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Its an age-old question: which movie is better,AlienorAliens?
Theyre both as good as they can be in those genres.
Still, there are certain basic filmmaking elements that each movie does better than the other.
Here are 5 ThingsAlienDid Better ThanAliens(And 5 ThingsAliensDid Better).
Aliens: Dialogue
Good dialogue is the cornerstone of keeping a movie-going audience hooked.
The dialogue inAlienisnt bad, but it feels impersonal.
James Camerons dialogue inAliens, however, is a vast improvement.
This is becauseRidley Scott is a master of pacing.
He doesnt rush into introducing the titular creature.
He lets us get to know the characters and builds up the tense atmosphere of the space station.
And thats when a baby alien forces its way through his chest.
The firstAlienfilm isa masterclass in pacing.
For starters, Ripley has more to fight for the second time around.
Shes not just fighting for her own survival; shes fighting for Newts, too.
Aliens: Subtext
James Cameron madeAliensas a pretty clear allusion to the Vietnam War.
Cameron is a master of subtext.
Alien: Realism
Okay, obviously,Alienisnt realistic.
We heard it clank, we saw that it was difficult to put on and operate.
But inAliens, the stakes escalate continuously throughout.
For starters, there are a lot more bloodthirsty aliens this time.
And then the humans ride back to base is destroyed.
And it becomes apparent that the corporate suits want to take an egg back to Earth.
monologue), but the performances in the originalAlienfilm are much more nuanced.
Ian Holm gives a chilling portrait of an android from a future where humans dont trust androids.
John Hurt masterfully lulls us into a false sense of security to make the chest-burster all the more shocking.
The acting inAlienis superb.
Aliens: Character Development
The screenplay forAlienwas written with no genders specified for the characters.
They were interchangeable, and as a result, they hardly progress.
The Ripley we meet at the beginning is the same Ripley who jets off into space at the end.
However, inAliens,she has a real character arc.
She learns that while shes been in space, her daughter has lived to old age and died.
This gives her a reason to join the fight against the xenomorphs, and develop as a character.
NEXT:Every Alien Movie in the Franchise, Ranked From Worst To Best
