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Aliens Play Trailer

Aliens (1986)

tomatometer

98

Average Rating: 8.8/10
Reviews Counted: 50
Fresh: 49 | Rotten: 1

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.

90

Average Rating: 7.6/10
Critic Reviews: 10
Fresh: 9 | Rotten: 1

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

R,

Action & Adventure, Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy

James Cameron

Jun 1, 1999

20th Century Fox Film Corporat

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Aliens Trailer & Photos

Critic Reviews for Aliens

All Critics (50) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (53) | Rotten (1) | DVD (37)

Count me out of the fan club for this one.

January 16, 2013 Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic IconTop Critic

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
TIME Magazine
Top Critic IconTop Critic

One sequel that surpasses the original.

September 24, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comments (44)
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

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
Time Out
Top Critic IconTop Critic

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
Time Out New York
Top Critic IconTop Critic

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
Walter Goodman
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Another defining picture in the sci-fi genre. A stellar achievement that's almost as good as the original.

June 13, 2012 Full Review Source: Cinema Sight
Wesley Lovell
Cinema Sight

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 | Comments (5)
Thomas Caldwell
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)
R. L. Shaffer
IGN DVD

Alien sequel is bigger, faster, scarier.

September 9, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comments (5)
Charles Cassady
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 | Comments (3)
Christopher Lloyd
Sarasota Herald-Tribune

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
Tim Brayton
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 (8)
Brad Miska
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
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

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
Steve Biodrowski
ESplatter

Un film clé en son genre.

August 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Panorama
Jean-François Vandeuren
Panorama

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
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Truly great cinema.

September 24, 2007 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine
Ian Nathan
Empire Magazine

If only all blockbusters were this good.

September 24, 2007 Full Review Source: Film4
Film4

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
David Medsker
Bullz-Eye.com

Everything a sequel should be.

May 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | Comment (1)
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
View all critic reviews (50)

Audience Reviews for Aliens

View All
Ripley is awakened from stasis to find that she has been gone for 57 years and is being made a scapegoat for the loss of her ship. But then contact is lost with the colony on LV 426 and she is enlisted as an adviser to a combat unit sent to investigate. The vast majority of sequels are of course just cynical attempts to cash in on the popularity of the original film and rarely have much in the way of cinematic merit in their own right. Aliens is one of the few that not only expanded on the idea of the original but took it in a whole new direction. The production design is superb and every sci-fi movie made since that features military hardware gets its cues from here, and it still looks brilliant. The ensemble cast are all excellent, especially Sigourney Weaver who is far from the usual gung ho bonehead with a gun you find in most action movies. She is a believable character traumatized by her experiences of the first film, unwillingly facing her fears. The soldiers are also three dimensional characters, especially Bill Paxton's smart alec who loses his nerve and their camaraderie and funny banter make you care what happens to them. Other well written characters include "artificial person" Lance Henriksen whose cold fascination for the creatures echoes Ash from the first film and Paul Reiser's obsequious company man, each of whom seem to have agenda of their own. The first half of the film is an atmospheric and cleverly written set up for the second half, which can best be described as a white knuckle rollercoaster ride of breathless suspense and excitement. Their first encounter with the aliens is one of the all time great action sequences and the later scene when they await the second onslaught huddled in a darkened room listening to the sound of the motion detector is utterly gripping. Not to mention Ripley's first sight of the alien queen and their subsequent classic showdown. For me, this is an all but perfect film, and the best sequel ever made.
October 20, 2006
garyX
xGary Xx

Super Reviewer

A film that expands off of the ideas presented in the original. "Aliens" is more of an action film but it still has developed characters and a story that is both intense and scary. It's an overall improvement over its predecessor and one of the greatest science-fiction films ever made. Unfortunately the franchise went downhill after this installment, but the first two are definitely masterpieces in cinema.
August 5, 2012
Market Man
Eric Shankle

Super Reviewer

Aliens Quotes

View All
    1. Ellen Ripley: Get away from her you bitch!
    – Submitted by Ivan B (3 months ago)
    1. Ellen Ripley: These people are here to protect you. They're soldiers.
    2. Newt: It won't make any difference.
    – Submitted by Typhon Q (3 months ago)
    1. Ellen Ripley: This is little girl survived long than that with no weapons and no training.
    2. Newt: [salutes]
    3. Pvt. Hudson: Why don't you put her in charge!
    – Submitted by russell b (3 months ago)
    1. Pvt. Drake: Right on, Vaz
    – Submitted by russell b (3 months ago)
    1. Newt: They mostly come at night... mostly
    – Submitted by Andrew D (4 months ago)
    1. Ellen Ripley: Get away from her you bitch!
    – Submitted by Matthew G (6 months ago)

Discussion Forum

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Topic Last Post Replies
A NEGATIVE REVIEW?!?! 12 days ago 23

Latest News on Aliens

October 11, 2011:
James Cameron Would Consider 3D Conversions of Terminator 2 and Aliens
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July 18, 2011:
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Foreign Titles

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