Covenant doesn't even deserve Alien in the title. And you can't complain about the Alien not be terrifying in Aliens but have Covenant up after that awful "praise Jesus" scene in Covenant. Does so much to ignore everything created in the Alien series.
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Alien Flim rankings
- Thread starter Morgoth
- Start date
Covenant doesn't even deserve Alien in the title. And you can't complain about the Alien not be terrifying in Aliens but have Covenant up after that awful "praise Jesus" scene in Covenant. Does so much to ignore everything created in the Alien series.
Aliens : still the best blend of action and Sci Fi horror I've ever seen. Ripley's evolution into a full on bad ass and a great supporting cast makes this nr 1.
Alien : a classic of the genre and still Riley Scott's best film. The only drawback is that the Alien itself (effects/movement/..) has aged a bit. Even though the Nostromo, the Derelict and all the effects are still top quality.
Alien 3 : part terrific and part terrible, this one will always be a second rate Alien but seeing the problems it had I'm amazed it came out like it.
Alien Res : trying to force comedic effects and a new life cycle into it were always going to be rough, but the bad really outweighs the good here. Watcheable.
AvP : starts off promising but kills any hype after the first 30 mins. Horrible.
AvP R : Better gore but that's it. Even worse.
Alien : a classic of the genre and still Riley Scott's best film. The only drawback is that the Alien itself (effects/movement/..) has aged a bit. Even though the Nostromo, the Derelict and all the effects are still top quality.
Alien 3 : part terrific and part terrible, this one will always be a second rate Alien but seeing the problems it had I'm amazed it came out like it.
Alien Res : trying to force comedic effects and a new life cycle into it were always going to be rough, but the bad really outweighs the good here. Watcheable.
AvP : starts off promising but kills any hype after the first 30 mins. Horrible.
AvP R : Better gore but that's it. Even worse.
That scene was creepy. I thought the gore was sickening, the Alien designs and movement terrifying. There were some dumb moments for sure, but nothing as dumb or cheesy as the "game over man game over" dialogue or Newts terrible actress.
Clearly you didn't get the irony in that scene.
Newt is still a kid in that movie, but she delivers her lines better than expected.
Now horrible dialogue, enter Alien Covenant. Djeez.
The Albatross
Member
I like Alien more than Aliens.
There's literally nothing dumb about the marine's dialogue aside from the fact it's dumb on purpose as part of their characters. Aliens has incredible writing for the genre it sits in, It's pretty insane to claim otherwise.
Newt's actress isn't the best, but your other critiques of this film are really weird.
Oh covenant had some rough dialogue for sure
"I'll do the fingering"
Monocle
Member
Alien - A masterful, perfectly paced thriller. Superb atmosphere, visual design, and sound design. A great cast. The scariest movie of the series, with the most satisfying plot.
Aliens - This is a different kind of movie than Alien. Less a tense and chilling encounter with a mysterious sinister creature, more an in-your-face guns-blazing fight for survival, with a more extroverted cast to match. Ripley really shows her mettle in this one. Many memorable lines and scenes. Personally though, I prefer the former type of film.
Prometheus - Half the characters are imbeciles, but the atmosphere and visuals are superb, in some ways surpassing the original Alien. David is an intriguing and well played character. The pacing and plot are engaging, if you like sci-fi adventures gone wrong as much as I do. Prometheus is a weird conglomerate of a brilliant and gorgeous and absorbing sci-fi film and an unbelievably stupid thriller where people do things like run in a straight line away from a giant rolling object that travels slowly in a predictable direction.
Alien: Resurrection - The tone is weird but the visuals are on a whole other level than Alien 3's. It's a pretty movie with appealing cinematography and good creatures, until you get to the end. Ripley's character is more potent and interesting than she was in Alien 3. The rest of the cast is more charasmatic than Alien 3's. The plot is basic but it's still more engaging than Alien 3's.
Alien 3 - Even the director's cut is trash. The characters and setting are uninteresting. The Xenomorph looks dumb, and is too often shown in full view, running around like some sort of mutant dog in a Resident Evil game. Everything feels lame and low budget. Nearly every aspect of this movie is a letdown, apart from the very beginning where Newt has died. That's a nice and brutal touch. Not even the likes of Sigourney Weaver and Charles Dance could save this film. Oh well.
Aliens - This is a different kind of movie than Alien. Less a tense and chilling encounter with a mysterious sinister creature, more an in-your-face guns-blazing fight for survival, with a more extroverted cast to match. Ripley really shows her mettle in this one. Many memorable lines and scenes. Personally though, I prefer the former type of film.
Prometheus - Half the characters are imbeciles, but the atmosphere and visuals are superb, in some ways surpassing the original Alien. David is an intriguing and well played character. The pacing and plot are engaging, if you like sci-fi adventures gone wrong as much as I do. Prometheus is a weird conglomerate of a brilliant and gorgeous and absorbing sci-fi film and an unbelievably stupid thriller where people do things like run in a straight line away from a giant rolling object that travels slowly in a predictable direction.
Alien: Resurrection - The tone is weird but the visuals are on a whole other level than Alien 3's. It's a pretty movie with appealing cinematography and good creatures, until you get to the end. Ripley's character is more potent and interesting than she was in Alien 3. The rest of the cast is more charasmatic than Alien 3's. The plot is basic but it's still more engaging than Alien 3's.
Alien 3 - Even the director's cut is trash. The characters and setting are uninteresting. The Xenomorph looks dumb, and is too often shown in full view, running around like some sort of mutant dog in a Resident Evil game. Everything feels lame and low budget. Nearly every aspect of this movie is a letdown, apart from the very beginning where Newt has died. That's a nice and brutal touch. Not even the likes of Sigourney Weaver and Charles Dance could save this film. Oh well.
BeforeU
Oft hope is born when all is forlorn.
Fancy Clown
Member
You got my attention Bobby. Did not expect you to like(?) this one.
Monocle
Member
Seriously, thank you. I rewatched Alien 3 and Resurrection literally yesterday, and this rings true.
Jimnymebob
Member
I've not watched Alien in years, but I preferred Aliens to Alien back then (they were both amazing though).
Other than that, I've not really watched the others. I saw a bit of Prometheus and found it to be incredibly dull, and I watched the last half of whichever one ends at a furnace area, and didn't really enjoy it.
Other than that, I've not really watched the others. I saw a bit of Prometheus and found it to be incredibly dull, and I watched the last half of whichever one ends at a furnace area, and didn't really enjoy it.
I hope you never watch Predator.
I enjoyed Predator, I just disliked that kind of style in an Alien film and glad the rest of the films stuck to the horror genre
ResidentWeevil13
Member
Just watched the assembly cut recently and really enjoyed it. It's got its flaws like you say, but damn if it doesn't have some awesome stuff going on.
I thought the
alien birth scene intercut with the one guy's funeral was really awesome
In no universe is alien 3 worse, or less watchable, than resurrection.
1. Aliens - Just badass from start to finish. James Cameron is amazing.
2. Prometheus - I might be the one person on the planet who loves the movie. I have no problem suspending belief that scientists would do such stupid things that end up getting them killed.
3. Alien - Not much to say. Awesome horror flick.
4. Aliens 3 - Love this movie, too. I think Fincher did a great job, though it sucks that they killed off main characters right away in the movie.
5. Alien: Resurrection - Don't remember much about the movie, except that it wasn't very good.
2. Prometheus - I might be the one person on the planet who loves the movie. I have no problem suspending belief that scientists would do such stupid things that end up getting them killed.
3. Alien - Not much to say. Awesome horror flick.
4. Aliens 3 - Love this movie, too. I think Fincher did a great job, though it sucks that they killed off main characters right away in the movie.
5. Alien: Resurrection - Don't remember much about the movie, except that it wasn't very good.
Fancy Clown
Member
Yeah I agree the assembly cut improvements are overstated. The theatrical cut is still a far better film than Resurrection and Prometheus, but if that doesn't work for you than the assembly cut won't do a lot more for you.
Monocle
Member
So if we put in Predators in Aliens and take out the Xenomorphs, you'd love it ?
Dat objectivity.
Thank you. I didn't understand the resurgence of recommending that cut. And while I loathe Resurrection, it's at least a faster paced movie.
Also, when the hell did people decide to start bashing on Aliens? Probably one of the most influential sci-fi films of all time is now called "generic" or whatever.
While I'm at it, as far as the trash heap goes, AVP: Requiem isn't the worst thing in the franchise. It's still garbage, but it seems to know it; it's like if a gritty 90s Dark Horse Comics Alien story was put to film, which may or may not be a good thing admittedly.
wesleyshark
Banned
Alien (directors cut)
Prometheus
Covenant
Aliens (special edition)
Alien 3 (assembly cut)
Resurrection
Prometheus
Covenant
Aliens (special edition)
Alien 3 (assembly cut)
Resurrection
I love Alien, and I like a good bit of 80s cheese, that doesn't mean I want my 80s cheese in my Alien. Like how I enjoy comedy movies, but would hate if the next blade runner went in that direction (even if it was a good comedy), it's still not what I want out of that franchise. The question "Is Aliens a good film" is very different from "Is Aliens a good Alien movie" imo
Sub_Level
wants to fuck an Asian grill.
Thats reasonable but how do you feel about Aliens compared to Alien 3/Resurrection and whatnot?
ronaldthump
Member
Aliens>Alien>>Prometheus>Covenant>>>AliensResurrection>>>>>Aliens3
multiple> = degrees of "betterness"
Not even going to include AVP.
multiple> = degrees of "betterness"
Not even going to include AVP.
J
JoJo UK
Unconfirmed Member
Alien - Probably the TC however I do enjoy the egg scene.
Aliens - Probably the DC but not picky.
Alien 3 - (AC) Every time I see this I enjoy it a little bit more
Prometheus
Alien Resurrection
AvP Movies - Listed only because there is Aliens in them, hell Predator 2 has a queen Alien skull in it so I would rank it a better 'Alien' film than the AvP rubbish.
From what I've read I want to put Covenant between Alien 3 and Prometheus however once I see it for myself that could change. One thing I will say is Alien and Alien 3 are movies that I would watch without taking my eyes off the screen, the rest (including Aliens) have got to the stage where I would be happy to flick through it. I'm not sure how to explain what I'm trying to say. If Alien was on I would stop and watch (or stick the bluray in), with Aliens I would be like 'oh cool, Aliens... *click*'.
When it comes to the look of the creature I like what I've seen in the Covenant clips, perhaps a bit too skinny, I still think the original is the best, I actually think Aliens has the worst looking creatures.
Aliens - Probably the DC but not picky.
Alien 3 - (AC) Every time I see this I enjoy it a little bit more
Prometheus
Alien Resurrection
AvP Movies - Listed only because there is Aliens in them, hell Predator 2 has a queen Alien skull in it so I would rank it a better 'Alien' film than the AvP rubbish.
From what I've read I want to put Covenant between Alien 3 and Prometheus however once I see it for myself that could change. One thing I will say is Alien and Alien 3 are movies that I would watch without taking my eyes off the screen, the rest (including Aliens) have got to the stage where I would be happy to flick through it. I'm not sure how to explain what I'm trying to say. If Alien was on I would stop and watch (or stick the bluray in), with Aliens I would be like 'oh cool, Aliens... *click*'.
When it comes to the look of the creature I like what I've seen in the Covenant clips, perhaps a bit too skinny, I still think the original is the best, I actually think Aliens has the worst looking creatures.
MiamiWesker
Member
Aliens is better than alien. For one action movies are better than horror movies, Aliens is so much more watchable. Way more memorable. Influenced nearly every space marine story going forward.
So Aliens > Alien > Prometheus > Alien Ressurection > Alien 3
So Aliens > Alien > Prometheus > Alien Ressurection > Alien 3
Never seen them
Sub_Level
wants to fuck an Asian grill.
Good. You saw the 2 good ones already lol
Fancy Clown
Member
Hey man, I'm willing to go to bat for Alien 3. It's like a coherent movie that has themes and character arcs and shit, rather than the crassness of Resurrection and the totally undercooked and jumbled Prometheus. Its a pretty good meditation on coming to terms with death, and pretty much every action and line in the movie relates to this. Characters have dialogue that sound like a human being wrote them, and in some cases is really excellent (Dillon and Charles Dance's characters in particular are excellent). The setting is evocative and well developed with its own intriguing culture, and again helps develop the theme of the movie. Ridley gets a satisfying, if a bit melodramatic, conclusion that fits the tone of the series. The cinematogrpahy and production design is fantastic, infusing a gothic medieval atmosphere into the death focused story helps make it far more effective take on religion in the Alien universe than Prometheus' "maybe Jesus was an Alien??". The score is arguably the best in the series, and it's got some great performances.
The alien stuff itself is pretty bad, as there's no tension, it's edited poorly, some of the secondary characters are indescernable, and the composting makes it look goofy as fuck...but at least there's a consistent sense of tension and progression of the threat as opposed to Prometheus's Daisy Chain of disconnected monstrosities that are born through illogical acts and and never feel like credible or developed threats. That's the thing about Prometheus, it just feels so random. Characters are so incredibly inconsistent, plot developments feel like they were picked out of a hat, and dialogue sounds like it was pieced together by an AI trying to write a screenplay.
Resurrection doesn't even have the advantages of looking good or having Michael Fassbender (the sole redeeming elements of Prometheus). It's the least funny comedy ever, and it looks like it was smeared in Vaseline. It's ADD to the point of being obnoxious, and mostly just makes me feel kind of queasy.
But then you'll end up with the same premise ad nauseum. that's what the new movies are doing now.
That's why Alien 3 will never live up to Alien. It's 90% the same movie but a weaker cast and ideas.
Comedy might be a bit to much of a stretch but making Blade Runner 2049 a sci fi action movie could work a la Aliens.
ronaldthump
Member
you haven't seen covenant but our reviews align.
TheOfficeMut
Unconfirmed Member
The Alien franchise is my favorite one, but it's also one that disappoints me greatly. I can't rank Alien or Aliens as better or worse than the other because they're so tonally different from each other that it truly depends on what I'm in the mood for and therefore I consider them both equal in quality.
Disagree with this. I think people can give the franchise a lot of crap, but it has succeeded in making each movie feel different from the last. Even though I disagree with some of the directions taken (Aliens and Resurrection), I respect that rather than doubling down on what came before, each Alien movie has had its own deranged and distinctive vision
Sub_Level
wants to fuck an Asian grill.
One critique I see of aliens is cheesy characters. There's no doubt the characters in the first movie are more grounded.
But macho people like Vasquez and Hudson DO exist lol. Dislike the marines' writing and one liners if you must, but their personalities absolutely do reflect types of people in the real world.
But macho people like Vasquez and Hudson DO exist lol. Dislike the marines' writing and one liners if you must, but their personalities absolutely do reflect types of people in the real world.
Fancy Clown
Member
Alien 3 is only similar to Alien in that it's one alien. So while the stalking scenes feel like a bad rehash, most of the movie is focused on entirely different set of ideas and tone.
Alien is an existential, Freudian, nightmarish tone poem set in an outer space haunted house. It's about the uncaring, horrifying depths of the universe and the dark ways they reflect the human existence. It's never explicit about its ideas, and makes them all the more primal by letting them broil beneath the surface, coded in the visuals.
Alien 3 is more of a character drama where everyone is grappeling with how to make the most of their inevitable deaths in order to give vale to their lives. There's a lot more dialogue and introspection, and that makes the poorly choreographed chase sequences stand out all the more. It's a more overtly theatrical film than Alien. And while the parts that don't work are generally the ones that more closely mirror the first film, I think it's as much it's own beast as Aliens is.
The characters of Aliens are no doubt cartoony, but that doesn't matter. They fit the tone of the film and just because they are broadly sketched doesn't mean they are poorly sketched. It fits the outsized comic book action of Aliens, and where everything in Alien was obfuscated--from the themes to the visuals--Aliens is all about clarity. Clean geometry, bold lighting, and readily readable characters. It makes for a punchy action film as you can always 100% tell who everyone is, and where they are in the frame, which is important for such a chaotic movie with a large cast. There's no mistaking the character qualities of Hicks and Hudson.
That's not by accident. The marine personalities start exaggerated and overconfident, and then they swiftly get their asses kicked by the "animals" until the runtime is over. It's part of the whole deconstruction of the "macho bad-asses with superior tech conquer the dumb monsters" thing going on in the plot.
While I kinda agree with this, it's just that with Alien to Aliens, there was a clear evolution of lore, scope and characters.
Alien 3 did try to be very different originally (seeing those first 2 scripts still makes me yearn) but ultimately it falls very flat. I'm not dissing the runner alien, it was a good idea but the execution, poor effects and size variance throughout the movie takes away from it.
Then we have Ripley in yet another Aliens situation where she's the one who has to achieve the same arc she had in Alien + Aliens.
It has some great shots (that chase scene greatly scared me as a kid and still has some of the effect) but gets dragged down by most of the characters who are all disposable save one or two.
Alien Resurrection tried to change it and the idea seems great but again execution is very poor and the comedic beats sliced into it are really jarring. If there ever was a movie which could've easily ripped of Alien on a grand scope it was this one.
Inferno313
Banned
Alien > Aliens > the rest.
Covenant spoilers here:
You thought that xeno bursting out, standing upright, and than copying David's "PRAISE JESUS" stance was creepy? I laughed out loud at that absurdity. Why in the world would that happen? Makes no sense if you have seen any other alien movie (A, As, A3, AR, AvP, AvPR, and even Prometheus).
Except it is not an Alien movie (or doesn't feel like it). It is Prometheus 2. Lower your expectations.