# Alien (1979) — Celluloid fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/alien-1979/
Last reviewed: 2026-07-23

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 84% |
| Critic Score | 87% |
| Audience Score | 89% |
| Metascore | 81/100 |
| Letterboxd | 4/5 |
| IMDb | 8.5/10 |
| Director | Ridley Scott |
| Genres | Horror, Science Fiction |
| Runtime | 117 min |

## Quick answer

Alien (1979) earns a 84% Celluloid Score — Recommended. IMDb Top 250 #51 (8.5/10) — Alien remains one of the most highly rated films of all time. Metascore 81/100. Directed by Ridley Scott.

## Critics consensus

IMDb Top 250 #51 (8.5/10) — Alien remains one of the most highly rated films of all time.

## Synopsis

During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.

## Cast

Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Yaphet Kotto, Bolaji Badejo, Helen Horton

## Critic reviews on Celluloid: 1

## Common questions

**Is Alien worth watching?**
Alien holds a 84% Celluloid Score. IMDb Top 250 #51 (8.5/10) — Alien remains one of the most highly rated films of all time.

**What is Alien about?**
During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.

**Who directed Alien?**
Alien (1979) was directed by Ridley Scott.

**What is the Celluloid Score of Alien?**
84% — the average of five public sources: critics 87%, audience 89%, Metascore 81/100, Letterboxd 4/5, and IMDb 8.5/10.

**Where can I watch Alien?**
Streaming availability varies by region — see the Alien page for current options.

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Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

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