Rotten Tomatoes Logo Do you want to see ‘Aliens’?

Aliens (1986)

tomatometer

100

Average Rating: 8.8/10
Reviews Counted: 49
Fresh: 49 | Rotten: 0

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.

100

Average Rating: 8/10
Critic Reviews: 7
Fresh: 7 | Rotten: 0

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.

audience

90

liked it
Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 374,363

My Rating

Movie Info

Big-budget special effects, swiftly paced action, and a distinct feminist subtext from writer/director James Cameron turned what should have been a by-the-numbers sci-fi sequel into both a blockbuster and a seven-time Oscar nominee. Sigourney Weaver returns as Ellen Ripley, the last surviving crew member of a corporate spaceship destroyed after an attack by a vicious, virtually unbeatable alien life form. Adrift in space for half a century, Ripley grapples with depression until she's informed by

Jun 1, 1999

20th Century Fox Film Corporat

Cast

All Critics (49) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (53) | Rotten (0) | DVD (37)

The trouble Ripley has found this time is exponentially bigger and scarier than anything she encountered in Ridley Scott's memorably minimalist, eerily elegant 1979 film.

October 19, 2008 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | Comment
TIME Magazine
Top Critic IconTop Critic

One sequel that surpasses the original.

September 24, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comments (30)
Chicago Reader
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A flaming, flashing, crashing, crackling blow-'em-up show that keeps you popping from your seat despite your better instincts and the basically conventional scare tactics.

May 21, 2003 Comment
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Makes up for lack of surprise with sheer volume of thrills and chills.

February 13, 2001 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment
Variety
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"Absolutely smashing!"

January 1, 2000 Comment
Film.com
Top Critic IconTop Critic

When it comes to the logical marriage of action, adventure, and science fiction, few films are as effective or accomplished as Aliens.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: ReelViews | Comment
ReelViews
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Aliens contains a fascinating exploration of the way Western culture has traditionally aligned feminine characteristics onto nature while masculine characteristics have been aligned with civilisation.

September 22, 2011 Full Review Source: Cinema Autopsy | Comment
Cinema Autopsy

James Cameron's Aliens is easily one of the best sequels ever made, taking the original story and expanding upon it in ways most sequels are afraid to do.

October 30, 2010 Full Review Source: IGN DVD | Comment (1)
IGN DVD

Alien sequel is bigger, faster, scarier.

September 9, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment (1)
Common Sense Media

It's interesting that the film, a sequel to Ridley Scott's 1979 atmospheric horror-film-in-space, is generally regarded as an action movie. Go through it, and you'll realize the character and dialogue scenes far outweigh the kablooey stuff.

September 2, 2010 Full Review Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune | Comment (1)

Proved that James Cameron has a mind for directing action movies considerably more nuanced and plot-driven than just "find ways to blow things up".

December 11, 2009 Full Review Source: Antagony & Ecstasy | Comment
Antagony & Ecstasy

If you were to only see one movie in your entire lifetime it would have to be ALIENS. James Cameron has delivered a masterpiece that will never in a million years be topped...

August 27, 2009 Full Review Source: Bloody Disgusting | Comments (7)
Bloody Disgusting

Some critics consider this chapter to be better than the first, but the two movies are vastly different: Ridley Scott's is a scary horror film, whereas James Cameron's is a high-tech actioner with superlative set-pieces.

July 14, 2009 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | Comment

Cameron's strength lies in solid storytelling in the muscular fashion that he stages the action, creating exciting thrills and intense suspense without ever descending into the mere mechanical.

September 20, 2008 Full Review Source: ESplatter | Comment
ESplatter

Un film clé en son genre.

August 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Panorama | Comment

Weaver is superb -- tough, smart, and the best fighter, male or female, in the movie.

June 17, 2008 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Truly great cinema.

September 24, 2007 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | Comment
Empire Magazine

If only all blockbusters were this good.

September 24, 2007 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment

There is always an interesting tension in Cameron's work between masculine and feminine qualities. When it finally hits the fan here, we're in for the mother of all battles.

August 16, 2007 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment

It's actually scary to think about what the movie landscape would look like had Aliens not been the critical and commercial success that it was.

February 3, 2007 Full Review Source: Bullz-Eye.com | Comment
Bullz-Eye.com

Everything a sequel should be.

May 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | Comment (1)
Combustible Celluloid

This sequel dares to build slowly, allowing Weaver to develop a multi-dimensional character even as it ups the ante by fetishising the Marines' hi-tech hardware and spawning legions of aliens.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out New York | Comment
Time Out New York

Features Sigourney Weaver as a female Rambo with nurturing instincts.

August 26, 2004 Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | Comment
Spirituality and Practice
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Aliens

A super badass film. Directed by James Cameron, Starring Sigourney Weaver, featuring Sci-Fi's greatest creature, and filled with terror and action? This is one of the best of the best films ever made!!

July 9, 2010
Samuel Riley
Sam riley

Super Reviewer

Aliens is the definitive sequel, a film that offers a great follow-up to the original but also still stands on its own. Aliens offers a fresh take on the original's concepts. While Alien was a slow-burning suspense thriller, Aliens is a kinetic sci-fi action film. Sigourney Weaver's performance is still as strong as

June 13, 2011
Christopher Heim

Super Reviewer

    1. Ellen Ripley: Get away from her you B*TCH!
    – Submitted by Gabe Z (1 day ago)
    1. Pvt. Hudson: I'm ready, man, check it out. I am the ultimate badass! State of the badass art! You do NOT wanna f**k with me. Check it out! Hey Ripley, don't worry. Me and my squad of ultimate badasses will protect you! Check it out! Independently targeting particle beam phalanx. Vwap! Fry half a city with this puppy. We got tactical smart missiles, phase-plasma pulse rifles, RPGs, we got sonic electronic ball breakers! We got nukes, we got knives, sharp sticks...
    – Submitted by Francis L (15 days ago)
    1. Pvt. Hudson: They're coming out of the goddamn walls!
    – Submitted by James S (22 days ago)
    1. Pvt. Hudson: That's it man, game over man, game over!
    – Submitted by Marco M (31 days ago)
    1. Newt: They mostly come at night. Mostly.
    – Submitted by Crankgorilla W (3 months ago)

Latest News for Aliens

October 11, 2011:
James Cameron Would Consider 3D Conversions of Terminator 2 and Aliens
He says "those would be cool movies to convert"...but it all depends on how many people go see...

July 18, 2011:
Aliens Turns 25
Celebrating a quarter century of one of Hollywood's most successful sequels.

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Foreign Titles

  • Aliens - Die Rückkehr (DE)
  • Aliens, el regreso (ES)
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