If you’re a massive fan of the “Alien” franchise (as I am), then you know there is a huge debate over which film is the “best” of the bunch. Some will say it’s Ripley Scott’s original “Alien.” Others will say it’s Paul W.S. Anderson’s “Alien vs. Predator.” (Kidding.) Obviously, the film others will pick is James Cameron’s “Aliens.” Well, why not ask Sigourney Weaver, who has been the lead in a large number of these films?
In a new interview with Collider, Sigourney Weaver, who plays the hero, Ripley, in the “Alien” franchise, was asked which of the films in the series was her favorite to be part of? And while you might think the actress would try to deflect and not choose a side, she actually did pick one of the two mentioned above.
“Oh, goodness, that’s difficult,” said Weaver. “The best-constructed story for the character to tell was in ‘Aliens,’ just because Jim [Cameron] has such an amazing sense of structure of story. To take this character out of hyper-sleep, have no one believe her, have her be exiled into this limbo land where no one believes her and her family’s dead. The whole set-up for Ripley in ‘Aliens’ and then what she ends up doing and what it, finding this new family by the end.”
She continued, “The whole structure of that story, to me, was gold. I always felt that I could jump up and down on it. It was such a great, supportive, arc for the character. In that sense, the second one for Ripley is probably the most satisfying.”
The debate over “Alien” versus “Aliens” really comes down to what you look for in a film from the series. Do you want straight-up horror? Ripley Scott’s “Alien” is the clear winner. Do you want to see Sigourney Weaver and a cast of macho space marines kick ass and kill lots of Xenomorphs? James Cameron’s “Aliens” is really the best choice. But honestly, it’s a debate that will rage on for decades longer, most likely.
You can see Sigourney Weaver in her latest film, “My Salinger Year,” which is available now in select theaters and VOD.
