Critic Reviews

• Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

  Turns out not to be one of those movies that improves in the memory, but actually is better than you remember, mostly because it puts its multitude of imitators to shame.

• Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

  Scott knew how to create tension, and the movie still has plenty of white-knuckle impact, although it's a little tamer than I remembered.

• Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

  What you will find is that the old mayhem is still masterful and that there is nothing like the big screen for this type of mortally wounded space exploration.

• Bill Muller, Arizona Republic

  The movie inspired three sequels and remains undeniably frightening. It also marks a significant step in the evolution of modern science-fiction films.

• Glenn Lovell, San Jose Mercury News

  It's a most satisfying return to one of the few sci-fi films that deserves to be called a masterpiece.

• Erik Lundegaard, Seattle Times

  The first is still the best.

• Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

  Alien is a triumph of style over substance, of lean over fat.

• Blake French, Filmcritic.com

  Alien 3 doesn?t suffer from the trilogy syndrome as much as it suffers simply from bad writing.

• Shawn Bowers, Kansas City Star

  Going back to the beginning and seeing where it all began, this film had a lot to live up to in my eyes. In the end, I was just left wondering what all the fuss was about.

• Blake French, Filmcritic.com

  ... one of the few films that can be predicted perfectly, but it?s so well crafted?and so damn exciting?that we just don?t care.

• Harry Guerin, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)

  Nearly a quarter of a century down the line, a great film has been made greater.

• Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com

  It remains one of the best examples of sustained tension.

• John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

  Scott says he still prefers his original version, but now (in the Alien Quadrilogy) you have a choice of the two editions.

• John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

  When Scott was finished, he thought it was too long and that the added material threw the pacing off. Therefore, he cut his own Director's Cut. (Alien Quadrilogy)

• Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile

  Whether this is the first time you have seen Alien, or the third or fourth... The tension never abates - the film never lets you off the hook.

• Paul Arendt, Teletext

  'A chance to see Ridley Scott's ruthlessly efficient shocker back where it belongs, on the big screen.'

• Todd Gilchrist, FilmStew.com

  For reviewer Todd Gilchrist, puberty began in earnest when he witnessed Sigourney Weaver getting physical aboard a doomed spaceship.

• Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion

  Still one scary mother.

• Pete Croatto, Filmcritic.com

  fuller and scarier

• Steve Schneider, Orlando Weekly

  Thrill again to how thoroughly conceived the whole thing is, how impeccably acted and genuine in its suspense.

Read all 23 critic reviews