Aliens (Special Edition) (DVD) > Reviews

Advantages: Great story, and sooo atmospheric
Disadvantages: none, not even to this day.

...original. Personally I think that Aliens is in this category. Now, I agree this is an outlandish claim. Ridley Scott's original Alien, is potentially one of the most atmospheric, and terrifying films of all time. In its time, it was perfect. The effects were great, and the performances exceptional. I believe that if I had of been writing this review ten years ago, then Alien would win hands down, but in today's market the award must go to the ... Read review

Advantages: An adequate sequel to the 1978 film Alien
Disadvantages: Could have had more special features on the DVD

Aliens DVD Special Edition 1986 20th Century Fox Film Corporation 148 Minutes Written and Directed by James Cameron, who also directed: Ghosts of the Abyss 2003 Titanic 1997 Terminator 2 1991 The Abyss 1989 The Terminator 1984 Starring Actors: Sigorney Weaver - Ellen Ripley Al Mathews - Sergeant Apone Michael Biehn - Corporal Hicks Jeanette Goldstein - Private Vasquez Bill Paxton - Private Hudson Carrie Henn - Newt( Rebecca Jorden) Paul ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent presentation of the film itself in terms of both image and sound; comprehensive photo gallery; interesting interview with James Cameron.
Disadvantages: No Director’s Commentary; only one trailer included; no music audio options — essentially, this is not an extras-lite DVD, but it simply has nowhere near as much content as the Alien DVD it follows.

...was slotted into my player. Aliens is a very popular film indeed, and some people even seem to like it more than the first film. My own opinion, however, is that this film, whilst admittedly good, is slightly inferior to Alien, and unfortunately the same turned out to be true of the DVD release. THE FILM The film starts as Ripley is found in a state of suspended animation, drifting through space in one of the Nostromo escape pods after the events ... Read review

Advantages: Fast furious frenzied alien fun fest
Disadvantages: Moments that will make you jump, very dark.

Aliens remains a firm favourite of mine, and its hard to comprehend there being many people out there who have not had the honour of viewing it, but perhaps some of you need reminding just how good it is, so..... Its the sequel to Alien, where Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) was the only survivor on her whole spaceship when a toothy slimy acid-bleeding alien monster burst out of the stomach of John Hurt, grew to the size of a VW Campervan and killed ... Read review

Advantages: Brilliant sequel, arguably better than its predecessor
Disadvantages: Hard to find any

...created something that changed how aliens were seen forever. No longer human-like with their own moral code and living standards. He presented us with an alien that was hell bent on survival and basically killed without question. They were more monsters than aliens, they were living nightmares. James Cameron takes on the sequel to a movie that many felt could not be followed up. How the critics piled up on the bandwagon, claiming he couldnt possibly ... Read review

Advantages: A great action movie which just keeps racking up the tension
Disadvantages: Takes a while to get to the action

...Marines get overrun by the Aliens ("In case you haven't been paying attention, we just got our asses kicked."), then their escape craft crashes, leaving them stranded on a site that is in danger of exploding. They retreat to a sealed compound to consider their options. (Again, the Director's cut has added scenes here, where heavily armed robot sentries keep the Aliens at bay at the compound perimeter.) From here on in its a roller-coaster of climaxes ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent film
Disadvantages: You might never look at another film again.

...Aliens. Whichever version you see, Aliens might not be as atmospheric or original as the first film, but it still puts most modern films, sci-fi or otherwise, to shame. Compare true classics like this to rubbish like Star Wars Epsisode One or The Matrix, and you'll see that film makers have seriously lost their way in recent years. They need to remember that films do not need to be funny, that violence is not a bad thing as long as it is realistic ... Read review

Advantages: 17 minutes of extra footage
Disadvantages: not a great cover

...to note is that the aliens are slightly different in design, the smooth head has now got a more rippled effect, but otherwise their just the same, doing the same stuff as before, bursting out of people’s chests..... Extra’s on the region 2 DVD, Trailer Interview with Director, James Cameron Behind the scenes footage Photo gallery The 17 minutes of restored footage And the usual (scene selection etc.) Quite good, the interview ... Read review

Advantages: More violence, fire power and bleeding than the first
Disadvantages: Dated 1986, special effects dont seem good compared to todays special effects, but great for the time

...the only survivor from the aliens massacre. This time, she's a fighter, assisnting a team of US marines in search of human colonies on a planet, where she previously found the alien, as they have mysteriously gone missing. Where 'Alien' was more of a horror film, the sequel is action packed, bleeding, foaming at the mouth, screaming and shooting with a much bigger, more aggressive cast, with lots more aliens and lots more people with guns who can ... Read review

Advantages: gripping, horrifying, mind boggling atmosphere
Disadvantages: none

Aliens carries on from the first film - Alien; hence the exceptionally clever title. James Cameron directed this one and he had a very difficult job to even equal the ferocity and sheer bloody horror of the first film by Ridley Scott. But he did it! Aliens is far more gruesome and spectacular with pretty frightening special effects that are still as good now as when they first arrived. The 'alien' must be the most terrifying creature even invented ... Read review

Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: see review

...could not be said about Aliens though. Yes we keep the suspense of the original, well maybe watered down slightly, but we also add some truly awesome action to the mix as well. A winning combination surely. Well, for me, I think its simply brilliant. I ahve seen this movie scores of times and I never get bored. It starts off where the original ended. Ripley cast herself adrift from the stricken Nostromo after her initial encounter with the Alien ... Read review

Advantages: action
Disadvantages: plot

...and I preferred James Cameron's Aliens to Ridley Scott's Alien. However as you grow older you realise Teddy bears with spears don't beat a good story line (Jedi) and an increased body count can't beat well generated suspense (Jaws& Rambo) as it is with Aliens, while the film pumps along at a great pace (once they land on the planet) there is never quite the same suspense or tension that there is in Alien, though whether this could have been done even ... Read review