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Fifty-seven years after surviving an apocalyptic attack aboard her space vessel by merciless space creatures, Officer Ripley awakens from hyper-sleep and tries to warn anyone who will listen about the predators.

Director:

James Cameron

Writers:

James Cameron (story by), David Giler (story by) | 4 more credits »
Popularity
266 ( 223)
Top Rated Movies #74 | Won 2 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 23 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sigourney Weaver ... Ripley
Carrie Henn ... Newt
Michael Biehn ... Corporal Hicks
Paul Reiser ... Burke
Lance Henriksen ... Bishop
Bill Paxton ... Private Hudson
William Hope ... Lieutenant Gorman
Jenette Goldstein ... Private Vasquez
Al Matthews ... Sergeant Apone
Mark Rolston ... Private Drake
Ricco Ross ... Private Frost
Colette Hiller ... Corporal Ferro
Daniel Kash ... Private Spunkmeyer
Cynthia Dale Scott ... Corporal Dietrich (as Cynthia Scott)
Tip Tipping Tip Tipping ... Private Crowe
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Storyline

57 years after Ellen Ripley had a close encounter with the reptilian alien creature from the first movie, she is called back, this time, to help a group of highly trained colonial marines fight off against the sinister extraterrestrials. But this time, the aliens have taken over a space colony on the moon LV-426. When the colonial marines are called upon to search the deserted space colony, they later find out that they are up against more than what they bargained for. Using specially modified machine guns and enough firepower, it's either fight or die as the space marines battle against the aliens. As the Marines do their best to defend themselves, Ripley must attempt to protect a young girl who is the sole survivor of the nearly wiped out space colony. Written by blazesnakes9

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

This time it's war. See more »


Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for monster violence, and for language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

There is a red circular sticker seen on the dropship which isn't visible. It says Bug Stomper "We Endanger Species" in Behind the Scenes. See more »

Goofs

When Apone says, "All right, sweethearts, what are you waiting for? Breakfast in bed? Another glorious day in the Corps!" His left arm is by his side. In the next shot, it is on his hip. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Salvage Team Leader: Bio-readouts are all in the green, looks like she's alive. Well, there goes our salvage, guys.
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Crazy Credits

As the final credits fade, there is the sound of a facehugger scurrying across from left to right. See more »

Alternate Versions

Before Ripley leaves the dropship to rescue Newt, there is some additional dialogue in which she turns to Hicks to say goodbye, and they tell each other their first names (Ellen Ripley and Dwayne Hicks). See more »

Connections

Referenced in The Golden Girls: Three on a Couch (1987) See more »

User Reviews

 
James Cameron and Bill Paxton at their finest
15 June 1999 | by baumerSee all my reviews

There are really good movies and then there's that select few that change your life. For me movies like Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, JFK, Titanic and Star Wars did that. By viewing a movie you see life in a different light. Aliens also did that to me. I didn't think a movie could scare me as much as Halloween did but this one certainly did that and more. The atmosphere in this movie, and the lighting and cinematography and of course the direction are top notch, and some of the scenes are some of the scariest I've seen in my life time. But what puts this movie over the top as one of the all time greatest films ever made is the casting.

Sigourney Weaver is terrific but it is her supporting cast that shines and makes you feel like you know the crew that is heading to that desolate planet.

Paul Reiser is perfect as Burke,the slimy corporate kiss ass that cares about profit before human lives. Lance Henriksen shines as Bishop, the cyborg with a heart. Jeanette Goldstein is the rough around the edges female marine that more than holds her own with all the testosterone floating around and Michael Biehn ( another Cameron favourite )is the perfect quiet leader that leads by example and not so much a loud demonstrative voice. But the show stopper in this flick ( just as he always is in any movie that he is in ) is Bill Paxton.

Paxton and Cameron have worked on Terminator 1, True Lies, Titanic and Aliens and Bill is one of those actors that steals scenes from every actor and was always a recognizable face even before Titanic. Here, his Hudson character is the comic relief but he is also perhaps one of the true characters that we can all identify with. His tough exterior is nothing more than camouflage for his frightened fragile interior. He realizes the dire situation that they are all in and he can't hide his fear. When he finds out that they won't be rescued for at least seventeen days, his response is " Hey man, we're not going to survive 17 hours man! Those things are going to come in here and they're going to get us and..... " ( Ripley ) This little girl survived longer than that with no weapons and no military training. " ( Hudson ) " Why don't ya put her in charge!!! "

Paxton is a gift to any and every movie that he is in and this is his finest work. He should have won a best supporting actor that year. And if you haven't seen this movie, rush to see it if only for Bill Paxton. He steals the show. But if a tightly wound, brilliantly technical and unbelievably scary movie is your thing, then you can't go wrong here. This is easily a ten out of ten, and one of the best ever made. If Spielberg is the king is Hollywood, then Cameron is his heir apparent. Oh, and one more thing, Paxton will win an Oscar one day.


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Details

Official Sites:

HBOMAX | Official Facebook | See more »

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 July 1986 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Alien II See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$18,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,052,042, 20 July 1986

Gross USA:

$85,160,248

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$131,060,248
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (special edition)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)| Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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