Favourite Alien Movie?

[Huggs]

Aliens appeals to more demographics, especially the younger viewers who crave action and instant gratification.

That's why I loved it as a kid, but not so much now. As an alien film, it's far more bloated, humorous, and loud than necessary. It definitely feels more like a movie.

But that's the Cameron way. He mass markets.

Alien 1 & 3 will always feel more pure of soul.

[Voodoo Magic]

Aliens appeals to more demographics, especially the younger viewers who crave action and instant gratification.

That's why I loved it as a kid, but not so much now. As an alien film, it's far more bloated, humorous, and loud than necessary. It definitely feels more like a movie.

But that's the Cameron way. He mass markets.

Alien 1 & 3 will always feel more pure of soul.

I believe you underestimate its audience, and the millions of intelligent, sophisticated adults who do not crave action and instant gratification, enjoy both Alien and Aliens, but feel Aliens is the better crafted film.

[P-Rock]

Aliens appeals to more demographics, especially the younger viewers who crave action and instant gratification.

Instant gratification? In the Special Edition it takes about 70 minutes before you even see an Alien (and action).

[Samhain13]

ALIEN is my favorite but I can easily see why some prefer ALIENS over it. Both are great movies, I only took a few points out of ALIENS because as a fan of the original creature I disliked somethings that were done in the second movie.

[Huggs]

Aliens appeals to more demographics, especially the younger viewers who crave action and instant gratification.

Instant gratification? In the Special Edition it takes about 70 minutes before you even see an Alien (and action).

Apc's, dropships, guns, powerloaders, clearing the buildings, etc.

There was plenty of cool stuff to see before a shot was fired. That's what appealed to me about it when I was a kid.  Combat isn't the only thing. Every young person I've seen it with prefers the film for those reasons. There's more action and cool stuff. But I don't agree that's what an alien film should be. That's just the Cameron marketing strategy.

I still like aliens, but narratively, it was a sellout.

[P-Rock]

Aliens appeals to more demographics, especially the younger viewers who crave action and instant gratification.

Instant gratification? In the Special Edition it takes about 70 minutes before you even see an Alien (and action).

Apc's, dropships, guns, powerloaders, clearing the buildings, etc.

There was plenty of cool stuff to see before a shot was fired. That's what appealed to me about it when I was a kid.  Combat isn't the only thing. Every young person I've seen it with prefers the film for those reasons. There's more action and cool stuff. But I don't agree that's what an alien film should be. That's just the Cameron marketing strategy.

Just because it appealed to you as a kid doesn't mean it's made for kids.

[TheSailingRabbit]

Aliens appeals to more demographics, especially the younger viewers who crave action and instant gratification.

That's why I loved it as a kid, but not so much now. As an alien film, it's far more bloated, humorous, and loud than necessary. It definitely feels more like a movie.

But that's the Cameron way. He mass markets.

Alien 1 & 3 will always feel more pure of soul.

I believe you underestimate its audience, and the millions of intelligent, sophisticated adults who do not crave action and instant gratification, enjoy both Alien and Aliens, but feel Aliens is the better crafted film.

Young is what, 17-25 for a fan?

I'm not into action as a genre. I don't understand superhero movies and I think most action movies nowadays are action for the sake of action. No memorable characters, recycled plots with no interesting twists.

I'm more into the ensemble cast. I like seeing how people interact with each other, no matter the occupation or plot or whatnot. I was introduced to that through The Shawshank Redemption and found Aliens to have that similar feel. It's weird that it appeals to me because I'm very antisocial; I'm uncomfortable in large groups of people, and I prefer to work on my own. Maybe it's because I subconsciously want a good-sized group of people to interact with regularly--who knows. There's something fairly unique about each character that translates to depth and a history of some sort, and Bug Hunt and A:CM didn't do these guys justice. And personally, I don't like being thought of as not having good taste in horror or not "appreciating" the original just because I prefer Aliens. That's why I'm here, after all.

[Voodoo Magic]

But I don't agree that's what an alien film should be.

I still like aliens, but narratively, it was a sellout.

Now while I disagree, these criticisms I can at least understand as differences in personal taste.

But on it's own, Aliens is an excellently crafted film even more so than Alien in my opinion, and it has nothing to do with Apcs, dropships and powerloaders.

For instance, I find the final act of Alien on the weaker side, but what came before it sooo makes up for it. But I don't experience that same weakness anywhere with Aliens. Regardless, I love both of them.

Action films don't trump Horror, Drama, Suspense or any other genre for me. I look at every film individually, and judge it on its own merits. 

[Huggs]

Aliens appeals to more demographics, especially the younger viewers who crave action and instant gratification.

Instant gratification? In the Special Edition it takes about 70 minutes before you even see an Alien (and action).

Apc's, dropships, guns, powerloaders, clearing the buildings, etc.

There was plenty of cool stuff to see before a shot was fired. That's what appealed to me about it when I was a kid.  Combat isn't the only thing. Every young person I've seen it with prefers the film for those reasons. There's more action and cool stuff. But I don't agree that's what an alien film should be. That's just the Cameron marketing strategy.

Just because it appealed to you as a kid doesn't mean it's made for kids.

Never said it was. I said it appealed to more demographics than the others. Which is Cameron's way. Look at what he did to titanic.

Aliens took a gothic horror narrative and turned it into halo. It's cool as hell, but I don't think it ever needs to go there again.

[Voodoo Magic]

Appealing to more demographics isn't a bad thing Huggsy. And your statement of Aliens appealing to younger viewers who crave action and instant gratification is assuredly true.

I just think following it up with that's why you loved it as a kid, but not so much now, roughly equates maturity to prefering Alien (over Aliens). Maybe that's an unfair assessment, but it still stirs the bee hive! 

And a great film being also appealing to people who crave action and instant gratification doesn't change that it's a great film.

[The Old One]

1. A L I E N

2. ALIENS = ALIEN³

3. Blade Runner = BR2049

4. Peter Weyland TED-Talk = Prologue: Incubation

5. Alien  ̶C̶o̶v̶e̶n̶a̶n̶t̶  Paradise Lost

6. Alien Resurrection

7. Prometheus

^ 

[Elmazalman]

1. A L I E N

2. ALIENS = ALIEN³

3. Blade Runner = BR2049

4. Peter Weyland TED-Talk = Prologue: Incubation

5. Alien  ̶C̶o̶v̶e̶n̶a̶n̶t̶  Paradise Lost

6. Alien Resurrection

7. Prometheus

^ 

5. Prometheus  6. Alien: Covenant  7. Alien: Resurrection. 

[Voodoo Magic]

5. Prometheus  6. Alien: Covenant  7. Alien: Resurrection. 

It's not important how you start but rather how you finish.

And you my friend...

[Gash]

I believe you underestimate its audience, and the millions of intelligent, sophisticated adults who do not crave action and instant gratification, enjoy both Alien and Aliens, but feel Aliens is the better crafted film.

It's not. Alien is far better crafted and originated everything visual that Aliens plunders to lesser effect.

And if you consider the final act of Alien weak, I could point out that it is basically rehashed again beat for beat in Aliens.

[Voodoo Magic]

I believe you underestimate its audience, and the millions of intelligent, sophisticated adults who do not crave action and instant gratification, enjoy both Alien and Aliens, but feel Aliens is the better crafted film.

It's not. Alien is far better crafted and originated everything visual that Aliens plunders to lesser effect.

And if you consider the final act of Alien weak, I could point out that it is basically rehashed again beat for beat in Aliens.

I get you say it's not, respect your opinion it's not, but it's really not unequivocal one way or another. Just look at the poll. I know we won't change each other's mind, either.

And I wouldn't say Aliens followed Alien's ending beat for beat because that would be ignoring plenty of terrific beats, but yes, Aliens does have the last heroine standing and the thought-to-be-dead stowaway and an airlock jettison, just like Alien. But a female last survivor, and the villian who the audience thinks to be dead but isn't, is among familiar horror tropes, and were not introduced by Alien, and have been done before Alien, and Aliens, and after, and will likely continue beyond our days.

So to me, Aliens does more with those common horror tropes than Alien, and therefore the final act is that much better, that much more interesting and that much better paced because of it. 

This is just my opinion of course. We're the winner regardless of which film you pick..