Alien Review: In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream
9.5/10 — Alien (1979)
Pros
- Unforgettable creature design
- Slow-burning suspense
- Weaver's iconic Ripley
Cons
- Slow pacing
- A few dated effects
The crew of the commercial spaceship Nostromo answer a distress signal and bring an unknown life form on board with deadly results. Ridley Scott made a haunted house film set among the stars.
What works
H.R. Giger’s biomechanical design is genuinely disturbing, and the slow build of dread is superb. Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley became one of cinema’s great heroines, and the ensemble feels like a real working crew. The chestburster scene is still shocking.
Where it falters
The pacing is deliberately slow by modern standards, and a few effects reveal their age.
Verdict
A perfectly crafted, terrifying monster movie that has never been bettered.
