puppets, they look like Horrifying Aliens. The sets don't look flimsy and fake, they look atmospheric, moody and sometimes beautifully disgusting. The prosthetics don't look like makeup and rubber, but instead show us the bloody imagined reality of an alien bursting out of Ripley's chest. Every effect is meticulously and painstakingly put together with Jim's knack for perfection. I could write an essay about the special effects in aliens and to be honest, if one wanted to learn about film special effects, I would recommend dropping out of film school and studying Aliens instead.

Aliens not only improved upon the original, but it did something completely fresh and new. More than 20 years after its initial release, the film holds up better than any other film from the 1980's, with maybe the tie exception of Blade Runner. If you are interested in film, special effects, terrifying freights, or just an all around good story, Aliens is a film that immediately deserves your attention and one that warrants endless viewings.