The character of Ellen Ripley is a pretty dynamic one. Ripley spans over two hundred and fifty years within the Alien franchise timeline, and as an actor, Weaver played the role four times over almost twenty years, 1979-1997. This is just the character's longevity, let alone her force of will and on-screen presence. Ripley's shining moment was alongside the colonial marines in the second movie, but her performance in the first Alien film is actually a bit better. The third film saw her character come full circle and she was at her most vulnerable. By the time the fourth movie came about, we had a cloned Ripley much changed and in a new future that was both darker and more sinister. She knows how to wield an M41a Pulse Rifle, she can operate a power loader, she's got a commercial spaceship license, she hates it when androids offer her corn bread, and her maternal instinct meter goes to eleven. You gotta induct Ripley into the Thor's Day Heroes, the first truly strong heroine I can remember in film or television
Sad that while every movie and video game since has ripped off the cast and props, nobody has emulated the best bit... Ripley.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. There was just a magic alignment of story, acting, pop culture, and film making technology that all came together in just the right way at just the right time to make it both stick and hold its own even today.
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