Alien Movie Review

In celebration of Halloween this year I'm taking a look at a particularly scary movie that still stands up more than thirty years later. It received the most votes (well, one vote!) and here it is, my review of Alien.

Science fiction movies have achieved popularity for decades with some franchises that have kept a substantial fan following; one of these is ‘’Alien’’.  It all started back in 1979 with an outstanding science fiction film that broke new ground and elevated director Ridley Scott to super-stardom.

In the future a band of space truckers aboard the Nostromo are journeying back to Earth towing a mineral refinery for the Weyland-Yutani Corporation when a distress signal is picked up by the ship’s computer. Following orders from the company the crew sets down upon a desolate planet and come across a crashed alien ship. From there a simple exploration mission devolves into a bloodbath as the crew unwittingly unleashes a grotesque, demonic and all around unstoppable monster. What sets Alien apart from other science fiction movies is the slow and steady pacing of its plot; it takes it’s time to establish the futuristic setting and technology which immerses the audience into the film before the main action begins. The same applies to suspense and the film serves as one of the finest examples of this technique; far too many horror films today utilise jump-scares and skip the suspense entirely but Alien makes great efforts to conceal the creature through the film. The fact that the Alien is not seen very often, combined in tandem with the claustrophobic setting of the Nostromo takes full advantage of the feeling of uneasiness and gives the impression that the creature could be almost anywhere, ready to pounce. On top of this the characters are at a huge disadvantage; they can’t run or hide and they have no conventional weapons to use; they are forced to rely on each other and their own ingenuity, raising the unlikelihood of survival in an already bleak situation. Ultimately the plot of Alien is akin to a nightmare; the scares are frightening and unpredictable, the gore is hideous and shocking, and the futuristic setting is both fascinating and richly detailed.

Alien’s cast, far from the often under developed and lacklustre performances of modern horror cinema is excellent and for its time it brought together a well-rounded and professional collection of actors to bring the characters to life. These are incredibly developed characters indeed with every single cast member bringing their own traits to the table as well as making the characters quite relatable. Dallas (Tom Skerritt) is the capable captain, Ash (Ian Holm) is the blunt yet subtle officer, Kane (John Hurt) is more quiet and logical in his thinking, Brett (Harry Dean Stanton) and Parker (Yaphet Kotto) are the everyday co-workers who like to banter with one another, Lambert (Veronica Cartwright) is the more timid one who quickly loses her nerve when the Alien attacks and finally Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is the strong and caring warrant officer who at the time of the film’s release, redefined how women were perceived in films. What makes the characters so developed and likeable is again down to the film’s slow beginning; it gives ample time for the audience to get to know them and care about their fates. Bolaji Badejo also deserves a special mention for delivering a truly sinister and disturbing performance inside the suit of the Alien itself; the way it crawls around, hides in the shadows and grips its victims as it comes in for the kill truly sets it apart as one of the most memorable movie monsters of all time.

Not only are the characters highly developed but so is the atmosphere; it’s all down to the highly unusual, sexual and mysterious set designs by H.R Giger.  The scene where the crew journey through the tunnel like caverns of the derelict ship and discover the huge ‘’space jockey’’ chair is one of the biggest spectacles in science fiction. The hand painted imagery raises numerous questions that enhance the film’s lore; what is that dead creature in the chair? What was its mission? How did the Alien eggs get inside the ship? It’s a mystery that compliments the Alien itself. The Nostromo also makes an impression through both setting and sound; most of the spaceship is made up of narrow corridors barely illuminated by flashing lights. This environment is often eerily quiet and the few sounds we do pick up are often warning sirens or the rattling of machinery; it paints a gloomy and isolated setting where the characters are constantly being hunted and stalked. Outside of these scare tactics the themes of space travel are explored vividly with the technology being highly interesting but never interfering with the character’s struggles throughout the film.

Taking the basic premise of a B-Movie and elevating it to relentlessly terrifying professionalism; Alien, even more than thirty years later remains the undisputed king of sci-fi horror. Everything from the suspense, the characters, the sets, and the horrific creature at its center is masterfully executed to serve as one of the all-time greatest science fiction movies ever made.

Rating: 5/5 Stars