For the first and only time , I'm going to take back comments made in another review. I had previously stated quite clearly that I thought "Alien 3" was the best of this series.

Recently, I saw the extended cut of Aliens, with the extra 17 minutes which was excised from US prints.

This longer version more effectively captures the horrific feel of Alien while simultaneously providing the slam-bang action which the theatrical version gave us sci fi/horror hungry fans back in 1986.

Aliens was already among my favorite movies of all time. The extended cut definitely improves upon the US print. With added sequences such as gun turrets blasting at unseen enemies to protect the humans bunkered behind colony walls, this version captures the terrifying reality of facing an enemy largely unseen and always on the attack. The eerie vibe of not knowing when or where the creatures will strike is very much alive in the extended edition of "Aliens" and it amps up the scare factor exponentially.

So, having seen this film the way it was meant to be experienced, I have to acknowledge that Cameron's original vision for this film is easily the best chapter of the "Alien" saga. This is a truly fantastic film made even better.

Ten out of ten missions no space marine should ever want to be a part of.

The sequel to Alien and probably one of the best movies ever made. In this episode Ellen Ripley is convinced to return to the planet where her alien was discovered, long since colonized and brutalized by the xenomorphs.

What ensues really is best described as war, James Cameron said vietnam was the inspiration for the problems the marines had fighting the aliens. They were a high-tech, well trained military force that couldn't fight on the terms of their enemies. I love this movie, and consider it almost perfect - but if I had to pick I'd call the original better. It's more horror/scifi while this one has a lot more action in it. Still great, creepy, enthralling and beautifully done. I consider the Alien series the only group of movies that can rival Romoro's Dead Trilogy.

The special editions and DVD extra features are all excellent, in a movie this good more is definately better. I can't understand why the "most famous scene you've never seen" wasn't put back into the special edition when they were making the longer cut. It's the scene mimicked in Duke Nukem when the cacooned people beg, "Kiiiilll meeee."

10 out of 10

Definitely more scifi/action than horror, but still one of the best movies ever. Sigourney Weaver is supremely bad ass in this one. I bought the director's cut and there is about 30 more minutes that should never have been cut out of it's theatrical release. My favorite part has to be the first battle when the aliens start coming out of the walls. Very intense and well done.

Bill "you're stewed buttwad" Paxton adds the comic relief, Paul Rieser is excellent as the sleazy corporate exec, and Lance Henrickson was born to play an android. Sorry Bishop, I mean "artificial person." If you haven't seen this flick I almost envy you because once you do pull your head out and put this one in you're in for the thrill ride of your slimy dreams. Highly recommended.

10 out of 10 huge alien eggsacks

Ripley's back at it once again as a consultant to a team of marines sent to terraforming colony that The Company has lost contact with. This colony just happens to be on the same planet where the first Xenomorph was discovered in the previous movie. Could this be a coinsidence? Well, as bad luck would have it, it's not.

Could it be the excellent acting? The awesome plot? Or possibly the ahead of their time (and our time, for that matter) SFX. Possibly the return the most terrifying creatures in cinematic history?

Probably all of those combined so seamlessly make this the masterpiece that it is, and has gone down in history to be.

10 out of 10 times I awoke in the middle of the night... heart-pounding, in sweat-soaked sheets because of this movie.

(1986) James Cameron, David Giler, Walter Hill

Sigourney Weaver .... Lt. Ellen Ripley
Carrie Henn .... Rebecca 'Newt' Jorden
Michael Biehn .... Cpl. Dwayne Hicks
Lance Henriksen .... Bishop
Paul Reiser .... Carter J. Burke
Bill Paxton .... Pvt. W. Hudson
William Hope .... Lt. S. Gorman
Jenette Goldstein .... Pvt. J. Vasquez
Al Matthews .... Sgt. A. Apone
Mark Rolston .... Pvt. M. Drake
Ricco Ross .... Pvt. R. Frost
Colette Hiller .... Cpl. C. Ferro
Daniel Kash .... Pvt. D. Spunkmeyer
Cynthia Scott .... Cpl. C. Dietrich
Tip Tipping .... Pvt. T. Crowe

Also known as: Alien 2