“Aliens,” is a movie of many layers. On one hand, it is a slick science-fiction piece while on another subliminal themes like; the role of the feminine in our culture, greed of corporations, and Jung’s concept of the negative mother archetype are all present. Did Burke (Paul Reiser) know about the alien infestation on LV-426 before settlers were sent there? Is Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) using Newt (Carrie Henn) as a surrogate child to ease the pain of losing her own child? How did the alien presence on LV-426 wipe out every single colonist except for Newt? These questions will be answered in this analysis along with covering some of the major themes in the film.

James Cameron as a director is in his element with this science fiction thriller. Cameron often focuses on themes of humanity and the role of technology in culture and this is true for “Aliens,” as well (Lofficier). In “Aliens,” it is somewhat surprising that the character Bishop (Lance Henriksen) displays some of the greatest human qualities such as; self-sacrifice, individual risk for the collective group, and curiosity rather than fear of the unknown. Bishop is a synthetic human. Throughout “Aliens,” Bishop is seen by Ripley as being corrupt and untrustworthy but near the end of the film it is Bishop that saves Ripley’s life.

In “Aliens,” there is a reversal in the stereotypical masculine hero role as Ripley takes center stage in many of the action sequences. There are many instances where Ripley takes a leadership role during the film in order to save lives. When the initial assault on the Alien nest takes place things go badly for the Marines and Ripley immediately rushes to the rescue. One of the reasons for Ripley’s heroism is that on LV-426 she is getting a second chance to take on the Alien presence and this time she wants to bring her crew back alive. Many of the defensive strategies for dealing with Alien attacks are thought up by Ripley as she maintains a cool head despite chaos and panic in the Marine unit. As well, Ripley goes on the attack when she discovers Burke’s plan to impregnate members of her crew for company profits. Most of Ripley’s actions are courageous and her decisions are made with a cool head, despite the difficulty of her situation.

The film “Aliens,” is one of the first to utilize the feminine voice. Ripley speaks out when she feels a situation is unjust even in situations where men are trying to silence her. In the first few scenes of the film during an interrogation with company executives Ripley defends her herself and her role in the destruction of the “Nostromo.” Later, she again demonstrates her ability to be heard during a Marine briefing when soldiers try to out talk her. Several males try to interject while Ripley speaks out about the dangers of the Alien threat on LV-426. Ripley is able to tell her painful story about the events from the first “Alien,” movie and the Marines begin to take her seriously. One of the few males who actively supports Ripley and listens is Corp. Hicks. Hicks’ approach to Ripley shows Cameron’s vision of a masculine-feminine relationship that is about interdependence rather than superiority (Wiki…). This fresh look at male/female roles is one of the reasons that “Aliens,” is still popular today.

Another theme that repeats within “Aliens,” is the theme of corporate greed. Burke’s sleazy salesman persona is in contrast to the humanity of other characters in the film. Burke is the one who steps in when there are thoughts about, “Nuking the site from orbit (Hadley’s Hope).”

Burke’s response is, “This is a multi-million dollar sight we’re talking about here.” With the loss of so many lives Burke’s main concern is in the future earning potential of the mining site.

Earlier in the film company executives disbar Ripley from ever piloting a starship again because of her orders to self-destruct the “Nostromo.” Her story about an Alien invasion is unbelievable to the executives and their primary concern is over the loss of a multi-million dollar freighter rather than the loss of her crew. Cameron is stating that global companies value profits before human lives.

The reason for the Alien outbreak on LV-426 is due to Burke’s incompetence. Burke sends out an exploration team to check out Ripley’s claim about an Alien craft. In doing so the scout team receives exposure to an alien parasite. Burke’s withholding of information about the Alien presence on LV-426 dooms the mining colonists.

One of the subplots within “Aliens,” is the relationship between Ripley and Newt. Newt who is the lone survivor on Hadley’s Hope acts as a surrogate daughter to Ripley. Previously, in the film Ripley has lost her only daughter upon returning to Earth. Newt acts a second chance for Ripley to become a mother, as she deals with the grief of losing her own daughter. Ripley likely sees her own daughter in the face of Newt and fights continuously to save her life from the Alien presence. All the while feelings of guilt are felt by Ripley for not being able to be present for her own daughter.

On a more subconscious level James Cameron has put forth a representation of the negative mother archetype for viewers to see. The Alien Queen who Ripley battles at the end of the movie has six arms, gives birth to hundreds of eggs, is darkish in appearance, and seeks to devour those at Hadley’s Hope much like Kali the Indian goddess of death (Religion). Kali is a representation of violence, sexuality, and motherly love and is an example of Jung’s negative mother archetype.

As the Marines enter the processing plant to meet the dark Queen they enter her lair through a dark, humid, wet tunnel that is symbolic of female sexuality. The dark tunnel connects with a chamber that houses Kali’s offspring just like a womb. Inside the womb the Marines come under attack from the negative mother’s followers and many are unable to escape her grasp. Later, when Bishop returns to the Queen’s lair he too enters the location through another long dark tunnel. James Cameron “Aliens,” creation is one of the best examples in cinema of the negative mother archetype.

Why was the colony on Hadley’s Hope overrun so quickly? Some of the reasons include; surprise, inexperience on the part of the miners in dealing with an aggressive alien force, lack of a security on LV-426, and an absence of suitable weapons to counter the Alien presence.

As the Marines land and explore Hadley Hope’s donuts with coffee cups and ordinary articles can be seen on multiple desks. Also, barricades are set up haphazardly in corridors and Sgt. Apone states, “It looks like seismic survey charges have been used (craters).”

Seismic survey charges are a part of the mining process and it seems that the colonists fought the Aliens under chaotic conditions. In addition, it appears that the Alien attack was so ferocious that many colonists in the course of their daily lives did not have a chance to escape or send out a beacon for help.

James Cameron uses cinema to tell stories about humanity and in the process the viewers learn about their own humanness. “Aliens,” is one of the few sequels that is able to match the genius of the previous film, while adding to the myth. Cameron’s use of light and dark, costumes, and set pieces add to the fear factor of the film and his attention to details enrich the visual appeal of the film. “Aliens,” can simply be seen as an action or a science fiction film but for others the film embodies myth and legends that are timeless to storytelling.

Sources:

"Aliens (film)." Wikipedia. 28 Sep. 2008 .

Fuller, Cheryl. "Negative Mother Complex Writ Large?." Jung At Heart. 17 May 2008. 28 Sep. 2008 heart.com/jung_at_heart/negative_mother_complex_wri.html>.

Lofficier, Randy. "Interview with James Cameron & Gale Ann Hurd on Aliens." Aliens Le Retour. 28 Sep. 2008 http://www.lofficier.com/cameron.htm

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