(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
In 1986, Ellen Ripley teamed up with the Colonial Marines to fight terrifying extraterrestrial creatures in “Aliens.” Written and directed by James Cameron, “Aliens” is the sci-fi sequel to 1979’s “Alien,” Ridley Scott’s groundbreaking horror that first introduced audiences to the Xenomorph that wreaks havoc on the unlucky humans who cross its path.“Aliens,” which celebrates its 40th anniversary in July, is a landmark film. It’s probably not as influential as “Alien,” but Cameron’s entry in the franchise carved its own path in film history, where it frequently appears on lists of the greatest sequels and action movies ever made. If you give me the choice to watch one, I’ll choose “Aliens” over “Alien” without thinking twice.‘Aliens’ is not ‘Alien,’ and that’s the secret to its successOne thing I want to make clear: I’m not disparaging “Alien” to prop up “Aliens.” Scott’s film is truly spectacular. “Alien” is a haunted-house thriller that popularized the space horror genre. It’s a chamber piece featuring spine-tingling atmospheric horror that induces anxiety and claustrophobia. The chestburster sequence remains an all-time scene in the genre’s long history.Obviously, there is no “Aliens” without “Alien,” so the latter deserves immense props. If I’m sitting down to watch an “Alien” movie, I prefer the boisterous action and thrills of the sequel instead of the suspenseful chills of the predecessor.Let’s travel back to the 1980s. How do you make a sequel to a flawless movie? The easy answer is to remake “Alien.” Take what worked in the original movie and repeat it in the sequel, also known as a "sequel-remake." I’m sure Cameron’s version of “Jaws in Space 2” would have been effective, but unoriginal.
