Dr.Mirakle32
Super Freak
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2005
- Messages
- 2,856
- Reaction score
- 20
Before I get lynched, let me explain. I first saw ALIENS on TCM a few years ago, and it was the first Alien film I had ever seen. I originally found the film too long and pretty boring, with all of the good stuff saved for the very end. As a fan of the Predator and Terminator films, I was expecting another fun balls-to-the-wall 80's action flick. Sure it had a couple of neat scenes, but as an overall film, it was really dissapointing.
Flash foward to a few weeks ago. I finally saw Ridley Scott's original ALIEN. It is without a doubt one of the scariest films I've ever seen, and a genuinely suspensful thriller. Sure it was a bit slow at parts, and it probably wouldn't hurt if 10-15 minutes were cut throughout the film to pick up the pacing. Still, I'm not complaining. I was in awe of the special effects, art direction and set design. This is one of those sci-fi flicks like the original STAR WARS, where the film's look has a timeless quality, and the EFX blow the CGI crap of today out of the water. Overall, it's probably one of my all time favorite sci-fi or monster movies.
So tonight, I had a little double feature thatnks to Cinemax. I got to watch my beloved ALIEN, and saw that it was followed by the Cameron-helmed sequel. I decided that maybe ALIENS would be alot better the second time around, since I had seen the original.
I'm sorry to say that it wasn't. My GOD, is ALIENS a boring film, and people say the same about the original. Aside from Hicks and Bishop, most of the characters weren't as likeable as those in the original. Some like Hudson were downright annoying. The set design was alot less Giger-inspired than the sets in the original, and seemed more TERMINATOR than ALIEN (well, whaddaya expect with Cameron directing?) The first hour seemed to drag forever, and in the end most of it was unnessescary. However, the few action scenes in the film were well done and exciting, but never made me jump like the ones in the original. The only part of the film I genuinely liked was the last half hour (which in essence, mirrored the climax of the original.)
Even the Aliens suffered. I liked how the Alien in the original was intelligent and manipulative. We also had no idea what it was. Now, it's just a giant mindless insect. At least the Queen creature was neat.
The thing is, ALIENS had so much potential. The marines were pretty bad-ass, and the idea of using more aliens in an action flick is a great one, I just don't think Cameron did a good job of executing it. I think if he had tightened up the script, shortening the first half of the film, and collaborated with H.R. Giger for the film's look, it would have been a much better film.
It is obvious that Cameron wanted to pick up where Scott left off and wanted to do his own thing with it. He suceeded, but in my opinion, the finished film wasn't as good as Scott's.
But hey, that's just me. What do I know?
Flash foward to a few weeks ago. I finally saw Ridley Scott's original ALIEN. It is without a doubt one of the scariest films I've ever seen, and a genuinely suspensful thriller. Sure it was a bit slow at parts, and it probably wouldn't hurt if 10-15 minutes were cut throughout the film to pick up the pacing. Still, I'm not complaining. I was in awe of the special effects, art direction and set design. This is one of those sci-fi flicks like the original STAR WARS, where the film's look has a timeless quality, and the EFX blow the CGI crap of today out of the water. Overall, it's probably one of my all time favorite sci-fi or monster movies.
So tonight, I had a little double feature thatnks to Cinemax. I got to watch my beloved ALIEN, and saw that it was followed by the Cameron-helmed sequel. I decided that maybe ALIENS would be alot better the second time around, since I had seen the original.
I'm sorry to say that it wasn't. My GOD, is ALIENS a boring film, and people say the same about the original. Aside from Hicks and Bishop, most of the characters weren't as likeable as those in the original. Some like Hudson were downright annoying. The set design was alot less Giger-inspired than the sets in the original, and seemed more TERMINATOR than ALIEN (well, whaddaya expect with Cameron directing?) The first hour seemed to drag forever, and in the end most of it was unnessescary. However, the few action scenes in the film were well done and exciting, but never made me jump like the ones in the original. The only part of the film I genuinely liked was the last half hour (which in essence, mirrored the climax of the original.)
Even the Aliens suffered. I liked how the Alien in the original was intelligent and manipulative. We also had no idea what it was. Now, it's just a giant mindless insect. At least the Queen creature was neat.
The thing is, ALIENS had so much potential. The marines were pretty bad-ass, and the idea of using more aliens in an action flick is a great one, I just don't think Cameron did a good job of executing it. I think if he had tightened up the script, shortening the first half of the film, and collaborated with H.R. Giger for the film's look, it would have been a much better film.
It is obvious that Cameron wanted to pick up where Scott left off and wanted to do his own thing with it. He suceeded, but in my opinion, the finished film wasn't as good as Scott's.
But hey, that's just me. What do I know?