Aliens is my favorite of the series. Yes, I cast my vote on the poll. Maybe because I saw it first. I'm not sure anymore.
While Ridley Scott's Alien was dark and suspenseful, James Cameron's Aliens was infused with this wonderful blue aura that made such a nice contrast for the oranges and yellows of the explosions and gunfire. Yes, I really like action films. This one is immensely satisfying. It's an action film with characters who we see develop and evolve, or in the case of Burke, devolve.
Ripley goes from being a shattered wreck to the avenging angel we all know and love. Hicks starts out several steps down the chain of command, but steps up and takes charge admirably when it comes time to. Hudson starts out sarcastic, flakes out, and then pulls it all together when the crunch is on. Even Lt. Gorman, the weakest of the bunch, makes the best of a bad situation when his time is up. Burke. Well Burke just turns into a worm. Which is pretty cool, actually, because Paul Reiser usually plays such nice, warm, fuzzy characters. Here, he is amoral.
There is a deep spirit of camaraderie among the Colonial Marines. Even when they're insulting each other, you sense a level of respect beneath the surface.
I could go on and on, but I've probably already worn out my welcome. So I'll leave it at this. . .for now.
I reserve the right for further comments later, Arcane. . .