100
Feels like a streamlined improvement on the original.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
88
Baltimore Sun by Chris Kaltenbach
Alien, even with some scene tinkering that has left this "director's cut" one minute shorter than its original release, is still one of the creepiest, scariest, most shocking films ever.
100
Dallas Observer by Gregory Weinkauf
This is the breakout role for Sigourney (née Susan) Weaver, whose iconic presence still propels this ride beyond the scores of substandard imitations that followed. Why see it on the big screen? Because it's bloody brilliant.
88
ReelViews by James Berardinelli
The most important features of this "new" version are the digital cleaning of the print and the re-mastering of the sound. There are a few added scenes, but they are mostly insignificant and have been previously seen (at least by fans of the movie) on the laserdisc or DVD releases.
30
Chicago Reader by Jonathan Rosenbaum
This is no restoration but a revision...If there's a difference in overall quality, I'm unaware of it. Dave Kehr calls this 1979 feature "an empty-headed horror movie with nothing to recommend it beyond the disco-inspired art direction and some handsome if gimmicky cinematography.
90
Despite years of imitators, sequels (some great, some not so), and edited-for-television broadcasts, Alien has lost none of its power, and the big screen only intensifies its impact.
88
Mostly it's worth seeing Alien, which established Scott as an A-list director, in a theater because his brilliant and often expansive visuals have always worked better on a big screen than on video.
90
Los Angeles Times by Manohla Dargis
Twenty-four years later -- digitally spruced up, with some scenes shaved and others padded with previously cut material -- Scott's film still shreds nerves.
88
Chicago Tribune by Michael Wilmington
An old nightmare, made shiny new.
88
What's most unusual about the original 24 years later, though, is its elegant minimalism.
The perfect blend of sci-fi and horror, Alien is just as suspenseful and terrifying as it was when it first released, which is a testament to the quality of the film's effects and performances. Unlike the sequels, which are more action-focused, Alien is a true horror film, and the close quarters of a ship adrift in the vacuum of space is the perfect setting for such a tale. Sigourney Weaver's performance as Ripley is nothing short of iconic and helped normalize female action-stars over macho, Schwarzenegger-types. While the story of Alien is very contained, the lore helped spawn an entire sci-fi universe that has since expanded into comics, video games, and other media, proving that this film's legacy will stand the test of time.
This absolutely iconic film changed the face of horror as we know it. If you love horror, watch this movie. If you love sci-fi, watch this movie. If you're an aspiring filmmaker and want to learn about suspense, watch this movie. If you love movies, watch this movie.
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I watched this in the theater for the first time for its 45th birthday. Just like Sigourney Weaver, Alien has aged extremely well. The design of the Nostromo ship, the alien ship, and of course the Xenomorph are all immaculate, and in the theater I found myself noticing just how the soundscape of alarms, beeps, and industrial noises heightens the tension even if the titular alien only attacks a few times. Ripley is of course one of the best protagonists ever, and I found myself paying more attention of Parker and Dallas this time around. 'm not normally a horror fan, but Alien is fantastic even for scaredy-cats like me.
A classic for a reason. This film has some of the most miraculous practical effects put to screen, and they still hold up 45 years later. As the newest installment of the franchise, Alien: Romulus, corroborates, this story remains exciting to viewers, and it has influenced so many modern filmmakers, as well as the horror genre overall.