Aliens 1986

Critics score:
98 / 100

Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes

Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune: Scene to scene, encounter to encounter, its tension builds unrelentingly. So, fasten your seat belts. It`s a blast. Read more

Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune: Count me out of the fan club for this one. Read more

Sheila Benson, Los Angeles Times: It's blaster action, not Gothic future-horror. Fortunately, director-screenwriter James Cameron has shaped his film around the defiant intelligence and sensual athleticism of Weaver, and that's where Aliens works best. Read more

Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel: This film is also the best monster movie of the year and the best picture of any kind to open so far this summer. Put it another way: Aliens is the Jaws of the '80s. Read more

Desmond Ryan, Philadelphia Inquirer: [Aliens] is a spectacular example of state-of-the-art science fiction simply because it never tries to be overtly spectacular. Read more

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader: One sequel that surpasses the original. Read more

Anthony Lane, New Yorker: Action thrillers assail but rarely test us; this is the tautest, most provoking, and altogether most draining example ever made. Read more

Walter Goodman, New York Times: 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. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: When it comes to the logical marriage of action, adventure, and science fiction, few films are as effective or accomplished as Aliens. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The ads for Aliens claim that this movie will frighten you as few movies have, and, for once, the ads don't lie. Read more

Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine: 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. Read more

Tom Charity, Time Out: 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. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: Makes up for lack of surprise with sheer volume of thrills and chills. Read more