Get away from her, and stay away.
Last summer’s news that Ridley Scott was planning to direct a prequel to his outstanding 1979 release Alien sent fanboys (and girls) the world over into a tidy froth. As a huge fan of the original franchise (for my sanity, I like to consider it a trilogy rather than acknowledging the existence of any further nastiness) this news was exciting, but problematic.
While it would not be impossible, as Alien Resurrection unfortunately proved, to drag Ellen Ripley back into play, the likelihood that Sigourney Weaver would join the cast for a prequel is small. Herein lies the problem. Ripley was, in my opinion, the best thing about the franchise. Not only because the acting and direction was so incredible, but that she was one of the few female characters within the science-fiction/horror genre that wasn’t a pathetic, screaming trollop. She was powerful without being an emotionless harpy, displayed terror without turning into jelly, and kicked slimy alien arse with convincing conviction.
Though Weaver’s expected absence does not guarantee anything about the prequel but my pouting disappointment, I won’t hold high hopes about it. Ridley Scott is a good director, but it is no coincidence that two of my favourite movie franchises have strong female characters (the other one being Sarah Connor from Terminator, more on her later), and so my enthusiasm for this film rests entirely on if there is a female lead. Which is, I acknowledge, almost entirely daft, but quite important for me considering the amount of terrible male-led blockbuster dross that is being churned out these days. Who can claim to be the next Ripley, Connor, or Starling, and inspire young cinema-goers to believe that there’s more in store for the women on screen than a squawking victim in a short skirt?
If the answer is Megan Fox, then I’m prepared to give up now.
Lisa Harrison
