Movie Review: "Alien"

Alien is one of the landmark, classic sci-fi films, directed by Ridley Scott. In preparation for Prometheus, I'm revisiting these films. I've only seem them once each, and don't recall a lot aside from my feelings about them. Overall, I felt they were rather dull. And I can see why in hindsight, but I think my film tastes have become more attuned since then. Sci-fi itself is a vast genre, with many subtypes. There's sci-fi with fantasy elements (Star Wars), comedy (Galaxy Quest), philosophical elements (The Fountain), and horror, of which Alien fits. As a horror film, Alien is very good. The films is shot well, using a lot of shots via reflections in helmets and windows, which I like. The setting is appropriately dark, and the tone slow and ominous, very appropriate for the genre. As in a typical horror film, everyone dies but one. The music is sparse, but present at the right moments to heighten the mood.

The story itself is straightforward. The crew of the ship Nostromo is going home, when they are diverted to answer a distress call. They land on the planet, find an abandoned ship, a crew member is attacked after finding an egg, they bring him on board despite warnings from Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) about quarantine protocols, and they head back to the main ship. Unfortunately, the face hugger incubates inside the guy, chest busts out, and becomes a full-fledged, titular alien. We learn that the science officer is an android, ordered by the Weyland company to capture the alien at all costs, even if the crew's lives are at stake. The alien kills everyone, until Ripley escapes and blasts it into space.

Simple story, executed well. But I still found it boring. And that's because I'm not a horror fan. Except for The Exorcist, I found most horror films dull, because they don't scare me. Ditto with Alien, a very well-made horror film, but not enough to give me a scare. But I can see why people liked it, although a more fleshed-out story would probably have made it a better film. But perhaps that's what the sequels will offer.