When I recently revisited this film I was underwhelmed. I don't think I've sat through it a second time since it was in theaters in 1986. I remembered it as a great action film and it is still a great action film.
The main problem that I had - the problem I have with most James Cameron films - was the dialogue. He writes lines for these characters like they are caricatures rather than actual people. The proceedings come off shrill where the original Alien was a masterpiece of originality - monsters with acid for blood so you can't even kill them without killing yourself and destroying your spacecraft. At least I can't complain about the lack of originality of the material, because Cameron is writing and directing a sequel here.
It almost singlehandedly created the aesthetic of the "space marine," which makes it really hard to not see their behavior as cliche, even if it did create the cliches. I also get that their macho posturing is supposed to contrast with how quickly they dissolve under pressure, but that isn't really a particularly fascinating character or plot development. You know from the start that they don't have a clue what they are getting themselves into. Did they not read Ripley's report like they were instructed to do? Yet not a one says "Yikes!" prior to first engagement with something that is not your typical big bad.
And the cliched mother/daughter relationship just springing up between Ripley and Newt is rather grating on the nerves too. I've never watched the extended version, but apparently Ripley had a daughter in the extended cut of Aliens who grew to adulthood and died during the 57 years Ripley was "lost in space". That would have had this spontaneous maternal reaction make more sense.
Cameron hits all of the tent pole emotional triggers - although he does it completely without nuance - the evil corporation that is just too big, prejudices accepted in an earlier era going out of fashion, and some people deserve to be rescued while others do not???? Oh, well, it is a great thrill ride. Cameron always does that well, and does it well enough here to make the film a suspenseful rollercoaster as long as you don't think too hard.
The main problem that I had - the problem I have with most James Cameron films - was the dialogue. He writes lines for these characters like they are caricatures rather than actual people. The proceedings come off shrill where the original Alien was a masterpiece of originality - monsters with acid for blood so you can't even kill them without killing yourself and destroying your spacecraft. At least I can't complain about the lack of originality of the material, because Cameron is writing and directing a sequel here.
It almost singlehandedly created the aesthetic of the "space marine," which makes it really hard to not see their behavior as cliche, even if it did create the cliches. I also get that their macho posturing is supposed to contrast with how quickly they dissolve under pressure, but that isn't really a particularly fascinating character or plot development. You know from the start that they don't have a clue what they are getting themselves into. Did they not read Ripley's report like they were instructed to do? Yet not a one says "Yikes!" prior to first engagement with something that is not your typical big bad.
And the cliched mother/daughter relationship just springing up between Ripley and Newt is rather grating on the nerves too. I've never watched the extended version, but apparently Ripley had a daughter in the extended cut of Aliens who grew to adulthood and died during the 57 years Ripley was "lost in space". That would have had this spontaneous maternal reaction make more sense.
Cameron hits all of the tent pole emotional triggers - although he does it completely without nuance - the evil corporation that is just too big, prejudices accepted in an earlier era going out of fashion, and some people deserve to be rescued while others do not???? Oh, well, it is a great thrill ride. Cameron always does that well, and does it well enough here to make the film a suspenseful rollercoaster as long as you don't think too hard.