Aliens

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1:55

Aliens

R

1986

2h 17m

Sci-Fi

Horror

Action

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

142 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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

An excellent science fiction, horror, action, AND war film.

Rated: 4/4

Nov 12, 2025

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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

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Alfred L

Okay when I said nothing can compare to Alien(1979) in the franchise I kinda liked this movie is such a great follow up.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/21/25

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Ryan W

It’s Aliens,it’s one of the best movies ever made,it’s stunning in every way,even its flaws add to its flavour and need not be criticised,it has everything a sci-fi lover needs,it’s in the top 20 movies of all time,it gruesome yet funny at times,it’s a work of art,eat this.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/20/25

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Stathis K

Story: 9/10 – A thrilling escalation from the original. The focus shifts to intense action and survival, while still keeping Ripley’s emotional journey central. The stakes are higher, and the pacing never lets up. Visuals / Atmosphere: 9.5/10 – James Cameron builds a fully realized, industrial, war-like environment on LV-426. The alien hive feels alive and terrifying. Action: 10/10 – Non-stop, high-tension sequences. From dropship battles to the Queen showdown, every scene is expertly staged and adrenaline-pumping. Soundtrack / Sound Design: 9.5/10 – James Horner’s score is epic and suspenseful, perfectly complementing the tension and action. Sound effects make the aliens genuinely fearsome. Performances: 9/10 – Sigourney Weaver is phenomenal, combining toughness and emotional depth. The supporting cast adds realism and camaraderie under extreme pressure. Overall: 9.4/10

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/16/25

Full Review

Rock L

pretty weird that such an amazing and violent scifi horror suspense thriller would re-invent itself as a block buster action movie with this sequel. as a child this was my favorite. right next to ghost busters and ninja turtles. it just seems weird to me looking back on it. still holds up though.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/16/25

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Chris D.

Phenomenal movie. Greatest sequel ever made.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/12/25

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Ryan A

Whoever defined a sequel as an inferior film couldn’t have meant this. While this is a gritty action sci fi horror survival film vs the claustrophobic sci fi horror of tge original, the change works fantastically. It feels like the natural evolution of the story. I loved the original before the director’s cut, the director’s cut added to the perfection.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/11/25

Full Review

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James Cameron

Director

Sigourney Weaver

Lt. Ellen Ripley

Carrie Henn

Rebecca "Newt" Jorden

Michael Biehn

Corporal Dwayne Hicks

Paul Reiser

Carter J. Burke

Lance Henriksen

Science Officer L. Bishop

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Aliens: Trailer 1

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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
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox, Brandywine Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror, Action, Adventure
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)

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