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The Alien Legacy

The Alien Legacy

List Price: $79.98
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: If you like Alien predators, this is as alien as they come!
Review: This unforgettable saga of a space marine's struggle against the most dangerous freak of nature ever to shed blood in the universe is the pulse-pounding king of sci-fi horror! The scariest, goriest, most out of this world sci-fi/horror trilogy ever created in the history of movie making! With blood, scary fight scenes, and the most hostile life form you'll find anywhere, it will keep you on the edge of you seat from one minute to the next. Ellen Ripley, the main heroine of the saga, is a woman plauged by the loss of her only child and of the terror of getting to see her crew, on more than one occasion, get gutted like fish right where they're slain or seeing alien parasitic embryos bursting out of the chests of infected hosts in a shower of tissue. She keeps telling people that this alien life form is totally uncontrollabe and it should be destroyed at all costs. Why don't the experts listen to her? Oh yeah, the biological discovery of the eon is at hand! Duh! I don't think so! Ripley goes to every level of attack she can possibly think of to get rid of the alien. The experts in this triolgy just don't get the message: don't mess with mother nature! Ripley is mostly an alone exile to her own terror in this saga. No one believes her about the alien creature until they get to see it right before it eats them alive, she spends so long a time in suspended animation that she out-lives her daughter without aging a day, and finally, in spite of all the fighting and struggling she does , she finds herself carrying the very heart of all the terror and bloody hideous death she tries to destroy; the embryo of the alien queen.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Foundation of steel, tower of sticks
Review: I've been a slobbering Alien fanatic since age six, and Aliens made its theatrical debut. Mmm, I can still recall the thrill of every slapped ammunition clip, every morbid hiss and the wicked cacaphony of machine gun fire.

Anyway, personally, I bought this because - well duh - its the Alien series. The pros are that I have my prized DVD collection in a nice little box. The cons are that it came packaged with a lump of [poo] called Alien: Resurrection. Personally, I've always looked down on people for their dim view on Alien 3. It made a perfect circle, I thought, to the series. Everything was fairly nicely wrapped up in an intriguing and fittingly depressing conclusion. The fourth film, however, was such a pathetic attempt I wish it hadn't been made. The impressive cast aside (although it certainly wasn't Ron Perlman's pinnacle as an actor. "So, like, what'd you do?") there were very few saving graces, and Buffy's Joss Whedon needs to check his head if he even thinks for a second that he's ever going to be Aliens material. He needs to stick where he belongs: television.

Anyway, given that this is only the price of 3 DVDs, you're basically getting the fourth one for free, so I strongly suggest it, just as I strongly suggest burning the fourth installment and sending it to Joss Whedon with a picture of his dog being sodomized by a kimodo dragon.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The "ALIEN" drops a jobby on it's saga
Review: I've watched all four films and I have to say the first two were the best. The first, Alien, was a fantastic (for it's time, 1979)Sci-Fi Horror movie, with a great plot and ending. Yes, it's graphics and special effects are not up to par with the modern day Digital graphics and million dollar explosions that seem to dominate today's movies, but it takes a creative script and equally good acting/directing to make a movie like this work. That's why Alien succeeded and has such a large fan following to this day.

The sequel, Aliens, directed by James Cameron (Terminator I & II, Titanic) continued the saga of Lt. Ripley and the "Alien" in fine style. It is my favorite of the four and has an excellent supporting cast. I'm not going to tell you about it; Just watch it!

So, I've had nothing but good things to say about the first two movies. Why only four stars? Because the third movie really went down compared with the first two. I dont think it's because it was really bad, but more because the first two were sooo good, and my expectations for the third episode were high. It turned out to be slow and a little boring. The first two movies were 5-star material; this one only gets 2.5 stars from me.

Unfortunately, the final movie, Alien Resurrection, fails to improve much on the previous movie. Yes, there's definately more action, but Ripley's clone comes infected with the Butch/Slut gene, and makes her character less likable. The script takes much of the blame here. I dont think she was as comfortable in this role. Winona Ryder should have stayed away from this one. Her character softens the plot and generally weakens the whole movie. I struggle to give it 3 stars.

For my money, I would buy Alien and Aliens, instead of the entire legacy. They are two of the best Sci-Fi movies EVER! The last two, I'm sorry to say, are not worth the extra money.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: MORE EXTRAS?
Review: Great set, needs more extras. The 1st disc is incredible, the 2nd pretty good, but the 3rd and 4th are BARE BONES! Come on people, work it up some, please!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Without a doubt the best sci-fi trilogy ever made.
Review: See the heading? See the word "trilogy"? The only reason I rated this 4 stars is because of the last movie in the set, Alien Resurrection. Aside from that, these movies are masterpieces.

ALIEN
My second favourite in the trilogy. A classic and creepy horror film. Good performances from all of the cast.

ALIENS
The all-out action entry to the ALIEN trilogy. Moves VERY slow at first, then it really picks up. OK acting (I was kind of disapointed at Sigourney Weaver's portrayal of Ripley). Only one thing missing: ATMOSPHERE.

ALIEN 3
Easily the most emotionally complex movie of all the ALIEN movies, this one is by far my favourite. Brings good closure to the first two. GREAT acting.

Don't even get me started with Resurrection. Do not waste two hours of your life sitting through this. I, myself, do not consider this an actual ALIEN movie. It was sad to see Ripley once again, after the heroic sacrifice she made at the end of 3.
If they were to actually continue the series, they should have started something new. So, in all, the first three are great, but the last one I just consider an extra feature (though I never watch it). Speaking of extra features, I was very displeased with the lack of them on the third disk.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Fantastic set of awesome flicks.
Review: A boxset of some of the greatest Sci-fi/horror films of all time, Alien ( 1979): a classic in modern Sci-fi cinema which introduces us to "Ripley" ( Sigorney Weaver) and her crew who explore a planet and to go into another ship but one of the crew is infected by a space creature that makes terror on board. Second one is "Aliens"( 1986): A terrific and epic sequel full of action and thrills from James Cameron, this time Ripley with a group of soldiers go down into a planet to wipe out the whole race of the Xenomorph Aliens including the queen, it's a Kick-Butt sequel that includes the famous " Get Away from her you..." line. Alien3 ( 1992) considered the weakest in the series but i liked it and had a stunning ending, and finally "Alien Resurrection" in which Ripley is cloned from her death including the Monster.

All four films have stunning transfers and extras you can drool about, so if your into Sci-fi/Horror movies then check these out...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Scariest, Deepest, Most Emotional Sci-Fi Movie Saga Ever
Review: The impact of these films on popular culture cannot be denied. Parodies of the chestburster are found anywhere from Mel Brooks' "Spaceballs" to the Nicktoon "Rocko's Modern Life," and the movies themselves have spawned innumerable series of toys, comics, novels, T-Shirts, and crossovers. This is proof of their greatness; spanning over twenty years and driven by such master filmmakers as Ridley Scott, James Cameron, and Joss Whedon, they inspire more than just fear in the viewers (although fear is hardly in short supply). All of them are good, but in very different ways. I will now discuss each of the movies independently.

Alien is, in my opinion, the most uncreative and emotionally weak of the four. I know the hardcore fans will hate me for saying this, but it's true. The plot is not much different from that of the horrible B movies of the '50s, and there's not much emotion except fear. Where this movie truly excels is in how well it is done; the acting is superb, the set designs are awesome, Ridley Scott directed, and H.R. Giger designed the alien monster. But even then, the alien moves very oddly; at one point, it is just waving its arms about randomly while gliding toward its prey. Still, this movie breathed new life into a very dead genre.

Aliens is widely regarded to be the best of the series, and with good reason. At first it dealt with Ripley's newfound distrust of androids, her nightmares about the Alien, and her loss of her daughter; then it moved on to Newt's loss of her parents, developed the relationship between Ripley and Newt, exposed Hicks's softer and more caring side, and ended with Ripley's acceptance of Bishop and hope that both she and Newt could now dream safely. Oh, and there were lots of ugly monsters, too. It was even more well done than the first, with James Cameron designing literally everything - from what the colony looked like to how the aliens moved.

The very underrated Alien 3 took a much darker, more poetic look at things than even the first two. Ripley, emotionally devastated by the loss of the other Aliens survivors (especially Newt), finds herself socially isolated on a colony of ex-cons. Her suspicions that an Alien followed her are laid to rest after an autopsy and cremation of Hicks' and Newt's bodies, but then reaffirmed when inmates start disappearing. Another revelation, that she is carrying a Queen inside herself, only compounds the issue, as she knows that the clock is ticking and she has no hope for survival. Many sequences in this film are beautifully and poetically done, including Dillon's mid-movie speech, Ripley's final plunge to her death, and the way the cremation was synchronized to the birth of the Alien. The music expresses the moods of the movie better than pretty much any other movie I've seen. It has a few minor flaws, mostly with the Alien, which is born almost fully grown and can cling to ceilings as if it was filled with helium. One of my friends commented that it also glows a slight teal when hanging from the ceiling. Use of the F word is a bit excessive.

Alien Resurrection is also highly underrated. Although it was no doubt an "unnecessary" addition to the Alien chronology, and is nowhere near as good an ending to the series as Alien 3, it is no less a movie. Following a mutated clone of Ripley, it takes the saga to an extreme of wierdness, delving into Ripley's irreversible connection to the Aliens and her resulting personal identity crisis. Call, the movie's "token android," tags along to raise some deep philosophical questions, which Ripley sometimes turns around back at her. Many moments of this movie deserve pause, especially when Ripley finds out about the... shall we say, less successful experiments. The ending is very emotional; the human/alien hybrid displays both human affection toward Ripley (who it regards as its mother) and inhuman cruelties toward others, and Ripley is forced to make the toughest ethical decision of all the movies. She even tells the creature "I'm sorry" and cries as the alien is blown into space, not wanting to cause so much pain in something so human, but having little other choice. The writer, Joss Whedon (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), criticized the way the movie was done, and he's quite right. The set designs look like someone splashed moldy diarrhea on the walls, the alien effects are messed up in places (like with the eggs taking WAY too long to hatch), and some of the actors look much meaner/sleazier than was really necessary. Still, it has its good points. The Auriga's interiors are staggering in size and very cool-looking, while the music (as per Alien 3) matches whatever the mood is at the time. Also inherited from Alien 3 is slight overuse of the F word.

As a side note, there's something of a logical progression within the first 3 movies. In Alien, Ripley's primary goal is survival, and killing the alien is just a necessary step; in Aliens, she risks her life to save another (and certainly doesn't mind filling the Alien critters with hot lead on the way); and in Alien 3, she sacrifices herself to kill the last of the creatures. Her focus gradually shifts away from keeping herself alive and more toward wiping out the aliens. The fourth movie doesn't really fit into this pattern, she just runs around the ship and blows away monsters. Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you :)

The special features on the DVDs are nothing special. On the last two movies, there's nothing but a "making of" featurette and a few trailers. The first two movies have those plus a truckload of concept art and production photos. Only the first movie has deleted scenes. The second has an interview with James Cameron. But come on, these movies put together last over 8 hours, who has time for special features?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Alien Legacy
Review: Ridley Scott's classic Sci Fi thriller ALIEN is the best of the franchise, no question, no debate, it is the best. Great visuals and special effects from maestro H.R Giger and masterful direction from Scott give the film it's dark, horror-house look. A great performance from Sigourney Weaver and haunting music by Jerry Goldsmith all combine to create one of the greatest Sci Fi films ever made.

James Cameron's gung-ho sequel is a great thrill ride, adorned with menacing Aliens (hats off to Stan Winston, the special effects are brilliant) and an equally menacing Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver got an Oscar nomination for the role). The DVD adds more footage including Ripley's discovery that all her family have died since the last film, and although the added scenes tend to slow the pace sometimes, they add to the character, and make the film feel more complete. Great visuals, ear-splitting sound and Cameron's trademark over-the top action

Pre-Fight Club David Fincher directed this misunderstood entry into the Alien franchise. While it's a flawed film, it does touch on some themes that weren't done in the first two, and there are some effectively creepy moments.
The special effects quota reverts back to the original's modus operandi of not showing the aliens as much as James Cameron's "everything and the kitchen sink" trademark. Which is rather effective and creepy, utilising the old "hiding in the shadows" trick. And Sigourney Weaver is good as the tough-as- nails Ellen Ripley. Still, it's disappointing compared to the first two films, because the action is subdued, the characters are cardboard and the plot is very silly. But there is some good action, and while the nihilistic ending would have seemed to rule out the possibility of a fourth entry, Alien Resurrection carried on the story to bigger, and arguably better effect.

After the lacklustre Alien 3, this visually impressive entry into the Alien franchise is far better than it's predecessor but doesn't quite reach the lofty heights of Ridley Scott's original.
The special effects are the main attraction, including a standout scene with CG aliens in water, and both CGI creations and practical blend seamlessly together.
The action set-pieces are nicely done if overly-gruesome, and with a climax that's a fascinating and fitting end (?) to the series, Alien 4 is well done, if sometimes over-cooked. All put in a terrific DVD box set loaded with extras, this one is a MUST-BUY DVD collection. No questions asked.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A legacy in blood...
Review: 20th Century Fox usually puts out some greatly designed DVD's, and this giftset of the legendary Alien series is no exception...for the most part. Here you get all four films, the first two being two of the finest science fiction/fantasy films of all time, the last two...well, you can read my reviews for them. Anyway, Alien and Aliens are loaded with special features including director's commentary's, trailers, deleted scenes, etc. but Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection have little features at all other than both having a featurette and theatrical trailers for all the films in the series. Thats it, no commentary from the directors or anything else (it would have been nice to hear a commentary from David Fincher on Alien 3, no matter how bad it was). All the movies are THX certified and the picture and sound quality are great for the most part. So if your a die hard Alien fan this is for you, but if you don't want to spend this much stick with the first two, and best, films in the series.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A Somewhat Repetitive Legacy
Review: After watching all of the Alien™ films, I'm sorry to say that I was not too excited about the whole thing. Each subsequent sequel tended to be a re-hash of the original but was approached in a different way each time. I'd go into details about this, but my write-up here will likely get tagged as a spoiler review if I do. So you'll just hafta give this series a rent and figure things out for yourself!

Out of the four, I consider the original Alien™ to be the best, since it was the first to use the aforementioned plot elements that the subsequent offerings would ape. That's the one that gets my highest rating. But admittedly, Aliens™ has the best look and the most epic scope, thanks to the imaginative work of writer-director James Cameron. His realization of the climactic confrontation between the load-lifter-exoskeleton-laden Ripley and the Alien queen made it the most memorable scene out of all the flicks. Well, aside from the alien larva burstin' outta that dude in the first flick, that is...

'Alien^3' was a slight deviation from the format, but not executed as well as the first two. 'Resurrection' was the worst of 'em, but had the best moments to goof on. In one scene, one of the military guys gets the back of his head opened by an Alien. He reaches back, picks a bit of his brain out, and stares at it. It's one of the sickest moments in movie history, and one of the funniest. And the part where the disgusting-yet-kinda-cute alien/human hybrid gets himself blown out of a hole in an escape pod's bulkhead-- little by little-was both funny and grody at the same time!

To end: If you really dig the sci-fi/action/horror scene, and you're curious about seeing the same basic premise done in slightly different ways, this just might be the collection for you!


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