Aliens

R

Released Jul 18, 1986

2h 17m

Sci-Fi

Horror

Action

TRAILER

for

List

94%

Tomatometer

143 Reviews

94%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

After floating in space for 57 years, Lt. Ripley's (Sigourney Weaver) shuttle is found by a deep space salvage team. Upon arriving at LV-426, the marines find only one survivor, a nine year old girl named Newt (Carrie Henn). But even these battle-hardened marines with all the latest weaponry are no match for the hundreds of aliens that have invaded the colony.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

While Alien was a marvel of slow-building, atmospheric tension, Aliens packs a much more visceral punch, and features a typically strong performance from Sigourney Weaver.

Read Critics Reviews

Scott Cain

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Let's not mince words: Aliens is the greatest horror movie since Frankenstein. Here is a rare instance in which a sequel is infinitely superior to the original. Alien, the 1979 thriller, now seems like a preliminary sketch.

Jul 30, 2024

Full Review

Mike McGrady

Newsday

Cameron is a master of machinery and weaponry, a technical wizard who replaces Scott's refinement with his own kind of muscularity... But with either film, you leave the theater drained, physically exhausted, well-rewarded for all your suffering.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 30, 2024

Full Review

Jay Maeder

New York Daily News

The long-awaited sequel to Alien proves to be an extraordinary treat, as perfectly realized a thrill-a-second screamer as has ever come along.

Rated: 4/4

Jul 30, 2024

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Horror Queers Podcast

From the small character details to the massive set-pieces, Cameron expands the Alien mythology and switches sub genres seamlessly. It truly is a perfect sequel.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 16, 2024

Full Review

Casey Chong

Casey's Movie Mania

[James Cameron] takes the franchise in another direction by raising the stakes and turning the sequel into an action-packed, war epic [while] retaining the dread-inducing feel and tone of the first movie.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 15, 2024

Full Review

Lou Lumenick

Bergen Record (New Jersey)

What can I say? Aliens is the scariest and most exciting movie I've seen in several years. My adrenalin was still racing an hour later. It's involving. It has well-drawn characters. It has consistency. And Sigourney Weaver gives a dazzling performance.

Jul 30, 2024

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

James Cameron’s sequel had a lot to live up to and delivered. My only complaint is his choice to make the xenomorph into a mindless drone, rather than the compelling character that it is in the original.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/05/24

Full Review

Robox C

The Best from Alien's Saga

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/03/24

Full Review

Roger S

Perfect sci fi movie in every aspect.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/03/24

Full Review

Audience Member

A great continuation on from the first movie! It added an extra level of suspense

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/01/24

Full Review

Tanya P

The best movie of all time. This movie has been my favourite movie since as long as I can remember. I have watched so many times I know all the words and I annoy the hell out of my friends with it. Casting was superb! Sigourney Weaver and Michael Biehn were made for this movie. The script was fabulous. The sets and aliens were fab. H.R. Giger is such a truly amazing artist and I shudder to think what it would be like if he didn't create these aliens for the franchise.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/30/24

Full Review

Tim A

Great movie. Soild for a sequel. Great actors an actresses. Directors cut is better than original release. Adds more to character development.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/28/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

James Cameron

Director

Sigourney Weaver

Lt. Ellen Ripley

Carrie Henn

Rebecca 'New' Jorden

Michael Biehn

Corporal Dwayne Hicks

Paul Reiser

Carter J. Burke

Lance Henriksen

Science Officer L. Bishop

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Alien 3

44%

46%

Alien 3

TRAILER

for Alien 3

Alien

93%

94%

Alien

TRAILER

for Alien

Alien Resurrection

55%

39%

Alien Resurrection

I Come in Peace

38%

46%

I Come in Peace

Doom

18%

34%

Doom

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

There’s An Alien TV Series in the Works at FX, Created by Fargo‘s Noah Hawley

Know Your Critic: Bilge Ebiri, Movie Critic at Vulture

Terry Crews’ Five Favorite Films

Aliens: Trailer 1

1:55

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

After floating in space for 57 years, Lt. Ripley's (Sigourney Weaver) shuttle is found by a deep space salvage team. Upon arriving at LV-426, the marines find only one survivor, a nine year old girl named Newt (Carrie Henn). But even these battle-hardened marines with all the latest weaponry are no match for the hundreds of aliens that have invaded the colony.

Director: James Cameron
Producer: Gale Anne Hurd
Screenwriter: James Cameron, David Giler
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox, Brandywine Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 18, 1986, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $77.6M
Runtime: 2h 17m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Stereo, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now