In reviewing Alien', I want to say that this movie might have been better for me to see, back when it was released in 1979. I only believe this, because for some reason I could not completely get rapped up in it. That is not to say I did not like some of it. However, as soon as part of me was starting too really like it, I had an experience with this film that I found unwholesome and frustrating, especially with the ending, a feeling that I remember I had through another popular movie Fight Club'. It is a shame, because the idea that Aliens are out there and are scary is totally fascinating to me.
The terror begins when the crew of the spaceship, Nostromo' investigates a transmission from a desolate planet and makes a horrifying discovery a life form that breeds within a human host. Now the crew must not only fight for its survival, but the survival of all mankind.
Director Ridley Scott was and still is praised for giving us one of the great horror/Sci-Fi classics. I was not in awe of this film, however I feel I could have been. Scott's direction is one of the main problems with this film. Firstly, the film is given a pace that for me is far too slow. I would have preferred the film to have a quicker pace which would have increased the tension. The other problem is the way that Ridley did not take full advantage of the Alien' aspect to the film, especially with the ending that we see Ridley present. But the fans really do make a big song and dance about this film and the director is one of the reasons for that.
Yet the story to this film is also guilty of being weak, even underdeveloped. The screenplay was written by Dan O'Bannon, based on the story written by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett, which does have merits I have mentioned. But the story could have done so much more with the Alien' created. Also whoever devised the ending to this film did a terrible job, as I found it totally unsatisfying, bringing the film down for me.
Some of the actors and characters in this film are very good. At the start of the film we see the entire crew of Nostromo' awake. The ship is commanded by Dallas (Tom Skerritt), who cares more for his crew than for the actual space mission. Skerritt is pretty good as this character. Under Dallas is female commander Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), who is a real find as female action hero. Ripley has balls', and I get this feeling from Weaver's performance. Ripley believes in following protocol, a big difference to Dallas.
Another interesting character is Ash (Ian Holm). With the discovery of this Alien life-form, Ash is genuinely excited instead of scared which is the reaction the rest of the crew give. What the movie reveals about Ash is quite unbelievable, but very interesting. While what happens to scientist Kane (John Hurt) might be a pretty ordinary demise, but another of the film's great moments.
The rest of the crew (or cast) is not so great. The other female crewmember Lambert (Veronica Cartwright) is strange, as she does nothing more on this ship, other than whinge and scream. But more annoying than Lambert, are the two space engineers Parker (Yaphet Kotto) and Stanton Brett (Harry Dean). This pair get along very well, suiting each other. These characters brought nothing inventive to the film, and are very frustrating. Seeing all these characters go' was a blessing, rather than upsetting in my view.
I liked the Alien' effects that were presented here. The Alien creations themselves were wonderfully done by the special effects crew (Carlo Rambaldi and Bernard Lodge) and costume crews (John Mollo, H.R. Giger, and Roger Dicken). Everything from the creation that looks part spider, part female genitalia (which causes some of the great scary moments in the film), up to the actual Alien' we see, which is gruesome, but in its own way very attractive, were fantastic. This is one of my favourite areas of the entire film.
To be honest I first watched this film around 5 years ago, and was feeling so scared, I had to fast forward the DVD. Since that time, when I put this film on, I am waiting in anticipation for the movie to give me as much of that scared' reaction as possible, as that is the feeling I desire as I am watching it. But that experience is very limited in this film. So with all these factors, I have to say I am disappointed in Alien' and do not agree that this is a brilliant movie, in fact it is quite the opposite. What a pity!
CMRS gives Alien': 1.5 (Bad Ok Film)
The terror begins when the crew of the spaceship, Nostromo' investigates a transmission from a desolate planet and makes a horrifying discovery a life form that breeds within a human host. Now the crew must not only fight for its survival, but the survival of all mankind.
Director Ridley Scott was and still is praised for giving us one of the great horror/Sci-Fi classics. I was not in awe of this film, however I feel I could have been. Scott's direction is one of the main problems with this film. Firstly, the film is given a pace that for me is far too slow. I would have preferred the film to have a quicker pace which would have increased the tension. The other problem is the way that Ridley did not take full advantage of the Alien' aspect to the film, especially with the ending that we see Ridley present. But the fans really do make a big song and dance about this film and the director is one of the reasons for that.
Yet the story to this film is also guilty of being weak, even underdeveloped. The screenplay was written by Dan O'Bannon, based on the story written by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett, which does have merits I have mentioned. But the story could have done so much more with the Alien' created. Also whoever devised the ending to this film did a terrible job, as I found it totally unsatisfying, bringing the film down for me.
Some of the actors and characters in this film are very good. At the start of the film we see the entire crew of Nostromo' awake. The ship is commanded by Dallas (Tom Skerritt), who cares more for his crew than for the actual space mission. Skerritt is pretty good as this character. Under Dallas is female commander Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), who is a real find as female action hero. Ripley has balls', and I get this feeling from Weaver's performance. Ripley believes in following protocol, a big difference to Dallas.
Another interesting character is Ash (Ian Holm). With the discovery of this Alien life-form, Ash is genuinely excited instead of scared which is the reaction the rest of the crew give. What the movie reveals about Ash is quite unbelievable, but very interesting. While what happens to scientist Kane (John Hurt) might be a pretty ordinary demise, but another of the film's great moments.
The rest of the crew (or cast) is not so great. The other female crewmember Lambert (Veronica Cartwright) is strange, as she does nothing more on this ship, other than whinge and scream. But more annoying than Lambert, are the two space engineers Parker (Yaphet Kotto) and Stanton Brett (Harry Dean). This pair get along very well, suiting each other. These characters brought nothing inventive to the film, and are very frustrating. Seeing all these characters go' was a blessing, rather than upsetting in my view.
I liked the Alien' effects that were presented here. The Alien creations themselves were wonderfully done by the special effects crew (Carlo Rambaldi and Bernard Lodge) and costume crews (John Mollo, H.R. Giger, and Roger Dicken). Everything from the creation that looks part spider, part female genitalia (which causes some of the great scary moments in the film), up to the actual Alien' we see, which is gruesome, but in its own way very attractive, were fantastic. This is one of my favourite areas of the entire film.
To be honest I first watched this film around 5 years ago, and was feeling so scared, I had to fast forward the DVD. Since that time, when I put this film on, I am waiting in anticipation for the movie to give me as much of that scared' reaction as possible, as that is the feeling I desire as I am watching it. But that experience is very limited in this film. So with all these factors, I have to say I am disappointed in Alien' and do not agree that this is a brilliant movie, in fact it is quite the opposite. What a pity!
CMRS gives Alien': 1.5 (Bad Ok Film)