Aliens
A hardened survivor joins a doomed colonial marine squad to rescue a child from an extraterrestrial siege on a distant moon.
Overview
A battle for survival unfolds in the depths of space as humanity faces its greatest threat.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- visceral
- propulsive
- claustrophobic
- action movie night
- science fiction marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Aliens as an expertly crafted, intensely entertaining sequel elevated by Sigourney Weaver's performance, action pacing, special effects, and emotional depth.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ripley prioritizes protecting Newt while confronting the extraterrestrials and the collapsing marine defense.
The colonial marines conduct an armed search and defend the colony with specialized weapons and coordinated combat.
The colony, colonial marines, android Bishop, and corporate representative Burke place commercial and military systems alongside the alien threat.
The film's alien attacks, colony environments, weapons, and creature effects drive its celebrated action-horror impact.
Films like Aliens, and why
Alien
shared science fiction horror, industrial isolation, extraterrestrial menace, and escalating survival tension
Starship Troopers
shared militarized science fiction, squad-based combat, relentless pacing, and technologically advanced threats
The Thing
shared claustrophobic survival action, creature horror, practical effects, and desperate group defense
Predator
shared high-arousal science fiction action, survivalist protagonist, and mechanized combat against an inhuman threat
Movie Details
- Director
- James Cameron
- Release Date
- 1986-07-18
- Runtime
- 137 min
- Rating
- 8.0 / 10 (11222)
Cast
- Sigourney Weaver
- Carrie Henn
- Michael Biehn
- Paul Reiser
- Lance Henriksen
- Bill Paxton
- William Hope
- Jenette Goldstein
- Al Matthews
- Mark Rolston
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, YouTube TV, Netflix Standard with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Aliens about?
- A hardened survivor joins a doomed colonial marine squad to rescue a child from an extraterrestrial siege on a distant moon.
- What is Aliens like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Aliens as breakneck, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Aliens violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Aliens as graphic.
- What did critics think of Aliens?
- Critics broadly regard Aliens as an expertly crafted, intensely entertaining sequel elevated by Sigourney Weaver's performance, action pacing, special effects, and emotional depth.
- Which films are like Aliens?
- Films with a similar feel include Alien, Starship Troopers, The Thing, and Predator.
- How long is Aliens?
- Aliens runs 137 minutes.
- Where can I watch Aliens?
- In United States, Aliens streams on Netflix, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, YouTube TV, Netflix Standard with Ads.
