While not much of a sequel to the artistically stunning "Alien", "Aliens" is, in its own right, one of the best SF action films of the 80's. Director James Cameron jettisons all the dense stylistics for an adrenaline jam session fueled by slimy aliens and foul-mouthed space marines with awesome weapons. SF role-playing gamers will have a great time imagining this high-tech cache in their next campaign.
Sigourney Weaver returns as Warrant Officer Ripley, the only survivor of the last encounter with our face-sucking reptiloids. She and a group of U.S. Marines are sent to investigate a mining colony whose population has mysteriously disappeared. It's a basic show-down picture with a unit of marines against a hive of aliens protecting their big Mama Queen.
With actor/comedian Paul Reiser as the sleazy mega-corp rep, Jenette Goldstein as the token woman marine, and Carrie Henn as Newt, the little girl who sets Ripley's maternal instincts all aflutter.
Novel versions are available for both "Alien" and "Aliens", written by Allen Dean Foster. And, if that's still not enough, there is a popular comic book series as well.
(G. Branwyn)
Links:
Aliens
1986, 20th Century Fox
