TAGGED AS: Alien, Film, movies
(Photo by Disney/ Courtesy Everett Collection. ROMULUS.)
Ever since 1979, when Ridley Scott blasted the haunted house formula into deep space, the Alien franchise has been synonymous with brooding atmosphere, strong female leads, eye-covering gore, grotesquely magnificent set design (as originally envisioned by H.R. Giger), and films that just overall ooze with style, along with whatever else that drips out of a Xenomorph’s mouth. In 1986, James Cameron turned the series into an action epic; subsequently, any sequel that tries the same route now gets called the Aliens of whatever franchise. David Fincher and Jean-Pierre Jeunet had their controversial and trouble moment in the series, and then two Rotten Predator-related spinoffs convinced Scott to return with mythological prequel Prometheus and Covenant.
Fede Alvarez is the first director outside of Scott to theatrically helm the franchise in nearly 15 years with Romulus, an interquel set in-between the original Alien and Aliens. And in space they can hear you breathe a sigh of relief as Alvarez is the first non-Scott to deliver a Certified Fresh Alien movie since Cameron. See how the entire franchise ranks by Tomatometer below!
#1
Adjusted Score: 109039%
Critics Consensus: While Alien was a marvel of slow-building, atmospheric tension, Aliens packs a much more visceral punch, and features a typically strong performance from Sigourney Weaver.
#2
Adjusted Score: 114867%
Critics Consensus: A modern classic, Alien blends science fiction, horror and bleak poetry into a seamless whole.
#3
Adjusted Score: 91990%
Critics Consensus: Honoring its nightmarish predecessors while chestbursting at the seams with new frights of its own, Romulus injects some fresh acid blood into one of cinema’s great horror franchises.
#4
Adjusted Score: 88289%
Critics Consensus: Ridley Scott’s ambitious quasi-prequel to Alien may not answer all of its big questions, but it’s redeemed by its haunting visual grandeur and compelling performances — particularly Michael Fassbender as a fastidious android.
#5
Adjusted Score: 87911%
Critics Consensus: Alien: Covenant delivers another satisfying round of close-quarters deep-space terror, even if it doesn’t take the saga in any new directions.
#6
Adjusted Score: 66402%
Critics Consensus: While Sigourney Weaver’s feral performance as a resurrected Ripley restores some fun to the Alien franchise, the acid blood running through this fourth entry’s veins corrodes whatever emotional investment audiences had left.
#7
Adjusted Score: 55562%
Critics Consensus: Alien³ takes admirable risks with franchise mythology, but far too few pay off in a thinly scripted sequel whose stylish visuals aren’t enough to enliven a lack of genuine thrills.
#8
Adjusted Score: 26566%
Critics Consensus: Gore without scares and cardboard cut-out characters make this clash of the monsters a dull sit.
#9
Adjusted Score: 14470%
Critics Consensus: The increased gore and violence over the first Alien vs. Predator can’t excuse Requiem‘s disorientating editing, excessively murky lighting, and lack of new ideas.