2. Aliens – The Return
Release: 1986
While the first Alien film is a dark horror movie, Aliens – The Return is a powerful action film. It features more Xenomorphs and lets them face off against armed Marines. This works really well.
Although the Xenomorphs are no longer as individually threatening as before, the Alien Queen as a concept is not yet as exaggerated as later explanations for the monsters. The film is solid, and the effects, especially the fire, still work well.
Also, apart from the entire series, Aliens – The Return is one of the best sci-fi action films from the 80s.
1. Alien – The Eerie Creature from Another World
Release: 1979
Choosing between the first and second Alien films is a matter of taste, as both films do what they set out to do fantastically. For me, Alien works best as a claustrophobic horror film, and the first Alien film still does that best.
The effects are still enjoyable today, and the dense atmosphere captivates me even after years. The body horror elements fit perfectly with the atmosphere. Ripley is a great protagonist, and the myth of the Xenomorphs is not yet exploited in this film.
The Xenomorph is also still the most threatening here. It slithers through the corridors of the Nostromo and shows how superior it is to humans.
One knows almost nothing about the aliens and can only infer connections through the facehuggers and their outbreak. The first Alien film is a great science fiction horror that is still unmatched.
Despite all the criticism of many Alien films, one must give them credit for usually having beautiful visuals and being well shot. Unfortunately, the series got tangled in its own mythology. Nevertheless, the Xenomorph remains one of the best monsters in film history. If you are also fans of Star Wars, you might be interested in this list: All 15 Star Wars films ranked
