Aliens

"This time it's war."

1986 2h 17m EN

🙌

8.0

BANGER

★8.0TMDB · 11,258

ActionThrillerScience Fiction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.

“This time it's war.”

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Cast

Sigourney Weaver
Ripley
Carrie Henn
Newt
Michael Biehn
Corporal Hicks
Paul Reiser
Burke
Lance Henriksen
Bishop
Bill Paxton
Private Hudson
William Hope
Lieutenant Gorman
Jenette Goldstein
Private Vasquez

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: James Cameron
Writers: James Cameron, David Giler, Walter Hill
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 9.9× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

40 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Alien Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by James Cameron, shot by Adrian Biddle. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by James Horner. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ray Lovejoy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn and Michael Biehn carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "This time it's war.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

James Cameron directs. Adrian Biddle behind the camera. James Horner scores. Ray Lovejoy cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Made its money back 9.9× over at the box office.
240 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Part of the "Alien Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by James Cameron, shot by Adrian Biddle. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by James Horner. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Ray Lovejoy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn and Michael Biehn carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "This time it's war.".
9IMDB entry: tt0090605 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
1011,258 TMDB user ratings logged — serious cultural footprint.
11Classified under 29 themes, including "android", "space marine", "extraterrestrial technology", "spaceman".
12Released under 35 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Adrian Biddle
Original score: James Horner
Editing: Ray Lovejoy
Production design: Peter Lamont
Costume design: Emma Porteous
Makeup / hair: Elaine Bowerbank
VFX supervisor: Robert Skotak
Stunt coordinator: Paul Weston
Runtime: 137 min · 2h 17m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $18,500,000
Box office: $183,316,455
Return: 991% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Aliens (1986)

Awards

Saturn Award for Best Director
Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film
BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects
Academy Award for Best Sound Editing
Academy Award for Best Visual Effects
Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Part of

Alien Collection

A science fiction horror film franchise, focusing on Lieutenant Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and her battle with an extraterrestrial life-form, commonly referred to as "the Alien". Produced by 20th Century Fox, the series started with the 1979 film Alien, then Aliens in 1986, Alien³ in 1992, and Alien: Resurrection in 1997.

Also by

James Cameron

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Rob2015-08-05
★ 8.5/10
One of my all time favorites. It still contains some of the drama and suspense of the first but with far more action leading to what I find a far more appealing storyline. As with Cameron's movies he makes you feel for the core characters from the start rather than just a bunch of 'bad ass' marines (Although they are). The progression of Ripley was really defined by this movie the 'brave but scared' Ripley of Alien is gone and a more determined, meaner Ripley emerges with elements of the older nurturing character kept in check with a young girl called Newt. It definitely stands out miles compared to all the other 80's alien-type movies of that decade.
Patrick E. Abe2016-10-20
★ 8/10
"Ripley and the Soldiers" can be found in two versions: the short version that cuts from Midway station directly to the Weyland-Yutani hearing, and the "director's cut" which cuts to a waiting room with a wall size "scenery channel" display. When I first saw the short version, I wondered how Ripley was able to make an immediate connection with Newt. "Sister solidarity" sounded bogus, and the "director's cut" cleared up that mystery. The more interesting "director's cut" reveals Newt's family on LV-426, a long discussion on what the surviving Marines are facing, and an action sequence featuring the deadly Sentry units. As Ripley suggested, I.Q.s did drop sharply among the Weyland-Yutani brass, with Carter Burke sending a deadly directive to "Hadley's Hope." In short: Ripley is living the blue collar life by day and experiencing a recurrent "Alien birth" nightmare at night. Carter Burke and Colonial Marine Lt. Gorman visit her, saying contact has been lost with LV-426. Signing a devil's deal with Weyland-Yutani, Ripley boards the "Sulaco" with a "company" of Colonial Marines. To her horror, an android, "Bishop" is part of the crew, recalling the murderous "Nostromo" science officer, Ash. The trash-talking Colonial Marines give Ripley's tale short shrift, as they prepare for the "Bug Hunt." The armed-to-the-teeth party finds no colonists, but evidence of a battle to the death. Then something streaks out of hiding, pursued by Ripley. "Mewt" is the sole survivor of "Hadley's Hope" who views the soldiers with a disdainful "it won't make any differene." A computer search finds the colonists clustered deep below the power plant. The Marines descend into the sub-sub-basement level and find out how true Ripley's tale is. After retreating from Hell, the survivors seal themselves off from the "Xenomorphs" as best as they can, dispatching "Bishop" to bring down the other drop ship. The Aliens attack and the soldiers fall one after another, leading to an abduction and a face off in an egg-filled chamber. This sequel is superior to the first movie, and leads to "Ripley and the Convicts." 8/10.
Charles Dance2017-02-19
★ 4/10
The Disney film of the franchise A basic shoot 'em up that comes complete with soldiers greasing up and watching each others muscles and also added an annoying kid straight out of Oliver Twist. Cameron took everything Ridley Scott slowly built up and tossed it in the trash can to make a cheap shot Stallone/ Schwarzenegger style action fiasco. People who like this one tend to not be fans of horror movies as they complain about the dark nature of the horror film Alien 3 - LOL - and this is precisely the reason Aliens fails as part of the horror franchise that is Alien. - Charles Dance

Production companies

Who made it

SLM Production Group
US
20th Century Fox
US
Brandywine Productions
US

Key crew

Art DirectionFred Hole
EditorRay Lovejoy
Art DirectionMichael Lamont
ProducerGale Anne Hurd
Set DecorationCrispian Sallis
Costume DesignEmma Porteous
Art DirectionBert Davey
Art DirectionKen Court
Music EditorMichael Clifford
Production DesignPeter Lamont
Special EffectsBrian Johnson
StuntsElanor Bertram
Stunt CoordinatorPaul Weston
Special EffectsNorman Baillie
Assistant EditorSimon Harris
CastingMary Selway
CastingMike Fenton
Costume SupervisorTiny Nicholls
CastingJudy Taylor
CastingJane Feinberg
Supervising Sound EditorDon Sharpe
Camera OperatorShaun O'Dell
Visual Effects SupervisorRobert Skotak
Camera OperatorDavid Worley

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

android
space marine
extraterrestrial technology
spaceman
space travel
settler
colony
cryogenics
vacuum
space colony
warrior woman
sequel
alien
space
female protagonist
creature
desolate
female hero
military sci-fi
desolate planet
critical
sinister
sci-fi horror
assertive
commanding
empathetic
exhilarated
action horror
sci-fi action

Release history · US

When it landed

Premiere1986-07-14R· Westwood, California
Theatrical1986-07-18R
Physical2024-03-12R· Ultimate Collector's Edition (Theatrical Cut and Special Edition)
Physical1991-12-18R· Special Collector's Edition LaserDisc
Physical1999-06-01R· Special Edition & The Alien Legacy Box Set DVD
Physical2003-12-02R· Alien Quadrilogy (Theatrical Cut and Special Edition)
Physical2016-09-13R· 30th Anniversary Edition (Theatrical Cut and Special Edition)