Every Alien Movie, Rated

Key things

• Fede Alvarez's Alien Romulus brings the series to life with practical effects and intense horror scenes.
• Prometheus extends the alien lore with The Engineers, dividing opinion but offering complex ideas.
• Aliens, directed by James Cameron, turns the series into an action classic with the introduction of the Alien Queen.

Few horror franchises have influenced popular culture as much as that one Foreign the series has Beginning in 1979 with Ridley Scott's seminal sci-fi masterpiece, the series has grown to include numerous film sequels, novels, video games, and comic books.

With a recent release Alien Romulusthe long-running sci-fi horror franchise has moved into its sixth decade. HR Giger's iconic monster remains as terrifying and compelling as it was when it first appeared in the original film. With the series transitioning to Disney and the upcoming release of a TV series Alien: Earththe franchise remains a staple of the horror landscape. While the series has declined in quality over the years, its latest addition has brought new life to the series with Fed Alvarez at the helm.

9 Alien vs. Predator: Requiem

An unoriginal and memorable entry

• DirectionThey play: Colin Strause, Greg Strause
• Released: 2007
• Running time: 1h 34m

Based on the classic comic book series, Alien vs. Predator: Requiem is by far the worst movie of the entire series. The film follows directly on Alien vs. Predatorwith the release of the Xenomorph/Predator Hybrid, stupidly named “Predalien”. After escaping to Earth, the hybrid goes on a rampage in the local town before a specialist Predator is sent to kill the monster.

Alien vs. Predator: Requiem was panned by critics who noted its terrible lighting, unoriginal story and bland editing. The movie is a true B-movie that killed the spin-off series before it had a chance to get anywhere. Alien vs. Predator: Requiem is a memorable entry in the series and one of the best left in the bargain bin.

8 Alien vs. Predator

It is not fulfilling its potential

• Direction: Paul WS Anderson
• Released: 2004
• Running time: 1h 41m

Based on the popular comic book series, Alien vs. Predator was the highly anticipated spin-off of two heavy sci-fi franchises. The film follows a team investigating a strange heat signature in Antarctic ice that discovers an ancient ruin that harbors hidden dangers.

The film pits Aliens, Predators and humans against each other and offers some great Easter eggs for fans of the comics and movies. While the film is mindless fun, it lacks any real depth and doesn't add anything new to the setting. With such a wealth of source material available, Alien vs. Predator is a missed chance to bring a beloved comic book series to the screen. While not a terrible movie, it is largely forgettable.

7 Alien Resurrection

Stylish fourth installment

• Direction: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
• Released: 1997
• Running time: 1h 49m

Alien Resurrection was the long-awaited sequel helmed by up-and-coming French art director Jean-Pierre Jeunet. With two cult hits under his belt, Delicatessen (1991) and City of Lost Children (1995), the European director was ready to make a big splash with his Hollywood film Foreign input.

Alien Resurrection follows the story of a cloned Ellen Ripley two centuries after her death as scientists attempt to weaponize and control the Aliens. The film offered plenty of style, action and gore, but failed to capture the imagination of the audience. While the film is a solid entry in the series, it struggles to live up to its classic heritage. While it wouldn't be Jeunet's breakthrough Hollywood hit, it would later go gold with critical acclaim Amelia (2001).

6 Alien: Covenant

A solid input from the original director

• Direction: Ridley Scott
• Released: 2017
• Running time: 2h 2m

Alien: Covenant continues Ridley Scott's return to the series that launched his career. Following on from Prometheus (2012), the film revolves around the crew of the colonization ship Covenant, who land on a mysterious planet to discover that the android David is continuing his experiments to create the perfect organism.

While Alien: Covenant it has great acting, stunning cinematography and heart-wrenching action, it never reinvents the wheel. The film does everything right and is a solid entry in the series, but is largely forgettable against the bigger films. While Alien: Covenant fails to rise above the best of the franchise, it remains a must watch Foreign fans.

5 Alien 3

Problematic production

• Directed by: David Fincher
• Released: 1992
• Length: 1h 54m

While Alien 3 was not the success many had hoped for, it remains a unique entry in the series with its gritty cinematography and bleak, apocalyptic tone. The film continues the story of Ellen Ripley immediately after the events of the year Aliens. Tragically, she finds herself alone on a prison planet surrounded by violent and dangerous criminals.

In his directorial debut, David Fincher was brought in late into a troubled production that was plagued by numerous rewrites and studio interference. The film received mixed reviews, with critics praising the film's stylish look and performances. David Fincher would eventually disown the film. In 2003, Assembly cut from Alien 3 was released without Fincher's input. This new cut would garner better reviews than the original theatrical release.

4 Prometheus

Lore expansion

• Direction: Ridley Scott
• Released: 2012
• Running time: 2h 4m

In 2012, Ridley Scott returned to the environment with which he made his career Prometheus. Set before the events of the first film, Prometheus tells the story of a group of scientists searching for the origins of humanity on a distant planet. The film delves into the lore of the “Space Jockey”, a mysterious alien skeleton seen in the original film.

Prometheus was highly anticipated and the hype kept building until the release. Although the film could never live up to the high expectations, Prometheus would divide opinion. While set in Foreign universe, the film dares to be different. It expands on the lore and introduces a new species of alien called The Engineers. Prometheus is an underrated entry in the series with great performances, stunning visuals and complex ideas explored. While it will never reach the heights of the best series, it is a worthy addition to the franchise.

3 Alien Romulus

Return to form

• Direction: Fede Alvarez
• Released: 2024
• Running time: 1h 59m

WITH Alien Romulusgenre extraordinaire Fede Alvarez returned horror to the series with his sleek and bloody entry. The film follows a group of colonists who illegally clean up an abandoned space station. They soon discover that they are not alone and that the ship is already inhabited by terrifying monsters.

Alien Romulus makes great use of practical effects, mixes dirt from Alien 3 with futurism Prometheus. Fede Alvarez's horror experience shines through with a pitch-black atmosphere, thrilling action and lots of blood. Alien Romulus breathes new life into the long-running series and sets a new standard for all subsequent films.

2 Aliens

Action classic

• Direction: James Cameron
• Released: 1986
• Running time: 2h 17m

Where Foreign was a claustrophobic nightmare with a lone monster hunting the crew of the Nostromo, Aliens turns everything up to 11. It comes off the back of his action classic Terminator (1984), James Cameron scored another hit with his action masterpiece. Aliens follows Ellen Ripley as she returns to the planet LV-426 with a group of Colonial Marines after the colony falls silent.

Aliens not only dialed up the action, but added a new tradition to the series. It introduced an alien queen, expanded the species of xenomorphs and made them even scarier. Aliens is an all-time action classic that holds up as well today as it did when it was released, and has cemented James Cameron as one of the best directors in the world.

1 Foreign

A horror masterpiece

• Direction: Ridley Scott
• Released: 1979
• Running time: 1h 57m

With an effective marketing campaign leading up to the release, with the tagline, In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream, Foreign burst onto the cinema screens and made an immediate impact. The film follows the crew of the Nostromo, who are chased by a terrifying monster after responding to a distress signal coming from an alien ship.

Foreign made Sigourney Weaver a star and cemented Ridley Scott as a world-class director. The film shocked the audience with a deeply horror and gritty setting, while its star cast brought depth and realism to the characters. The film is claustrophobic and tense, with the crew being slowly dragged down throughout. Foreign was the perfect antidote to a sci-fi spectacle Star Wars and appealed to a mature sci-fi audience. Now hailed as an all-time classic, it remains as strong as it was on release.