Alien Film Series Review

Before this month, the most I had ever seen of an Alien movie was a scene with the android in the second film Aliens once when it came on television when I was a kid. I had also seen the first Alien vs. Predator movie and Prometheus, which is within the Alien story universe but not an Alien story. So, having had a taste of the universe I was curious what the rest was like.

The Alien series contains four films: 1) Alien, 2) Aliens, 3) Alien 3, and 4) Alien Resurrection. (My review is done based on the director/extended cuts. I have not seen the theatrical versions of these films.)

Alien
Director Ridley Scott provides one of the best this series has to offer, which may ore may not have something to do, of course, with this being the very first film. The title sequence is arguable one of the best I've ever seen as it slowly places line after line to create the name of the film as well as the movie's iconic namesake. The camera moves to a space ship, follows the corridors, and we see monitors and hear the sounds of processors and realize film makers cannot see the future as even now we no longer use 8 and 16 bit computers.

The film is slow to start and when it does get moving, we follow the crew of the aforementioned space ship as they pursue a distress beacon while on their way home from a job. And of course, when they stumble upon a planet and crashed space ship, one of the crew brings an alien aboard, Alien style, attached to his face. The horror begins when a baby alien erupts from the carrier's chest and murders the crew one by one. The crew member we come to care for the most, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), is left to survive with nothing but her witless crew members and a single flame thrower.

While there is almost no emotion present, there is horror and fear and curiosity and intrigue. I say there's room for improvement, but ultimately, Alien captures the heart of a true action/sci-fi/horror.

7/10

Aliens
Before Avatar, before Titanic, James Cameron directed Aliens. I can't decide whether the original or the sequel is better. Both films are equally devoted to telling a unique sci-fi horror. Aliens is more action packed, guns blazing, and attacks with an alien horde birthed by a queen from which the original eggs were birthed.

I was disappointed not to see another spectacular title sequence, but I was very happy with the plot. The first film didn't really allow you to fall in love with any of the characters, but this sequel grants you the opportunity with more than a few characters. Ripley returns after almost a lifetime in cryo sleep only to have to revisit the horrors of the alien planet from the first film. Only now there are hundreds of aliens and a mad queen to boot.

James Cameron doesn't disappoint in providing the continued story of Ellen Ripley and her alien nemeses.

7/10

Alien 3
David Fincher directs this unfortunate film that does not live up to its predecessors. The film follows Ripley, again, as she crash lands on a planet used as a prison installation. We're back to weaponless, helpless characters, killed by the merciless aliens that reproduced after the crash landing.

The story practically writes itself, but somehow the film makers got it wrong on this one. There is so much potential attached to the premise, but the execution is poor. Sigourney Weaver's acting remains superb, but it does nothing to help the film's plot. Killing off likable characters too soon does not help either.

I still liked the movie, but I wanted so much more.

5/10

Alien Resurrection
Jean-Pierre Jeunet directs this even more upsetting film where Ellen Ripley is resurrected along with the alien queen inside of her after the events of the previous film. A secret military facility extracts the alien queen and allows it to produce offspring in order to train for military purposes. Ripley's clone is not quite the same person she was, especially when you see that her blood is now acidic like the blood of the aliens. Weaver's presence in this film is eclipsed by the lovely Winona Rider. But even Rider's presence isn't enough to resurrect the Alien film series.

Again, it comes down to execution. There really isn't much more to say about this film. Winona Rider's character seems to be the film's true frontwoman, and if they had left Ripley dead, Rider's character might have even been a saving grace. 

3/10

Overall
The Alien series has so much potential, which is why, I suppose, the original director, Ridley Scott, decided to create Prometheus. I wouldn't mind seeing more prequels or sequels even, just as long as a real effort is put into the story and execution. Overall, the series is very good.

Overall 7/10 (regardless of crappy sequels)