These must have been the good old days... the movie was SO good, SO engaging, that they’re complaining about how disturbed they were about how invested they were in the story!
Yeah... believe it or not I remember a lot of people saying similar things back then. But they looked at it as a positive... I think a lot of people realized that Aliens had re-set the bar for action movies.
@@johnd.obrien6838 , I was very stressed and felt a bit I'll after the movie back then. I loved it, but it was a harrowing experience back then. That is why it is such a classic 33 years later. People today don't understand how different it was in 1986, and how a film like this really had a strong effect on the audience!
Jamie Braswell something about the closing credits and the ost that plays over it just made you feel dreadful as you reflect on the movie. And it still makes me feel like that to this day. I could never put my finger on it but I think you used the right word, harrowing. Dreary or gloomy are other words I would use to describe the feeling the movie leaves you with. It was a dark, brutal, intense, engaging and immersive film and when it ends, you feel that way too.
He often is. He pretty much gives a lot of great films bad reviews. This one, Scream, Casino, Apocalypse Now. Although one of the few times I agree with him was The Cable Guy 😂
@@casesoutherland4175 they sold out, they knew they could make more money with an action movie than a horror movie.it's hollywood crap, aliens is fine for a one time view, but i wouldnt want to see it again like i did with the first alien movie, everytime i watch the first alien i see something i never saw before. it has so many little things in it you miss.it's truly an art film compared to it's hollywood crap sequel.
Bill Paxton is a national treasure. He should have been bigger than he was, but I'm so happy he wasn't. What a great actor and I love everything he did. R.I.P.
I agree totally.......he stole every scene he was ever in.....he was amazing in films like Twister and A Simple Plan. I'll watch any film with him in it 100 times and never get tired of it. The only other actor I feel that way about is Patrick Swayze.......both gone way way too soon.
Time for you to get the hate mail ready. No. I'm very very serious. Literally nobody is going to agree with this. Hands on the keyboards. Here we go. I absolutely hated it. As a follow-up to one of the most perfect horror films of all time, it's embarrassing! From suspenseful, terrifying, gory and exciting to boring '80s action fluff. The only purpose of the new characters is to get killed off, Siskel is 100% correct about the child (I don't even remember her name. I just call her "plot point" girl.), And the line "get away from her, you b****" is one of the cheesiest movie lines I've ever heard. Sorry, but not sorry. The "Alien" franchise absolutely does not need to exist and at this point, I think Ridley Scott should have gone with the original ending of the first one. F*** that overrated borefest.
@@sawmaster6095 i agree with you sawmaster. the first alien is awesome, the 2nd one is just hollywood crap to make a fast buck, same with t2. the first terminator was great but i hated the sequel.
Not just of the 80s. And no, The Thing is not an action-horror movie, and Aliens is a lot more horror than Predator, but many folks wouldn't label either of them horror. And as good as Predator is, I don't think it holds a candle to Aliens. Very few movies do.
The little kid was essential to the movie. It completely opened up Ripley's character. Without the kid Ripley might give up in despair. The kid is what explains Ripley's ferocity and almost superhuman effort to defeat the Alien. Siskel blew it, big time.
The director's cut would have better explained the connection between Ripley and Newt, being Ripley lost her own child due to hyper sleep for over 50 years (or however long).
@@crescendo2441 they did the same crap with terminator 2 putting a little kid in it, and since arnold became a big movie star because of the 1st terminator, he wouldnt play bad guys anymore, so he had to be the hero in the 2nd one.
He didn't argue that the device didn't work so much as it was just cheap; Ripley suddenly has a deceased daughter that she never saw grow up and, suddenly, ALSO meets a surrogate that she can go all Rambo to rescue by becoming an action hero.
Just to be clear, Ebert actually recommended Aliens. He gives it a thumbs up, which means he liked it. Out thumbs up and thumbs down, he chose thumbs up.
I was 6 years old when my babysitter took me to see this movie. I loved every minute of it, and is one of my favorite movies till this day. My mom almost fired my babysitter for taking me to see this.
How could he say it's "wall to wall" monsters attack? "Aliens" is paced very well, you really only get three attacks from the aliens, and then the finale with the queen.
The scene with the remote machine guns was a massive misstep. In the original movie one of these creatures provided us with two hours of wrought tension, and then in this scene they’re being swatted like flies. That’s the ‘on the one hand’ negative. ‘On the other hand’ it was overall excellent and looked incredible, in some ways better than the original.
@@jp3813 Gene doesn't like Sci-Fi - his bias shows all the time. This is a great example of that bias. Roger gave Weaver the credit she deserved (she was nominated for best actress for this role) - Gene did not. About 90% of the time I would agree with Roger's review - only about 50% with Gene.
@@shizuokaBLUES they’re both great movies which I highly recommend but I give the edge to Aliens cuz of how more suspenseful it was compared to the original.
They left out the funniest part of the scene: Ripley: "this little girl survived longer than that with no weapons and no training." Ripley: Looks down at Newt "Right?" Newt: ***salutes*** Hudson: "Why don't you just put her in charge!?"
This film opened on my 11th birthday, and being huge fans of ALIEN, my dad took me and several of my friends to see it. It was one of the most special days of my entire life. We all loved it, I am not sure how two grown men could have been overwhelmed by it in a negative way.
He was right about the intensity of the movie. I remember seeing it when I was 18, and as it progressed, I found myself slumping down further and further in my chair, just overwhelmed by the sheer amount of never-ending action! I had never seen a movie quite that intense before, but I absolutely loved it! Still do.
I saw it opening night or so 1986, I was about 18 myself, with my aunt who I'd seen ALIEN with the first time, and were just happy it was a very good sequel, wasn't a retread of the original, had Sigourney, and it delivered what it promised, a solid sequel to the first movie. It could have been so supremely wretched, but it wasn't. I didn't find it that intense. The battle scenes on first viewing are a tad confusing and frenetic, a blur, but if you watch the film in a quality way a few times it becomes less of a problem. Also, it's less "gore horror" in ALIENS and more just total suspense, and action, and a question of how to battle the xenomorphs and a total battle for survival. It's also a question of who is fit for survival considering it turns out not everyone's mettle is cut out for this exploratory mission that turns into, essentially, a suicide mission. Gorman is the first to collapse on that score.
Imagine Siskel & Ebert trying a roller coaster when they were first invented. It would be too intense for them, preferring the good ole merry go round.
Yup. That deleted scene when Ripley mourns for her own daughter. My one sentence review of Aliens: Mothers argue about child raising techniques; men get hurt.
well i love the avengers but it does the blue lazer in the sky trope that every superhero movie does, it doesn’t change all the great stuff about the movie. he just thinks that in this case it takes away from the movie, and sometimes it can. guess what, this is a different movie with a different director who can be better/worse at different things in peoples eyes.
@@elimitchell9716 Correction: every superhero movie does AFTER the Avengers did. Siskel clearly said "one of the cheapest shots you can do in a movie". Hence, he was talking in a general sense. And the specific exception he named was "comedy/splatter films", which Jurassic Park isn't. Plus, he pretty much implied it as something that does make a difference for him as opposed to your issue w/ sky lasers.
Gene played the "child in danger" card often but inconsistently. Ebert had his own lame escape pod criticisms as well. Neither of them hold up well to scrutiny, especially in hindsight. They were often Gene and Roger saying: "This film really upset / disturbed / frightened me but I need a more cerebral reason to express my dislike for it."
@@BULL.173 But that was the genius of this show. You knew the personalities and tastes of Gene and Roger, and they gave you enough information to figure out if the movie would be to your taste. It's just amazing that no-one has ever equaled (or come close to) their ability to connect with the movie going audience. Of course, they could be spectacularly wrong (e.g. Blade Runner), which could hurt a movie initially, but not prevent it from finding its audience.
@@BullToTheShit Absolutely, but Siskel pans almost every classic. It's crazy going back and watching these old reviews how many he was just way off. He's the worst critic I've ever seen.
The only type of movies Siskel Ever likes, are dramas Featuring Suburban families with either a terminally ill person, a divorce or some other depressing issue. He sucks.
Which is a part of the reason why a good portion of their reviews don’t hold up that well because all they were doing were crapping on classic movies that were more entertainment or dark level of movies and praising mediocre artsy fartsy movies. In addition, they did come across as bit of pussies for film critics at times because they crapped on movies that were disturbing but were still great movies in spite of that calling them disturbing, violent and too much for them (which was the literal point).
@i SkyWalKing Aliens is good, but it is trash when compared to Alien. In the first movie they made the Alien a unstoppable killing machine that Ripley BARELY escaped from. In the sequel they are made to be canon fodder.
@@malafakka8530 I've been to Movie Theaters All Of My Life, Each and every one of them was incredible, I remember in the year 1984, I was on a date with my then boyfriend named Ben, we went to the movie theater to see the movie, Footloose, and it was incredible, then later on in the week we went to see the movie, Pete's Dragon, It was incredible, then we started seeing other movies in the movie theater over the year, Splash, Police Academy, Romancing The Stone, Ghostbusters, Gremlins, The Karate Kid, The Muppet's Take Manhattan (Yes I'm a Muppet's Fan), The Never Ending Story, Sheena, A Christmas Story, Supergirl, Beverly Hills Cop, and In 1985 My Now Husband Ben and I took our 6-year-old daughter named Zoe to the movie theater to see the movie, The Black Cauldron (animated movie), Then we went to see, D.A.R.Y.L, Ewoks The Battle For Endor, The Journey Of Natty Gann, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Police Academy 2 Their First Assignment, Return To OZ, Rocky 4, Santa Claus The Movie, Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird, and In 1986, GoBots The Movie The Battle Of The Rock Lords (Animated Movie), Heathcliff The Movie (Animated Movie), Howard The Duck, Jumping Jack Flash, The Karate Kid Part 2, Labyrinth, My Little Pony The Movie (Animated Movie), Police Academy 3 Back In Training, Short Circuit, Top Gun, Transformers The Movie Animated Movie, In 1987, Baby Boom, Benji The Hunted, The Brave Little Toaster Animated Movie, Dirty Dancing, Ernest Goes To Camp, G.I. Joe The Movie Animated Movie, Harry and The Henderson's, Lethal Weapon, Pinocchio and The Emperor Of The Night Animated Movie, Police Academy 4 Citizens On Patrol, The Princess Bride, Project X, Robocop, Spaceballs, Three Men and a Baby, and In 1988, Beetlejuice, Big Top Pee-Wee, Cocoon The Return, Daffy Duck's Quackbusters, Ernest Saves Christmas, Gorillas In The Mist, Grave Of Fireflies Anime Movie, Hot To Trot, The Land Before Time Animated Movie, Oliver & Company Animated Movie, etc. etc.
Aliens is a perfect action movie. These two are considered among the best reviewers ever and time has shown how totally wrong they could be. This is a classic film and should have received 30 thumbs up.
Long after Aliens left the movie theaters, the cable companies especially HBO constantly broadcasted the film for months and replayed the sequel a few more times in over two decades. The movie was that popular. It's a rollercoaster ride you are willing to ride over and over.
Carrie Henn was so essential to how well this flick turned out. I'm sure they never told her this during production, but if her character hadn't worked, it would've dragged the whole film down with it. We've seen it before. But she CRUSHED it. Some of the VERY best moments in 'Aliens' were hers and Sigourney's. She really had a lot riding on her performance and as a completely inexperienced film actress, it's amazing how well she did. 'Aliens' would be on a short list of contenders for my favorite film of all time.
Cameron made such a good decision... A completely difference film from it's predecessor, and therefore no comparison can be made. Both classics in their own right.
Actually there is a comparison. Alien is a perfect masterpiece of horror and suspense, while Aliens is a completely unnecessary follow-up to a movie that never needed follow-ups in the first place.
@@casesoutherland4175 Correction: the latter half of Alien was a tedious reproduction of conventional horror cliches... and a cliched horror film is one of the worst, most dullest things imaginable. But Aliens made up for this by blending additional genres into the horror base and this is how we ended up with the sublime and terrifying scene of them staring at the motion tracker at a wall of aliens headed their way, with everyone in the room filled with fear, confusion and rising panic. And then the aliens start dragging people through the floor. Easily scarier than anything in the first movie (and especially the second half.)
@@casesoutherland4175 I nearly forgot to add: Aliens had memorable characters. Alien did not. Even Ripley was muted and meh. Having characters you know little about and don't care about is the absolute epitome of what bad horror movies are all about.
Ha, here you are as well. Roger didn't get it really wrong though. The movie had just probably shocked him too much and didn't know how to assess that. I would have liked to know what his reaction would have been nowadays. Yes, as far as action movies are concerned Siskel really seemed to have some bias and dislike for them. And then he liked movies like Rambo 2&3 (which I like as well, but they don't compare to Aliens in my opinion).
I was a projectionist at a theater when this movie came out. Spliced it together and then watched it at like 2am on a Friday with about 9 other coworkers. Right when Ridley is walking through the eggs, the janitor crew showed up and opened the theater doors . Scared the living crap out of all of us!
As much as I enjoyed Gene & Roger they misfired too often on horror & action films. Blade Runner, Aliens & Silence of the Lambs are all classic films that did not get the immediate respect they deserved. Bias is everywhere even in those whose opinions you respect. Do not go mindless into that goodnight.
ebert gave jurassic park a thumbs down LOL. Whether you like dinosaurs or not there is no denying that is a fantastically well made film from its writing, acting, music, casting etc. Groundbreaking cgi and practical effects.
Watched the directors cut whole 160 min at least 40 times and every single time I descover a brilliant detail not noticed before! Such a masterpiece…stood the test of time!
I saw this at the movie theater for my birthday when I was 11 years old. It was a fun and exciting experience. My dad took us to go see this before but I wanted to go see it again as a birthday gift.
Fantastic film...and like great films, it has stood the test of time..it still scares the hell out of me and puts me at the edge of my seat even though I've seen it 20+ times...not to mention one of, if not the greatest sequels in film history
It's like they barely wanted to talk about it lol. One of the greatest sci-fi films ever (maybe best). "Hey, I just saw a little film called The Matrix,... my review is MEH; had too much fighting... Anywho, did you know Skittles are delicious and air filters are on sale at Home Depot?..."
I wonder if James Cameron showed them the longer version. On the back of the laserdisc, Cameron also says, the longer version is "too long" and "too intense." I just have a feeling S and E are reacting to the longer version.
Amazing film! The tension was so well crafted they couldn't handle it. I feel like Newt is super important re the parallel with the Alien queen's eggs being destroyed, and that Ripley outlived her own daughter, it draws out all these key themes. They don't seem to have dug that far because they couldn't get past the admittedly immersive terror of it all!
What Cameron did with this movie never could be done in the same way. As a sequel, the movement from the original Alien film to this one is totally unpredictable. Considering only the movie, it's amazing. In relation with the previous one, it's unthinkable.
Siskel was such a snob, this was the greatest science fiction film and he still maintains his snobbery. Dude go to the opera if you want everything in pleasantries.
Yep! Because if she already had one inside her, the alien would've sensed that. There would have been no need to take her and use her for that last open egg. Besides, the alien would've burst from her chest way soon into the movie.
I did the first time I saw it. I knew it wouldn't happen but the possibility was always in the back of my mind. That's exactly what the filmmaker intended.
For me, the first time I saw it I wondered. But bc she was a kid you didn't think so. You don't have time to think logically and realize the aliens were still trying to get her, and by the time you see that, the point is moot.
@@ibrun5151 the 70's movies were not as nice to kids and animals. Now they have to always live. I can only remember two or three movies where kids die. Ironically, Alien vs Predator:Requiem takes killing kids and animals to a new level I have never seen before or since. I don't want to give anything away but holy crap, no kid is safe, unless it's the main character
@@alexanderfish4797 Absolutely not, 50 years from now, who are people going to remember more, Marlee Matlins performance, or Sigourney Weavers performance?
As a kid I had no idea this was my future favorite movie. This movie scared the s*** out of me. But then one day when I was about 16 we watched it at a friend's house and I was riveted. I actually didn't even pay attention to the girls who were present which is remarkable. It's been my favorite film of all time ever since.
Funny to hear original reactions...good and bad...to a film that has become a true classic. Ebert was right that back in 1986, this movie was very stressful and I too would feel bad after watching it...physically stressed out, lol! I know that sounds funny to people today, but back then it was a completely different world we lived in and ALIENS really pushed the gamut with high tension and thrills. It doesn't make me feel bad today because we are so desensitized, but I will never forget the experience in 1986. I understand where Siskel is coming from about the girl in peril, but I honestly think it works here. Yes, we know she will live, but it is about the journey to save her that matters. They built up the relationship between Newt and Ripley so that we really cared, even if we knew they would survive! Great film that still holds up today, despite the endless rippoffs it inspired! Wow, the film is 33 years old now!
And Aliens went on to be nominated for Academy Awards for best picture, actress, etc. Still, I miss these guys and this type of show. RUclips reviews aren’t the same.
It’s always interesting to look back with the benefit of hindsight to see what the guys thought of films which are, today, regarded as classics (to the point of making it into cultural archives of the best of Cinema) only to see them say, basically, “Well, that wasn’t very good.. I didn’t like it.” Still, What a film - and what a great pair of hosts! Rest In Peace, gentlemen...
@@defiverr4697 I saw both in theaters. (Before cell phones and people making noise and nonsense.) And the were both awesome! Wouldn't have had it any other way.
Man, Siskel and Ebert weren't nearly as observant as they thought they were! If they'd been paying attention to the very scene they'd just ran, they'd have realized that A. Newt had survived perhaps weeks or months in the colony after everyone had been killed or taken by the xenomorphs on her own by hiding out and knowing the place inside out and B. she'd have long been dead already had a facehugger gotten to her. I agree seeing the movie opening night it was a bit disturbing seeing a child menaced by them, but you kind of know she'll somehow be rescued, in a sense, because Ripley promised her earlier she wouldn't let her go, etc. Normally it would be a cheap shot as they stated, but in ALIENS it's an integral part of the plot, that Newt is a survivor as Ripley is/was.
This movies STILL holds up and stands the rest of time in 2021! It’s STILL one of the best movies ever made and certainly one of the best sequels ever made!!
"Aliens" is about motherhood. Ripley finds her spot in the universe becoming Newt's mother, and she ultimately has to defeat the mother queen of the aliens to reach such goal.
This, after discovering that her own daughter grew up and old and then died before she herself was luckily discovered and brought out of hypersleep. Her tragedy of having lost her chance to reconnect with her own daughter is her primary motivation to become the adoptive surrogate mother to newt. And, as horrible as the alien monsters are, the most monstrous being in the film is Carter Burke, who sought to make a tidy profit by betraying the human beings -- Ripley and Newt to be 'impregnated' by the face-huggers -- so that the Company could make bio-weapons from this deadly species. Siskel was soooo off the mark with his dismissive review. As great as ALIEN was, ALIENS was a phenomenal masterpiece, even better than the first film -- and that's saying a lot.
I remember seeing Aliens three times in the first two weeks it came out. Unfortunately, the scene just before the company interrogation early in the film was cut from the initial release and that was a critical scene. This is the scene in which we learn from Burke that, while Ripley was in hypersleep for 57 years, her daughter and only child, Amy, had grown up childless and just died in the previous year at age 68. So, Ripley has lost everything and, in particular, a large fraction of her being a mother. So, when Newt becomes involved, she is the "replacement daughter" for Ripley. When Ebert had seen that scene in the later 1991 version, he changed his review (although that may be hard to find on the web). But, the reason I write and mention this is that I wonder how Gene might have changed his review had he seen that scene.
Imagine if you could have taken a random movie audience from the 1950s and magically showed them Alien and then Aliens from the future. There would probably have been heart attacks and strokes from the intensity.
You know you done well when the only criticism of your movie is that its "too scary" "too upsetting" "too hard-going" basically all translations of "too intense" which actually means you made the movie "too well". These are the best criticisms of a movie you want.
This to me was a great action movie. I loved that a female was the lead in such a major action film. It was intense to me how after all hell broke loose she really was the single best chance they had for survival. Plus, it was intense. Very intense. Part of the problem with Siskel and Ebert's review. Is that if they just listened to the Ripley character they would have been better prepared for the intensity of the alien onslaught. She basically spent the first part of the film telling everyone what they were dealing with including us in the audience. If you listen to the dialogue, you will be much better prepared for what's coming because they are right it is intense. But worth it on so many levels. A stand out film.
As much as I love Aliens, I have to prefer Alien. It was the original. It gave us a view to Sci-Fi and horror that we had never seen before. The imagination & the sets were astounding.
Actual it's not their assessment of the actual film qualities, but how they interpret and react to it personally. Ebert was a better critic and often understood the difference between how he felt and the craftsmanship of movie making.
Aliens was so ahead of it’s time. Siskel and Ebert just weren’t ready for it, but their kids are gonna love it.
HEY, that's the line they said in Back to the Future II.
@@residentgomez well played 👏
@@residentgomez actually, think it was in BTTF 1 when he played the guitar solo at the Enchantment Under the Sea school dance.
i didnt like it., i loved the first alien movie however.
Even Quentin Tarantino said he loved this movie
These must have been the good old days... the movie was SO good, SO engaging, that they’re complaining about how disturbed they were about how invested they were in the story!
Yeah... believe it or not I remember a lot of people saying similar things back then. But they looked at it as a positive... I think a lot of people realized that Aliens had re-set the bar for action movies.
@@johnd.obrien6838 , I was very stressed and felt a bit I'll after the movie back then. I loved it, but it was a harrowing experience back then. That is why it is such a classic 33 years later. People today don't understand how different it was in 1986, and how a film like this really had a strong effect on the audience!
And now the summer blockbusters are mostly shit... mostly.
@@dan_hitchman007 Ha! Good one Dan!
Jamie Braswell something about the closing credits and the ost that plays over it just made you feel dreadful as you reflect on the movie. And it still makes me feel like that to this day. I could never put my finger on it but I think you used the right word, harrowing. Dreary or gloomy are other words I would use to describe the feeling the movie leaves you with. It was a dark, brutal, intense, engaging and immersive film and when it ends, you feel that way too.
Siskel missed the mark on this movie, Aliens has stood the test of time and became a timeless classic.
He missed the mark on many classics.
But back then it was a new film and noones eyes were fogged with „it’s a classic“
These two missed the marked all the time. Worthless egos😅
It was ahead of the curve.
Haha! That's a good one! 🤣🤣🤣 I am quite literally the only person on Earth that agrees with Siskel on this one.
You've gotta hand it to Siskel, when he's wrong he goes all in.
I think he's 100% right. I seriously cannot wrap my mind around why Alien needed to be turned into a franchise.
@@casesoutherland4175one perfect sequel is just enough
He often is. He pretty much gives a lot of great films bad reviews. This one, Scream, Casino, Apocalypse Now. Although one of the few times I agree with him was The Cable Guy 😂
i should have scrolled down first.
@@casesoutherland4175 they sold out, they knew they could make more money with an action movie than a horror movie.it's hollywood crap, aliens is fine for a one time view, but i wouldnt want to see it again like i did with the first alien movie, everytime i watch the first alien i see something i never saw before. it has so many little things in it you miss.it's truly an art film compared to it's hollywood crap sequel.
Bill Paxton is a national treasure. He should have been bigger than he was, but I'm so happy he wasn't. What a great actor and I love everything he did. R.I.P.
I agree totally.......he stole every scene he was ever in.....he was amazing in
films like Twister and A Simple Plan. I'll watch any film with him in it 100 times
and never get tired of it. The only other actor I feel that way about is Patrick Swayze.......both gone way way too soon.
RIP Bill Paxton, Stan Winston and James Horner
One False Move was amazing.
@@winstonmccollum8992 Can't forget the low-life women swindler in True Lies. lol
Fuckin love & miss Bill Paxton.
Hudson went down LIKE A BOSS in this film!!!
My favorite sci-fi movie of all time. Arguably one of the greatest all time.
Doesn't hold a candle to Alien. Alien is a profound artistic achievement, whereas Aliens is just a very good and entertaining film
My favourite 3 films are aliens t2 and masters of the universe
@@sawmaster6095 true without Alien we wouldn't have Aliens. But the idea expanding it more is what sells it...and ofcoarse the characters!
Time for you to get the hate mail ready. No. I'm very very serious. Literally nobody is going to agree with this. Hands on the keyboards. Here we go.
I absolutely hated it. As a follow-up to one of the most perfect horror films of all time, it's embarrassing! From suspenseful, terrifying, gory and exciting to boring '80s action fluff. The only purpose of the new characters is to get killed off, Siskel is 100% correct about the child (I don't even remember her name. I just call her "plot point" girl.), And the line "get away from her, you b****" is one of the cheesiest movie lines I've ever heard. Sorry, but not sorry.
The "Alien" franchise absolutely does not need to exist and at this point, I think Ridley Scott should have gone with the original ending of the first one.
F*** that overrated borefest.
@@sawmaster6095 i agree with you sawmaster. the first alien is awesome, the 2nd one is just hollywood crap to make a fast buck, same with t2. the first terminator was great but i hated the sequel.
Probably the best action horror movie of the 80's
With ' the thing ' .
Predator would challenge that
@@rainierwolfcastle5946 up and at them .
...of all time.
Not just of the 80s. And no, The Thing is not an action-horror movie, and Aliens is a lot more horror than Predator, but many folks wouldn't label either of them horror. And as good as Predator is, I don't think it holds a candle to Aliens. Very few movies do.
The little kid was essential to the movie. It completely opened up Ripley's character. Without the kid Ripley might give up in despair. The kid is what explains Ripley's ferocity and almost superhuman effort to defeat the Alien. Siskel blew it, big time.
THIS. The kid wasn't just a cheap prop to tug at your emotions. She was there to boost Ripley's character to the max.
Had the longer version been released Siskel might have liked it as it goes into more detail about the connection between Newt and Ripley.
The director's cut would have better explained the connection between Ripley and Newt, being Ripley lost her own child due to hyper sleep for over 50 years (or however long).
@@crescendo2441 they did the same crap with terminator 2 putting a little kid in it, and since arnold became a big movie star because of the 1st terminator, he wouldnt play bad guys anymore, so he had to be the hero in the 2nd one.
He didn't argue that the device didn't work so much as it was just cheap; Ripley suddenly has a deceased daughter that she never saw grow up and, suddenly, ALSO meets a surrogate that she can go all Rambo to rescue by becoming an action hero.
Just to be clear, Ebert actually recommended Aliens. He gives it a thumbs up, which means he liked it. Out thumbs up and thumbs down, he chose thumbs up.
He respected it, but he didn't like it.
@@jp3813 He definitely didn't enjoy it.
I was 6 years old when my babysitter took me to see this movie. I loved every minute of it, and is one of my favorite movies till this day. My mom almost fired my babysitter for taking me to see this.
6!! I would have been terrified and completely traumatized if I saw this at 6.
How could he say it's "wall to wall" monsters attack? "Aliens" is paced very well, you really only get three attacks from the aliens, and then the finale with the queen.
The tension was maintained not the action. Which is uh the whole point of this kind of film.
We don't even see any aliens until the second half!
That's how it felt for them. Remember, these were the days before Michael Bay's wall-to-wall noise.
You’re right, it wasn’t wall to wall. There was a good chunk between attacks that built up the suspense and back story.
The scene with the remote machine guns was a massive misstep. In the original movie one of these creatures provided us with two hours of wrought tension, and then in this scene they’re being swatted like flies. That’s the ‘on the one hand’ negative. ‘On the other hand’ it was overall excellent and looked incredible, in some ways better than the original.
Gene Siskel complaining about an hour straight of action? He would HATE today's action films.
I'd love to see that because I don't like most of them very much.
He liked Speed (1994) for its almost continuous action. Audiences and critics adapt to the ever-changing film industry.
@@jp3813 Gene doesn't like Sci-Fi - his bias shows all the time. This is a great example of that bias. Roger gave Weaver the credit she deserved (she was nominated for best actress for this role) - Gene did not. About 90% of the time I would agree with Roger's review - only about 50% with Gene.
@@sedawk He liked the first Alien.
@@jp3813 Yes - but that was rare.
Siskel was way off on his review, it's an iconic film.
I disagree. It’s a fun, popcorn 🍿, roller coaster ride of a film.
But the first one was iconic.
@@shizuokaBLUES they’re both great movies which I highly recommend but I give the edge to Aliens cuz of how more suspenseful it was compared to the original.
@@reneperez7903 I agree. I think I just prefer the first one because I’m old now.
@@shizuokaBLUES nothing wrong with that at all
@@reneperez7903 🥂 thanks
They left out the funniest part of the scene:
Ripley: "this little girl survived longer than that with no weapons and no training."
Ripley: Looks down at Newt "Right?"
Newt: ***salutes***
Hudson: "Why don't you just put her in charge!?"
🤣👽👽👽
Bill Paxton did get enough credit in keeping this movie entertaining.
RIP to my man Bill "Chet" Paxton.
That is a classic scene and it would have spoiled it for the rest of us. I'm glad they didn't give it away it.
Bill paxton gave that movie the comic relief it needed being so action packed..
Hicks is a "flamethrower half-full" kind of guy.
Hudson is a “flamethrower half-empty. GAME OVER!” kind of guy.
Gorman is an asshole.
This film opened on my 11th birthday, and being huge fans of ALIEN, my dad took me and several of my friends to see it. It was one of the most special days of my entire life. We all loved it, I am not sure how two grown men could have been overwhelmed by it in a negative way.
Different people have different sensibilities. As well as tastes.
He was right about the intensity of the movie. I remember seeing it when I was 18, and as it progressed, I found myself slumping down further and further in my chair, just overwhelmed by the sheer amount of never-ending action! I had never seen a movie quite that intense before, but I absolutely loved it! Still do.
Top two or three action movies ever made. T2 is the other.
I saw it opening night or so 1986, I was about 18 myself, with my aunt who I'd seen ALIEN with the first time, and were just happy it was a very good sequel, wasn't a retread of the original, had Sigourney, and it delivered what it promised, a solid sequel to the first movie. It could have been so supremely wretched, but it wasn't. I didn't find it that intense. The battle scenes on first viewing are a tad confusing
and frenetic, a blur, but if you watch the film in a quality way a few times it becomes less of a problem. Also, it's less
"gore horror" in ALIENS and more just total suspense, and action, and a question of how to battle the xenomorphs and a total battle
for survival. It's also a question of who is fit for survival considering it turns out not everyone's mettle is cut out for this
exploratory mission that turns into, essentially, a suicide mission. Gorman is the first to collapse on that score.
@@thiscorrosion900 just watched again for 50th time it tonight. Goddammit Cameron is the best.
Imagine Siskel & Ebert trying a roller coaster when they were first invented. It would be too intense for them, preferring the good ole merry go round.
Aliens is a masterpiece. James Cameron’s best film.
It is my favorite James Cameron film as well, which is saying something because he has so many greats!
Terminator
Especially considering he got picked to direct a sequel to a movie that was already well on its way to being a classic.
@i SkyWalKing man. You have no idea .
@i SkyWalKing loves The Last Jedi
Aliens was FAR ahead of its time and Siskel & Ebert, solid reviewers, were simply unprepared for it.
Ebert gave it 3 1/2 stars despite not liking how it made him feel.
I think Gene missed one of the themes of this movie: motherhood.
Yep, my thoughts exactly. The film school kids should notice something like that, right? Cheap shot, indeed.
Yes, human *and* alien mothers. :-)
Yup. That deleted scene when Ripley mourns for her own daughter.
My one sentence review of Aliens: Mothers argue about child raising techniques; men get hurt.
Siskel had no problem giving Jurassic Park a mild thumbs up even though the kids were constantly in peril.
well i love the avengers but it does the blue lazer in the sky trope that every superhero movie does, it doesn’t change all the great stuff about the movie. he just thinks that in this case it takes away from the movie, and sometimes it can. guess what, this is a different movie with a different director who can be better/worse at different things in peoples eyes.
@@elimitchell9716 Correction: every superhero movie does AFTER the Avengers did. Siskel clearly said "one of the cheapest shots you can do in a movie". Hence, he was talking in a general sense. And the specific exception he named was "comedy/splatter films", which Jurassic Park isn't. Plus, he pretty much implied it as something that does make a difference for him as opposed to your issue w/ sky lasers.
Gene played the "child in danger" card often but inconsistently. Ebert had his own lame escape pod criticisms as well. Neither of them hold up well to scrutiny, especially in hindsight. They were often Gene and Roger saying: "This film really upset / disturbed / frightened me but I need a more cerebral reason to express my dislike for it."
@@BULL.173 In this case, Ebert did admit to being disturbed by the film, yet he still recommended it.
@@BULL.173 But that was the genius of this show. You knew the personalities and tastes of Gene and Roger, and they gave you enough information to figure out if the movie would be to your taste. It's just amazing that no-one has ever equaled (or come close to) their ability to connect with the movie going audience. Of course, they could be spectacularly wrong (e.g. Blade Runner), which could hurt a movie initially, but not prevent it from finding its audience.
It makes you wonder how Siskel was able to make a career out of calling so many movies the wrong way.
Ebert was equally wrong labeling it as "Overkill".
Overkill? What a couple of pussies.
I was just about to post the same thing.
@@BullToTheShit Absolutely, but Siskel pans almost every classic. It's crazy going back and watching these old reviews how many he was just way off. He's the worst critic I've ever seen.
The only type of movies Siskel Ever likes, are dramas Featuring Suburban families with either a terminally ill person, a divorce or some other depressing issue.
He sucks.
@@BullToTheShit They are total beta males...pussies.
Siskel: Hey Vasquez, have you even been mistaken for a man?
Vasquez: No. Have you?
Yea this is the best one of all ^^^
"This movie is awesome!
Don't go see it because I'm a pussy."
-Siskel & Ebert
For real 😆 especially sissykel
Which is a part of the reason why a good portion of their reviews don’t hold up that well because all they were doing were crapping on classic movies that were more entertainment or dark level of movies and praising mediocre artsy fartsy movies. In addition, they did come across as bit of pussies for film critics at times because they crapped on movies that were disturbing but were still great movies in spite of that calling them disturbing, violent and too much for them (which was the literal point).
LMAOOO ..siskel was always a clueless moron !
The reviewer's are insane, it's the best action movie of all time.
What about Shooter, with Dolph Lungren? You know, that movie about a guy who shoots?
@@Myndir :D thumbs up for your comment. I laughed for 5'
One of the best action movies
Haha! Maybe?
Could not agree more
Good gosh Siskel missed this so freaking bad....Aliens is one of the best movies of all time.
No it's not lol. It's a pretty good action movie but he's totally right about the little girl
He wasn't thrilled about Alien either...so yeah, Siskel probably hated scifi...
@TheBrabon1 That scene was in the original theatrical release. I remember being disappointed it was cut when I saw it on VHS.
@i SkyWalKing
Aliens is good, but it is trash when compared to Alien.
In the first movie they made the Alien a unstoppable killing machine that Ripley BARELY escaped from.
In the sequel they are made to be canon fodder.
@@Cherokeechuck9 Easily one of the best movies of all time. Now scram.
Well those criticisms didn't age well - Aliens went on to be regarded as one of the best sci-fi action movies of all time!
This movie was in theaters for 6 months, as opposed to today’s three week theatrical runs.
That's something I miss. Movies were around for months, slowly seeping into the culture. Well, something like that 😅
Who needs movie critics anyway. We go see these movies regardless. This is my 2nd favorite movie from the 80's, right behind Amadeus....
@@malafakka8530 I've been to Movie Theaters All Of My Life, Each and every one of them was incredible, I remember in the year 1984, I was on a date with my then boyfriend named Ben, we went to the movie theater to see the movie, Footloose, and it was incredible, then later on in the week we went to see the movie, Pete's Dragon, It was incredible, then we started seeing other movies in the movie theater over the year, Splash, Police Academy, Romancing The Stone, Ghostbusters, Gremlins, The Karate Kid, The Muppet's Take Manhattan (Yes I'm a Muppet's Fan), The Never Ending Story, Sheena, A Christmas Story, Supergirl, Beverly Hills Cop, and In 1985 My Now Husband Ben and I took our 6-year-old daughter named Zoe to the movie theater to see the movie, The Black Cauldron (animated movie), Then we went to see, D.A.R.Y.L, Ewoks The Battle For Endor, The Journey Of Natty Gann, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Police Academy 2 Their First Assignment, Return To OZ, Rocky 4, Santa Claus The Movie, Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird, and In 1986, GoBots The Movie The Battle Of The Rock Lords (Animated Movie), Heathcliff The Movie (Animated Movie), Howard The Duck, Jumping Jack Flash, The Karate Kid Part 2, Labyrinth, My Little Pony The Movie (Animated Movie), Police Academy 3 Back In Training, Short Circuit, Top Gun, Transformers The Movie Animated Movie, In 1987, Baby Boom, Benji The Hunted, The Brave Little Toaster Animated Movie, Dirty Dancing, Ernest Goes To Camp, G.I. Joe The Movie Animated Movie, Harry and The Henderson's, Lethal Weapon, Pinocchio and The Emperor Of The Night Animated Movie, Police Academy 4 Citizens On Patrol, The Princess Bride, Project X, Robocop, Spaceballs, Three Men and a Baby, and In 1988, Beetlejuice, Big Top Pee-Wee, Cocoon The Return, Daffy Duck's Quackbusters, Ernest Saves Christmas, Gorillas In The Mist, Grave Of Fireflies Anime Movie, Hot To Trot, The Land Before Time Animated Movie, Oliver & Company Animated Movie, etc. etc.
Before VCRS movies would be in theatres for years
It was an experience to see this movie in a theater setting
Their review hasn’t aged well. Aliens is highly regarded now.
Yeah because in between then and now, only steaming piles of shit have made the big screen.
Aliens is a perfect action movie. These two are considered among the best reviewers ever and time has shown how totally wrong they could be. This is a classic film and should have received 30 thumbs up.
Long after Aliens left the movie theaters, the cable companies especially HBO constantly broadcasted the film for months and replayed the sequel a few more times in over two decades. The movie was that popular. It's a rollercoaster ride you are willing to ride over and over.
Carrie Henn was so essential to how well this flick turned out. I'm sure they never told her this during production, but if her character hadn't worked, it would've dragged the whole film down with it. We've seen it before. But she CRUSHED it. Some of the VERY best moments in 'Aliens' were hers and Sigourney's. She really had a lot riding on her performance and as a completely inexperienced film actress, it's amazing how well she did. 'Aliens' would be on a short list of contenders for my favorite film of all time.
If this movie left a lasting impression on you after you saw it, then that is a win, not a weakness. This movie did it's job.
Cameron made such a good decision... A completely difference film from it's predecessor, and therefore no comparison can be made. Both classics in their own right.
Actually there is a comparison. Alien is a perfect masterpiece of horror and suspense, while Aliens is a completely unnecessary follow-up to a movie that never needed follow-ups in the first place.
@@casesoutherland4175 Correction: the latter half of Alien was a tedious reproduction of conventional horror cliches... and a cliched horror film is one of the worst, most dullest things imaginable. But Aliens made up for this by blending additional genres into the horror base and this is how we ended up with the sublime and terrifying scene of them staring at the motion tracker at a wall of aliens headed their way, with everyone in the room filled with fear, confusion and rising panic. And then the aliens start dragging people through the floor. Easily scarier than anything in the first movie (and especially the second half.)
@@casesoutherland4175 I nearly forgot to add: Aliens had memorable characters. Alien did not. Even Ripley was muted and meh. Having characters you know little about and don't care about is the absolute epitome of what bad horror movies are all about.
Wow. Siskel really blew this one. Aliens is one of the greatest action films of all time.
Shocking, so-called professional film critics getting it so wrong.
Ha, here you are as well. Roger didn't get it really wrong though. The movie had just probably shocked him too much and didn't know how to assess that. I would have liked to know what his reaction would have been nowadays. Yes, as far as action movies are concerned Siskel really seemed to have some bias and dislike for them. And then he liked movies like Rambo 2&3 (which I like as well, but they don't compare to Aliens in my opinion).
@@malafakka8530 His written review of the film gave it a 3.5 / 4 rating, so he really appreciated it.
@@ianwestc I know.
Roger praised it highly
“Game over man, game over!”
"Oh, you want some of this? Aarrghh!!!"
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. Weaver was so good in it she was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar.
Many forget she got the nomination for this. Didn't the movie also get nominated for Best Film?
I was a projectionist at a theater when this movie came out. Spliced it together and then watched it at like 2am on a Friday with about 9 other coworkers. Right when Ridley is walking through the eggs, the janitor crew showed up and opened the theater doors . Scared the living crap out of all of us!
Siskel really whiffed on this one.
He also completely whiffed on Taxi Driver, Silence of the Lambs, Unforgiven, and the Terminator.
@@HugoSoup57 Yeah he was a fucking Joke...
Yeah haha, his whole concept of the CINEMA seemed kinda weird.
As much as I enjoyed Gene & Roger they misfired too often on horror & action films. Blade Runner, Aliens & Silence of the Lambs are all classic films that did not get the immediate respect they deserved. Bias is everywhere even in those whose opinions you respect. Do not go mindless into that goodnight.
ebert gave jurassic park a thumbs down LOL. Whether you like dinosaurs or not there is no denying that is a fantastically well made film from its writing, acting, music, casting etc. Groundbreaking cgi and practical effects.
In my top 10 faves of all time. Great movie.
It's crazy going back to these old classics and seeing Siskel or Ebert crap on them.
Watched the directors cut whole 160 min at least 40 times and every single time I descover a brilliant detail not noticed before! Such a masterpiece…stood the test of time!
I saw this at the movie theater for my birthday when I was 11 years old. It was a fun and exciting experience. My dad took us to go see this before but I wanted to go see it again as a birthday gift.
Did u crap ur pants
Fantastic film...and like great films, it has stood the test of time..it still scares the hell out of me and puts me at the edge of my seat even though I've seen it 20+ times...not to mention one of, if not the greatest sequels in film history
Every time my computer bugs out I rremark, ""bishop hey man"!, People just eyeball me
Siskel: "...and I know that the kid is not gonna get nailed."
Alien 3 screenwriters: "hold my beer"
The movie was too intense and scary for these grown adults.
It's like they barely wanted to talk about it lol. One of the greatest sci-fi films ever (maybe best). "Hey, I just saw a little film called The Matrix,... my review is MEH; had too much fighting... Anywho, did you know Skittles are delicious and air filters are on sale at Home Depot?..."
I wonder if James Cameron showed them the longer version. On the back of the laserdisc, Cameron also says, the longer version is "too long" and "too intense." I just have a feeling S and E are reacting to the longer version.
@CC C As children me my friends and cousins watched it repeatedly on VHS.
Siskel: "You better not be having too much fun over there, movie!"
Are you freaking kidding me??um kids did die, And it gradually showed the Aliens, and they looked great, these guys always did suck
Amazing film! The tension was so well crafted they couldn't handle it.
I feel like Newt is super important re the parallel with the Alien queen's eggs being destroyed, and that Ripley outlived her own daughter, it draws out all these key themes.
They don't seem to have dug that far because they couldn't get past the admittedly immersive terror of it all!
I think the business of Ripley's daughter having died of old age was cut from the original release. That was something we learned about later.
What Cameron did with this movie never could be done in the same way. As a sequel, the movement from the original Alien film to this one is totally unpredictable. Considering only the movie, it's amazing. In relation with the previous one, it's unthinkable.
Siskel was such a snob, this was the greatest science fiction film and he still maintains his snobbery. Dude go to the opera if you want everything in pleasantries.
Operas have all sorts of killings beheadings and suicides among other things...
Dude, watch the original 1979 Alien which makes this sequel look like the usual action flick.
James Vinson No aliens popping out of chests though.
... Opera is not about pleasantries.
What's wrong with him? A tumor in his head?
I've seen this movie many times but I never considered that Newt may have an alien inside her.
Yep! Because if she already had one inside her, the alien would've sensed that. There would have been no need to take her and use her for that last open egg. Besides, the alien would've burst from her chest way soon into the movie.
I did the first time I saw it. I knew it wouldn't happen but the possibility was always in the back of my mind. That's exactly what the filmmaker intended.
For me, the first time I saw it I wondered. But bc she was a kid you didn't think so. You don't have time to think logically and realize the aliens were still trying to get her, and by the time you see that, the point is moot.
Can you imagine if they did that! 😂 The studios would never allow it
@@ibrun5151 the 70's movies were not as nice to kids and animals. Now they have to always live. I can only remember two or three movies where kids die. Ironically, Alien vs Predator:Requiem takes killing kids and animals to a new level I have never seen before or since. I don't want to give anything away but holy crap, no kid is safe, unless it's the main character
Wrong again Gene. This series should have been called Ebert and He's Wrong Again!
Ebert: But I want a happy ending to my dystopian sci-fi horror movies!
Just wait until Alien 3...
Damn it Gene. Like every movie that's a classic now you didn't like
Actually "Preach it, Gene!" Finally a film critic that calls out Aliens for the deplorable cashgrab it is!
The actress who played Ripley deserved an Oscar for this movie.
Sigourney Weaver WAS nominated for the Oscar for Aliens.
Have you actually seen the performance of the actress who won?
Marlee Matlin, Children of a Lesser God. The better performance IMO.
@@alexanderfish4797 Absolutely not, 50 years from now, who are people going to remember more, Marlee Matlins performance, or Sigourney Weavers performance?
@@arielperez5885 Sigourney may be remembered, but that doesn't discount that Marlee had the better performance that year.
Aliens DVD commentary brought me here.
As a kid I had no idea this was my future favorite movie. This movie scared the s*** out of me. But then one day when I was about 16 we watched it at a friend's house and I was riveted. I actually didn't even pay attention to the girls who were present which is remarkable. It's been my favorite film of all time ever since.
It's pretty amazing to see two respected critics be so friggin wrong about a movie.
They skipped Bill Paxton's best line: Put her in charge ...
Correction; “Game over, man, game over!” was Paxton’s best/most memorable line.
"I was horrified by this horror movie! It was so effective that I vote thumbs down."
That's like a comedy that's too funny to recommend. Say what?
Ya can't blame the movie because it got you so invested.
This movie is awesome in 2019!..."Mostly....."
Siskel made it 99% Rotten tomatoes in Aliens, just one person
Lol are you serious?
It's 97% now.
I'm also contributing to that, because I HATED Aliens.
This is one of my favorite movie reviews. Ebert saying “it’s too intense!” Oh course it is! That’s what makes it great 😂
this is a great movie. seen it over and over
Funny to hear original reactions...good and bad...to a film that has become a true classic. Ebert was right that back in 1986, this movie was very stressful and I too would feel bad after watching it...physically stressed out, lol! I know that sounds funny to people today, but back then it was a completely different world we lived in and ALIENS really pushed the gamut with high tension and thrills. It doesn't make me feel bad today because we are so desensitized, but I will never forget the experience in 1986. I understand where Siskel is coming from about the girl in peril, but I honestly think it works here. Yes, we know she will live, but it is about the journey to save her that matters. They built up the relationship between Newt and Ripley so that we really cared, even if we knew they would survive! Great film that still holds up today, despite the endless rippoffs it inspired! Wow, the film is 33 years old now!
Imagine what they would have said about Dunkirk if you could go back in time and show them the film.
They missed this one badly. This is a great film.
Whenever a critic says, "I don't think you should see this movie." You want to see the movie.
Dam, they both missed the boat on this one, usually it’s one or the other.
My favorite SciFi movie, will watch it anytime it’s on and I catch it. I think The Thing was a close second for intensity and overall scare power.
So their complaint for a thriller is that it was too thriling? 😆
Too many super quality SciFi monsters chasing kids + hero Sigourney Weaver = Masterpiece ;-)
The review is hilarious. "This was too stressful!" They also didn't realize what scenes had been deleted (and never should have been)
And Aliens went on to be nominated for Academy Awards for best picture, actress, etc. Still, I miss these guys and this type of show. RUclips reviews aren’t the same.
Not Best Picture.
smileusob75 Yes, thanks. Not Academy Award. Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror.
@@garyjohnson1919 man, I thought it actually got nominated for Best picture. My memory betrays me lol
It’s always interesting to look back with the benefit of hindsight to see what the guys thought of films which are, today, regarded as classics (to the point of making it into cultural archives of the best of Cinema) only to see them say, basically, “Well, that wasn’t very good.. I didn’t like it.” Still, What a film - and what a great pair of hosts! Rest In Peace, gentlemen...
In that one clip they showed, they should have included Bill Paxton's hilarious response: "Well why don't you put her in charge?!"
Really agree with Siskel’s point on holding a child in peril for so long.
I saw it the night it premiered in ‘86. And I knew I had just seen one of the greatest films ever made. Went back to see it eight more times..
The sole reason I never watched Top Gun in a movie theater. With Aliens, who'd need TG!?
@@defiverr4697 I saw both in theaters. (Before cell phones and people making noise and nonsense.) And the were both awesome! Wouldn't have had it any other way.
Man, Siskel and Ebert weren't nearly as observant as they thought they were! If they'd been paying attention to the very scene they'd
just ran, they'd have realized that A. Newt had survived perhaps weeks or months in the colony after everyone had been killed
or taken by the xenomorphs on her own by hiding out and knowing the place inside out and B. she'd have long been dead already had a facehugger gotten to her. I agree seeing the movie opening night it was a bit disturbing seeing a child menaced by them, but you kind of know she'll somehow be rescued, in a sense, because Ripley promised her earlier she wouldn't let her go, etc. Normally it would be a
cheap shot as they stated, but in ALIENS it's an integral part of the plot, that Newt is a survivor as Ripley is/was.
Keep in mind people that back in 1986 there were no sci-fi movies that violent. This was a fresh experience for many people.
Cameron had made The Terminator a few years earlier... It was pretty violent.
I watched these guys when I was growing up and I don't remember them being so wimpy and precious.
This movies STILL holds up and stands the rest of time in 2021! It’s STILL one of the best movies ever made and certainly one of the best sequels ever made!!
"Aliens" is about motherhood.
Ripley finds her spot in the universe becoming Newt's mother, and she ultimately has to defeat the mother queen of the aliens to reach such goal.
This, after discovering that her own daughter grew up and old and then died before she herself was luckily discovered and brought out of hypersleep. Her tragedy of having lost her chance to reconnect with her own daughter is her primary motivation to become the adoptive surrogate mother to newt. And, as horrible as the alien monsters are, the most monstrous being in the film is Carter Burke, who sought to make a tidy profit by betraying the human beings -- Ripley and Newt to be 'impregnated' by the face-huggers -- so that the Company could make bio-weapons from this deadly species.
Siskel was soooo off the mark with his dismissive review. As great as ALIEN was, ALIENS was a phenomenal masterpiece, even better than the first film -- and that's saying a lot.
I remember seeing Aliens three times in the first two weeks it came out. Unfortunately, the scene just before the company interrogation early in the film was cut from the initial release and that was a critical scene. This is the scene in which we learn from Burke that, while Ripley was in hypersleep for 57 years, her daughter and only child, Amy, had grown up childless and just died in the previous year at age 68. So, Ripley has lost everything and, in particular, a large fraction of her being a mother. So, when Newt becomes involved, she is the "replacement daughter" for Ripley.
When Ebert had seen that scene in the later 1991 version, he changed his review (although that may be hard to find on the web). But, the reason I write and mention this is that I wonder how Gene might have changed his review had he seen that scene.
Imagine if you could have taken a random movie audience from the 1950s and magically showed them Alien and then Aliens from the future. There would probably have been heart attacks and strokes from the intensity.
Ebert seemed genuinely disheartened by Siskel's complete dismissal of the film.
James Cameron is a perfectionist.
Aliens one of the best films of all time. Still fun to watch after 30+ years
You know you done well when the only criticism of your movie is that its "too scary" "too upsetting" "too hard-going" basically all translations of "too intense" which actually means you made the movie "too well". These are the best criticisms of a movie you want.
This to me was a great action movie. I loved that a female was the lead in such a major action film. It was intense to me how after all hell broke loose she really was the single best chance they had for survival. Plus, it was intense. Very intense. Part of the problem with Siskel and Ebert's review. Is that if they just listened to the Ripley character they would have been better prepared for the intensity of the alien onslaught. She basically spent the first part of the film telling everyone what they were dealing with including us in the audience. If you listen to the dialogue, you will be much better prepared for what's coming because they are right it is intense. But worth it on so many levels. A stand out film.
They are off a bit......... this is a terrific movie !!!! Terrific !!!
I am so glad I never saw these guys review a movie. They do not give a shit about spoilers.
There's isn't a better scifi action movie. Some equal but none better.
I agree with you all the way!!!
Wow were they wrong. And they
gave only a lukewarm review of the original terminator movie. Wrong again.
As much as I love Aliens, I have to prefer Alien. It was the original. It gave us a view to Sci-Fi and horror that we had never seen before. The imagination & the sets were astounding.
Actual it's not their assessment of the actual film qualities, but how they interpret and react to it personally. Ebert was a better critic and often understood the difference between how he felt and the craftsmanship of movie making.
Siskel was such an old fogie with so many of his reviews but I still love watching him state his case.