True. When asked by Lambert, you admire it, Ash said that he admired it's purity. A survivor. Unclouded by conscience, remorse or delusions of morality. Almost pitying himself for what he was programmed to do which likely was against his base programming which was to serve human beings. He doesn't actually try to outright kill Ripley and I thought it was obvious that he was internally trying to fight the order as he roll up the perfect murder weapon, a titty magazine. I mean honestly there was something going on there. He didn't even want to soil his own hands which was why he used a magazine.
However as far as being a lie or an exaggeration, three obviously exhausted people vs an 8 foot tall monster with giant claws, acid blood and profoundly strong. He wasn't lying when he said they can't kill it.
Also re watching the Lambert alien scene again... well shit, it dose rape her. I mean just look how interested the alien is in her. Also Parker was still muttering even after being head bite. There was also an alien groan of ecstasy translated as a roar in the subtitles. Lambert's toes were also bent the f**k out of shape. I still have no idea what she was hanging from unless the Alien decided to play barbie dolls and fit her into a space suit.
The worst of it all is that now the question has to be, was Dallas also raped? Well of course something happened.
Also I didn't notice it at first but the Ripley Ash whooping kind of resembled the Shaw Engineer fight.