Post by TheKaiser on Feb 7, 2004 0:52:59 GMT -5
With the Quadrilogy allowing the entire series to be seen unedited and in their final form (with the exception of Alien3 which is supposedly still missing some cuts) I'm wondering what peoples general thoughts are on each film. Here are my two cents:
Alien: Ultimately the best of the series, it set the standard of filmmaking for both the sci-fi and horror genre and is easily one of the most frightening films ever made. Its atmosphere is incredible, its sets a work of art and of course the ingenuinty in the design of the creature was state of the art. (Before Alien movie monsters were rarely so..well...scary.) Rating: *****
Aliens: Cameron took the series in a fantastic new direction furthering Scott's original vision into the realm of a war drama. The Alien was given moratlity, but also a strength in numbers. The shot where Hicks opens the vent and sees them crawling towards him is probably one of the best frames in sci-fi movie history. The action was intense, the characters likeable, the FX incredible and the quotes numourous ("Get away from her you bitch!" "Game over, man!"). Awesome pop-corn entertainment! Rating: *****
Alien 3: David Fincher's attempt at the Alien series has never recieved much respect. The production was a mess, going through 3 directors, multiple scripts, a number of cuts and on-set disputes. Upon release fans were furious with the treatment of some characters and the ending left many feeling empty and depressed. They were all missing the point. Fincher saw what needed to be done with a film that already seemed to be cursed. You are not supposed to feel good in this film. You are supposed to feel exactly what Ripley feels: alone, betrayed, ready to die. She begun the series as a victim, then returned as a warrior and in the third installment she comes to terms for her eternal race: she can't win. Its a depressing message, but coupled with the great cinematography, an excellent cast and suburb direction the film defintely warrants a spot in the series. It by no means beats the former two, but like them it took the series in a new direction and deserves respect.
Rating: ****
Alien Resurection: Hoo-boy. They really didn't need to this one. I'll start with the pros I guess. Great art direction, nice FX in some moments, and Ron Perlman. That's about it though...Here come the flaws. First of all bringing back Ripley wasn't smart. She died, it was an important step in her character and its ruined. This film should have had a fresh face, a new warrior to fight the Aliens. About the aliens they arn't scary at all. They die far more easily then ever before and you can always see them in full view(the last three took great care to hide the Alien). The plot meanders here and there and makes little sense (the notion of cloning Ripley with an intact hardly sounds plausible, considering her death). It finally ends with a bizzare climax that takes the series in a totally unneeded direction. Though Ripley finally makes it to Earth, I think fans have been waiting too long for the Aliens to get there. An interesting film to watch, but not a good "Alien" film. Rating: **
Alien: Ultimately the best of the series, it set the standard of filmmaking for both the sci-fi and horror genre and is easily one of the most frightening films ever made. Its atmosphere is incredible, its sets a work of art and of course the ingenuinty in the design of the creature was state of the art. (Before Alien movie monsters were rarely so..well...scary.) Rating: *****
Aliens: Cameron took the series in a fantastic new direction furthering Scott's original vision into the realm of a war drama. The Alien was given moratlity, but also a strength in numbers. The shot where Hicks opens the vent and sees them crawling towards him is probably one of the best frames in sci-fi movie history. The action was intense, the characters likeable, the FX incredible and the quotes numourous ("Get away from her you bitch!" "Game over, man!"). Awesome pop-corn entertainment! Rating: *****
Alien 3: David Fincher's attempt at the Alien series has never recieved much respect. The production was a mess, going through 3 directors, multiple scripts, a number of cuts and on-set disputes. Upon release fans were furious with the treatment of some characters and the ending left many feeling empty and depressed. They were all missing the point. Fincher saw what needed to be done with a film that already seemed to be cursed. You are not supposed to feel good in this film. You are supposed to feel exactly what Ripley feels: alone, betrayed, ready to die. She begun the series as a victim, then returned as a warrior and in the third installment she comes to terms for her eternal race: she can't win. Its a depressing message, but coupled with the great cinematography, an excellent cast and suburb direction the film defintely warrants a spot in the series. It by no means beats the former two, but like them it took the series in a new direction and deserves respect.
Rating: ****
Alien Resurection: Hoo-boy. They really didn't need to this one. I'll start with the pros I guess. Great art direction, nice FX in some moments, and Ron Perlman. That's about it though...Here come the flaws. First of all bringing back Ripley wasn't smart. She died, it was an important step in her character and its ruined. This film should have had a fresh face, a new warrior to fight the Aliens. About the aliens they arn't scary at all. They die far more easily then ever before and you can always see them in full view(the last three took great care to hide the Alien). The plot meanders here and there and makes little sense (the notion of cloning Ripley with an intact hardly sounds plausible, considering her death). It finally ends with a bizzare climax that takes the series in a totally unneeded direction. Though Ripley finally makes it to Earth, I think fans have been waiting too long for the Aliens to get there. An interesting film to watch, but not a good "Alien" film. Rating: **