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[yuraya]

People saying Aliens is better than Alien are so wrong its not even funny.

Alien is everything that is right about horror films. It perfectly captured a claustrophobic type setting. It actually made you feel like you are in outer space on a ship with an alien on it. The alien itself was extremely overpowered. Its an instant science fiction classic and the character development in that movie was also superb.

Aliens is just an action film. The aliens were fodder. So were the marines. Nothing about that film was scary. That movie was a snoozfest for me. It doesn't hold a candle up to the first imo.

 

[Bishop89]

You listed Chronicles of Riddick as a superior sequel? Pitch Black was so much better, though.

wasnt a fan of the characters in pitch black, and CoR has vaako which itself makes it the better movie.

I just loved everything about it.

 

[Blueboys1306]

People saying Aliens is better than Alien are so wrong its not even funny.

Alien is everything that is right about horror films. It perfectly captured a claustrophobic type setting. It actually made you feel like you are in outer space on a ship with an alien on it. The alien itself was extremely overpowered. Its an instant science fiction classic and the character development in that movie was also superb.

Aliens is just an action film. The aliens were fodder. So were the marines. Nothing about that film was scary. That movie was a snoozfest for me. It doesn't hold a candle up to the first imo.

Opinions I guess. I prefer Aliens over Alien even though I do love Alien. Complaining that one is horror and the other is action is pointless. It was the point of difference that Cameron was trying to make in differentiating it from the classic original. It worked. It's a superior film in my opinion.

 

[Monocle]

People saying Aliens is better than Alien are so wrong its not even funny.

Alien is everything that is right about horror films. It perfectly captured a claustrophobic type setting. It actually made you feel like you are in outer space on a ship with an alien on it. The alien itself was extremely overpowered. Its an instant science fiction classic and the character development in that movie was also superb.

Aliens is just an action film. The aliens were fodder. So were the marines. Nothing about that film was scary. That movie was a snoozfest for me. It doesn't hold a candle up to the first imo.

100% on point.

 

[UberLevi]

Terminator 2 and LotR: The Two Towers are pretty obvious choices to me.

Arguing about Alien vs Aliens is nonsensical because they clearly try to establish different experiences, which I think is fantastic. Want a horror movie, go watch Alien. Want an action flick, watch Aliens.

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

People saying Aliens is better than Alien are so wrong its not even funny.

Alien is everything that is right about horror films. It perfectly captured a claustrophobic type setting. It actually made you feel like you are in outer space on a ship with an alien on it. The alien itself was extremely overpowered. Its an instant science fiction classic and the character development in that movie was also superb.

Aliens is just an action film. The aliens were fodder. So were the marines. Nothing about that film was scary. That movie was a snoozfest for me. It doesn't hold a candle up to the first imo.

Wrong? No, just different tastes in movie.

Aliens isn't much of a sequel in the usual sense. It's a different style movie, the only connection is the continuation of Ripley and the alien being used as the main bad guy.

I think both are amazing movies, but I'm not sure if I can pin one over the other. I prefer the original, but I think that Aliens absolutely nails down what it was trying to do.

 

[C4Lukins]

People saying Aliens is better than Alien are so wrong its not even funny.

Alien is everything that is right about horror films. It perfectly captured a claustrophobic type setting. It actually made you feel like you are in outer space on a ship with an alien on it. The alien itself was extremely overpowered. Its an instant science fiction classic and the character development in that movie was also superb.

Aliens is just an action film. The aliens were fodder. So were the marines. Nothing about that film was scary. That movie was a snoozfest for me. It doesn't hold a candle up to the first imo.

I would give those films a tie.

But Aliens is one of the best sequels, because it is a very different film that did not try and be Alien 2. It was its own thing in the same universe, and it was amazing.

Alien 3 tried to be the sequel to Alien, and it was a mess.

The documentary about the production of Alien 3 is far superior to the film.

 

[RetrospectiveLamb]

Shrek 2 is better than Shrek, mainly because Shrek becomes human and gets busted on the parody of Cops show called Knights.

Another honorable mention is Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, like holy crap that movie is perfect

 

[SmarmySmurf]

Arguing about Alien vs Aliens is nonsensical because they clearly try to establish different experiences, which I think is fantastic. Want a horror movie, go watch Alien. Want an action flick, watch Aliens.

Intentionally betraying the original and switching to a worse genre is not a good defense. Alien >>>> Aliens.

 

[Bad_Boy]

raid 2 > raid 1.

both great, but raid 2 had a better story and better action.

 

[Psychoward]

All this Temple of Doom and Aliens love...smh

 

[yuraya]

Opinions I guess. I prefer Aliens over Alien even though I do love Alien. Complaining that one is horror and the other is action is pointless. It was the point of difference that Cameron was trying to make in differentiating it from the classic original. It worked. It's a superior film in my opinion.

But in this case people are basically saying action is superior to horror. I disagree. Cameron flexing his muscles is great and all but it just doesn't work with the horror genre. The end result of both movies is survival and Alien is infinitely better in that regard.

 

[C4Lukins]

Intentionally betraying the original and switching to a worse genre is not a good defense. Alien >>>> Aliens.

That is silly. Genres of film are not innately superior.

 

[Bishop89]

People saying Aliens is better than Alien are so wrong its not even funny.

Alien is everything that is right about horror films. It perfectly captured a claustrophobic type setting. It actually made you feel like you are in outer space on a ship with an alien on it. The alien itself was extremely overpowered. Its an instant science fiction classic and the character development in that movie was also superb.

Aliens is just an action film. The aliens were fodder. So were the marines. Nothing about that film was scary. That movie was a snoozfest for me. It doesn't hold a candle up to the first imo.

horror films are scary and tense.
Alien doesnt provide either of these feelings.

Aliens did a far better job at being a horror movie. It is also a great action movie as well.

 

[Monocle]

horror films are scary and tense.
Alien doesnt provide either of these feelings.

Aliens did a far better job at being a horror movie. It is also a great action movie as well.

Seriously? I don't even know how to react to this opinion.

The part where the facehugger disappears and the crew have to search the infirmary for it is one of the tensest scenes I've ever experienced. The chestburster scene has enormous impact when you don't know it's coming. Exploring outside the ship, fleeing from the xenomorph inside the ship... it's all incredibly tense and atmospheric. Alien is a consistently effective horror film. Its tension and sense of danger and dread are never matched in the sequels.

 

[Sagroth]

Terminator 2.

Empire Strikes Back.

 

[Shambalakan]

People saying Aliens is better than Alien are so wrong its not even funny.

Alien is everything that is right about horror films. It perfectly captured a claustrophobic type setting. It actually made you feel like you are in outer space on a ship with an alien on it. The alien itself was extremely overpowered. Its an instant science fiction classic and the character development in that movie was also superb.

Aliens is just an action film. The aliens were fodder. So were the marines. Nothing about that film was scary. That movie was a snoozfest for me. It doesn't hold a candle up to the first imo.

That's exactly what I wanted to say.
Alien was a different and unique movie with an amazing idea and monster with a strange and horrific life cycle. but Aliens was like an action movie with lots of cliches for me, one of those type of movies that some professional soldiers want to kill monsters and they killed by them one by one. I love Aliens (and even Alien 3) though, but I think Alien was a better movie in nearly all aspects.

 

[Dead Man]

used to love aliens and t2 over their first films. now i more appreciate the tighter focus of the originals and the tense atmosphere both had.

i came around on bttf2 and bttf the same way. back to the future is just a way better movie and hits every beat pretty much perfectly. the sequels are a lot of fun, and it's a solid trilogy, but they're not as endlessly rewatchable as the first.

Pretty much. All the T2 and Aliens nods make me sad.

 

[Bishop89]

Seriously? I don't even know how to react to this opinion.

The part where the facehugger disappears and the crew have to search the infirmary for it is one of the tensest scenes I've ever experienced. The chestburster scene has enormous impact when you don't know it's coming. Exploring outside the ship, fleeing from the xenomorph inside the ship... it's all incredibly tense and atmospheric. Alien is a consistently effective horror film. Its tension and sense of danger and dread are never matched in the sequels.

to each their own. I didnt feel any of that with Alien, whereas I felt the tension and atmosphere with the:

Medical Bay scene

Sentry defence scene

Newt rescue + Queen reveal scenes

 

[Currygan]

the only one I can legitimately say it's much better than the original is Spiderman 2

 

[Hierophant]

22 Jump Street.

 

[Edwardo]

Rush Hour 2. My favorite movie of all time.

 

[TheWraith]

Search your feelings you know it to be true.

 

[AniHawk]

to each their own. I didnt feel any of that with Alien, whereas I felt the tension and atmosphere with the:
Sentry defence scene

medical bay scene sure. the sentry defense on the other hand, i had no idea how close the danger actually was until the xenomorphs were on top of the marines. it's an attempt to create the dallas/vent scene with alien where not knowing was the horror. in aliens, tension is supposedly ratcheted up by how many bullets are left. in alien, the tension is down to a dot on a screen and dark corridors. the payoff is my favorite jump scare in a movie.

 

[KalBalboa]

• Aliens
• The Dark Knight
• Evil Dead 2
• Gremlins 2
• Spider-Man 2
• X-Men 2
• X-Men Days of Future Past
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
• Mission Impossible 3
• Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
• Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

 

[Boss Doggie]

Spider-Man 2 is still the best Spider-Man film period.

 

[ZehDon]

... The part where the facehugger disappears and the crew have to search the infirmary for it is one of the tensest scenes I've ever experienced. The chestburster scene has enormous impact when you don't know it's coming. Exploring outside the ship, fleeing from the xenomorph inside the ship... it's all incredibly tense and atmospheric. Alien is a consistently effective horror film. Its tension and sense of danger and dread are never matched in the sequels.

The movie certainly has its moments, but for me, it falls down pretty badly after the first viewing. Watching the film again, everything you've mentioned just evaporates, more so than most films due to the slow burn of the entire film. One can certainly appreciate the craftsmanship, in particular the presentation - still the best looking and sounding film in the series. Aliens, however, works basically every time you watch it, and simply has a more involved narrative. It's also why Terminator 2 is listed in this thread as much as Aliens; it seems no one gets sequels like James Cameron.