Alien
“And you let him in”
Definitely one of the top 10 classic horror movies. The story is really good, and I love the plot. In terms of originality, it’s simple, but I know it was one of the first movies to do something like this. Seeing a horror movie set in space with an alien threat was such a cool idea. When I first saw the poster for this film, I was blown away. It looked amazing and immediately got my attention, and the movie absolutely delivered.
The beginning hooked me very quickly. I love the introduction because it’s straightforward and simple while still letting you get to know the characters. The dialogue is interesting, there aren’t many plot holes, and everything makes sense. It’s easy to follow, which I really appreciate.
The characters are all good. I like how some of them make smart decisions, some make dumb decisions, and some are clearly there to get killed off. There’s a good mix of everything. I especially love Ellen Ripley. She’s an amazing character and is genuinely one of my favorite female protagonists. I hope to see more of her in Aliens. Her acting in the last 20 minutes of the film is phenomenal.
I also loved the flamethrowers whenever they appeared, and Jonesy the cat added a surprising amount of tension since I was constantly worried the Xenomorph was nearby.
The Xenomorph looks surprisingly good for a 1979 sci-fi horror film. Its design is incredible and iconic. You really can’t go wrong with it. The acting overall feels natural and modern rather than over-the-top or awkward, which I appreciated.
The horror aspects are incredible. I actually got a few jumps and was genuinely scared at times. The atmosphere and world-building are phenomenal. I love the setting, and all the small details of the spaceship make it feel real and lived in. The technology, the design, and the overall look of everything are creative without feeling too complicated.
The dark scenes are some of my favorites. The atmosphere carries so much tension throughout the film. The space scenes and the planet they visit look great, and I love the suits the crew wear. For a horror movie, it has some genuinely beautiful shots that feel like they belong in a big sci-fi epic.
The monster is great, the pacing is solid, and the movie goes by surprisingly fast. Around the halfway point, it just keeps getting better and better. Overall, Alien is an excellent movie that I would absolutely recommend. It has a few flaws, but none of them bothered me. I genuinely loved this film.