--- title: "Aliens" year: 1986 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/aliens" fi1m_id: "aliens" imdb_id: "tt0090605" tmdb_id: 679 wikidata_id: "Q104814" fi1m_score: 91 critics_score: 86 critics_reviews: 11 published: "2026-09-15" updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:32.640664+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Aliens (1986) Directed by James Cameron · 2h 17m · MPA R · Action, Thriller, Science Fiction ## Identity Aliens - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/aliens - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** aliens - **IMDb ID:** tt0090605 - **TMDB ID:** 679 - **Wikidata ID:** Q104814 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090605/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/679, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104814 **Fi1m score: 91** · Critics 86 from 11 reviews *In a sentence:* The marines bring all the hardware, but we would still rather stand next to Sigourney Weaver > James Cameron’s *Aliens* is an exceptional action thriller, with Sigourney Weaver giving the military spectacle a human centre. Some marines are little more than types, but Ripley gives us reason to care who survives. ## Synopsis Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) joins a force of space marines to confront an alien threat. Corporal Hicks (Michael Biehn), Private Hudson (Bill Paxton) and Private Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein) are among the soldiers, alongside Lieutenant Gorman (William Hope) and Sergeant Apone (Al Matthews). Their military hardware meets creatures that turn the mission into a struggle to survive. Carrie Henn plays Newt, a child with whom Ripley forms a protective bond. James Cameron writes and directs this science-fiction action thriller, following Ripley into another encounter with the creatures and bringing more people into their path. ## Review James Cameron understands that a sequel needs a reason to exist beyond another encounter with the same creatures. *Aliens* supplies one by sending Ripley back into danger with space marines and making a war film out of the confrontation. The increase in firepower changes the expectations: trained soldiers with serious equipment ought to have a better chance, which gives Cameron something useful to work against. We recommend it without much hesitation, though its appetite for action sometimes leaves the supporting characters with little to do beyond announce their personalities. Sigourney Weaver is the reason that escalation does not become tiring in the wrong way. Her Ripley has the resourcefulness an action lead needs, but Weaver allows fear to remain visible inside the competence. The relationship with Carrie Henn’s Newt gives that fear a particular focus, and Cameron’s screenplay is at its most persuasive when protection means practical work rather than declarations. The maternal emphasis can feel a little heavily insisted upon, but Weaver makes Ripley’s concern for the child convincing without turning her into a different person. Adrian Biddle’s cinematography makes the encounters with the creatures readable without making them feel safely contained. That is essential here: the action needs enough clarity for us to understand the danger, rather than merely accept that something noisy is happening. Peter Lamont’s production design gives the high-tech environment and military hardware a solidity that helps explain the marines’ confidence. We can believe that these people expect their equipment to deal with whatever they find. Ray Lovejoy’s editing gives the early build-up room to establish Ripley before the action starts demanding so much attention. At 137 minutes, the film is long enough to make impatience a risk, but the preparation is doing useful work. Once the encounters begin, the pace leaves little space to recover, and James Horner’s score keeps the anxiety present between them. We were frightened by how little comfort all that military hardware provided when the marines faced the creatures. The marines are less carefully written than Ripley, and Cameron’s screenplay sometimes settles for rowdiness where another distinguishing detail would help. Bill Paxton’s Private Hudson and Jenette Goldstein’s Private Vasquez belong to an ensemble whose broad outlines are easy to grasp, but that speed comes at a cost. There are people here we understand chiefly through their place in the unit. A few quieter exchanges would have helped us care about more of them. Turning horror into a war film does make the creatures more familiar, and anyone hoping chiefly for mystery may find the repeated confrontations too explicit. Cameron accepts that loss and uses the practical effects to make proximity unpleasant instead. The creatures have a physical presence that remains troubling even when we know a confrontation is coming. That is a sound choice for action-horror, though it means the film’s quieter dread must compete with a great deal of weaponry. Give *Aliens* the full evening rather than treating it as a succession of action scenes to dip into. The slow opening needs attention because Ripley is the reason the later pressure works. We would not choose it to unwind. *Fi1m score 91, published 15 September 2026.* ## What the critics say The consensus is strongly positive: most critics welcome James Cameron’s shift from confined horror towards military action, finding that the sequel expands the original without losing its capacity to frighten. Praise centres on Cameron’s control of tension, the physical force of the action and the practical effects. Sigourney Weaver is the clearest point of agreement, with reviews crediting her performance as Ripley with giving the spectacle emotional weight; several also value the character’s resourcefulness and maternal role. The differences concern how much that expansion costs in atmosphere, originality and character. Enthusiasm ranges from wholehearted approval to qualified admiration: The New York Times finds the script thin and overwhelmed by technique, while Slant Magazine admires the action and use of space but objects to archetypal characters and the treatment of gender. Elsewhere, reservations focus on diminished surprise and a preference for the original’s more restrained horror. ## Straight answers **Is Aliens worth watching?** *Aliens* is worth watching for anyone who wants a war film built around a horror threat, and we scored it 91. Sigourney Weaver keeps fear visible inside Ripley's competence, and her bond with Newt gives the escalating action a human reason to matter. The marines are thinly written, and it is not a film to unwind with. **How long is Aliens, and what is it rated?** *Aliens* runs 2h 17m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is an action and thriller film. **Where can I watch Aliens in the US?** *Aliens* is streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel and Apple TV in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $3.99. It leaves The Roku Channel on 1 October. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Aliens, and is it suitable for children?** *Aliens* carries an 18 certificate and is not suitable for children. The practical effects make the creatures physically unpleasant at close quarters, and the confrontations are frequent and explicit once they begin. Teenagers used to action-horror may cope; the squeamish, or anyone who finds sustained anxiety exhausting, should expect little relief between encounters. **How does Aliens compare to Alien?** *Aliens* turns the horror of [*Alien*](https://film.one/film/alien) into a war film, trading patient confinement for firepower and a full ensemble of marines. The earlier film is the more frightening of the two, its dread building slowly in one ship; the sequel is the more exciting, with Sigourney Weaver giving the spectacle its centre. Choose *Alien* for mystery, *Aliens* for pressure. **Do you need to have seen the other Alien films before Aliens?** *Aliens* can be followed without having seen the other Alien films, since James Cameron spends its slow opening re-establishing Ripley before the marines arrive. It is a sequel in spirit as well as name, though, and the creatures' familiarity is part of its design. Newcomers who want the fear intact should start with the first film. **What should I watch after Aliens?** After *Aliens*, try [*The Terminator*](https://film.one/film/the-terminator) (1984, Fi1m 88): Cameron keeps the machinery frightening and the people worth worrying about. Then [*The Wages of Fear*](https://film.one/film/the-wages-of-fear) (1953, Fi1m 90): Another dangerous assignment where confidence offers little protection against mounting physical peril; and [*The Descent*](https://film.one/film/the-descent) (2005, Fi1m 85): A capable group enters hostile territory, with cramped space making every decision worse. **What order should I watch the Alien films in?** Release order is the safe choice for Alien, and it is the order [our collection page](https://film.one/collections/alien) lists them in. *Aliens* is number 2 of the 4 Alien titles on Fi1m; before it comes [*Alien*](https://film.one/film/alien) and after it [*Alien³*](https://film.one/film/alien3). [The full order.](https://film.one/collections/alien.md) ### Reviews we read (13) - **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (5/5): This sequel surpasses the original in sheer spectacle as Ripley joins marines to confront colonised aliens in a hi-tech house of horrors. Cameron masterfully controls tension and pace for shocks, suspense and an Oscar-winning fright-fest. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-0jzd27/aliens/) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (4/4): The film is a superb example of filmmaking craft and intense thriller that delivers on its promise to frighten, though it leaves the viewer drained and anxious rather than entertained. It singles out Sigourney Weaver's strong, sympathetic performance as the thread holding everything together along with the professional special effects. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/aliens-1986) - **Empire**, Ian Nathan (95/100, inferred): The critic calls Aliens the perfect sequel that expands on the original while standing alone, crediting Cameron's vision and nerve in turning it into a war movie with an army of aliens. They single out the intense, physical execution of the action and Ripley's resourcefulness as a strong female lead. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-aliens-review/) - **Total Film**, Kevin Harley (90/100, inferred): The critic praises Cameron's sequel for preserving what worked in the original and multiplying it into a war movie, while still delivering horror through sudden encounters and strong scripting. They highlight the maternal themes with Ripley and the ageless practical effects as making it state-of-the-art action-horror. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/aliens-1-review/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Sheila Benson (80/100, inferred): It is a perfectly honorable sequel that is taut, inexorably paced and successful when Weaver is onscreen, though more blaster action than Gothic future-horror. It singles out Sigourney Weaver as the white-hot core with fine, irascible dialogue and athleticism. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-07-18-ca-16778-story.html) - **Time Out**, TCh (80/100, inferred): The sequel builds slowly to develop Ripley's multi-dimensional character while escalating the action with hi-tech hardware and hordes of aliens. Cameron's work maintains a tension between masculine and feminine qualities, culminating in an epic battle. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/aliens) - **The New York Times**, Walter Goodman (75/100, inferred): It is a flaming, flashing, crashing blow-'em-up show that keeps you popping from your seat with its effects and perils, though less innovative than the predecessor and with a skimpy script overwhelmed by technique. It singles out the special-effects specialists and Sigourney Weaver's rescue and return to action. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1986/07/18/movies/film-sigourney-weaver-in-aliens.html) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (75/100, inferred): It proves a very worthy followup that makes up for lack of surprise with sheer volume of thrills and chills. It singles out Sigourney Weaver's smashing job as Ripley and the overall expert craftsmanship, though it notes Ridley Scott had more of an artist's touch. [Read](https://variety.com/1985/film/reviews/aliens-1200426985/) - **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez: The review calls Aliens a cruder, greedy mega-production where human melodramas take a back seat to kick-ass action sequences, praising Cameron's direction of action and use of space while criticizing archetypal characters and subtextual gender dynamics. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/aliens/) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Dennis Fischer: The critic finds Aliens a wild roller-coaster ride that should attract thrill fans, praising its action and suspense after a slow buildup while noting it reprises concepts from the original but shifts to high-energy set pieces. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/aliens-review-1986-movie-1022037/) - **Paste**, Jim Vorel (90/100, inferred): Aliens is a perfect example of a bigger and better sequel, reframing the original story within a new action-horror genre twist while preserving corporate bureaucracy themes. It excels through its rowdy space marines, the addition of the alien queen, and Cameron's talent for scaling up stakes effectively. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/horror-movies/aliens-1986-review-sequel-james-cameron) - **Eye for Film**, Gator MacReady (85/100, inferred): The critic praises James Cameron's sequel for expertly balancing action, suspense, and sub-text while delivering relentless tension, shocks, and a strong emotional core through Ripley's surrogate mother relationship with Newt. It highlights the intense marine sequences, the haunting score, and the epic final showdown with the Alien Queen as making it a superior popcorn thriller and one of the greatest action rides. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/aliens-film-review-by-gator-macready) - **Collider**, Maggie Boccella (8/10): Aliens is a superior film to Alien, offering a thrilling, action-packed take on the xenomorphs and their queen. The diverse cast of characters adds depth and charm, making the crew's fate more impactful and intense. [Read](https://collider.com/aliens-review/) ## Details - **Director:** James Cameron - **Director:** James Cameron - **Screenplay:** James Cameron - **Story:** David Giler, Walter Hill, James Cameron - **Cinematography:** Adrian Biddle - **Editor:** Ray Lovejoy - **Music:** James Horner - **Production design:** Peter Lamont - **Costume design:** Emma Porteous - **Producer:** Gale Anne Hurd - **Cast:** Sigourney Weaver as Ripley; Carrie Henn as Newt; Michael Biehn as Corporal Hicks; Paul Reiser as Burke; Lance Henriksen as Bishop; Bill Paxton as Private Hudson; William Hope as Lieutenant Gorman; Jenette Goldstein as Private Vasquez - **Runtime:** 2h 17m - **Certificate (MPA):** R - **Release (the US):** 18 July 1986 - **Genres:** Action, Thriller, Science Fiction - **Part of:** [Alien](https://film.one/collections/alien.md) · 2 of 4 - **Budget:** $18 million - **Box office:** $183 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OxirbuHsBA ## Where to watch in the US - Netflix: streaming - Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd - The Roku Channel: add-on, hd, leaving 2026-10-01 - Apple TV: add-on, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent $4.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $4.99, uhd - Apple TV: buy $19.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-15.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 1987: Best Actress (nominated); Best Film Editing (nominated); Best Original Score (nominated); Best Production Design (nominated); Best Sound (nominated); Best Sound Editing (won); Best Visual Effects (won) - BAFTA Film Awards 1987: Best Makeup and Hair (nominated); Best Sound (nominated); Best Special Visual Effects (won) - Hugo Awards 1987: Best Dramatic Presentation (won) - Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film 1987: Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film (nominated) - Saturn Awards 1987: Best Director (won); Best Science Fiction Film (won) - Golden Globes 1986: Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama (nominated) ## If you liked this - *The Terminator* (1984), Fi1m 88: Cameron keeps the machinery frightening and the people worth worrying about. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-terminator.md) - *The Wages of Fear* (1953), Fi1m 90: Another dangerous assignment where confidence offers little protection against mounting physical peril. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-wages-of-fear.md) - *The Descent* (2005), Fi1m 85: A capable group enters hostile territory, with cramped space making every decision worse. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-descent.md) - *Train to Busan* (2016), Fi1m 84: Sustained creature attacks become more distressing because the human attachments are carefully established. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/train-to-busan.md) - *Tremors* (1990), Fi1m 82: For creature suspense with clear geography, practical ingenuity and rather more room to laugh. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/tremors.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/aliens