Alien (1979) Review
★★★★½ 4.5/5
Strongly recommended — holds up for new and returning viewers.
Is Alien worth watching?
Yes — Alien is worth watching, with a 87% Critic Score and 89% Audience Score on Celluloid. It earns a 84% Celluloid Score across critic reviews, audience polls, Metascore (81), Letterboxd (4/5), and IMDb (8.5/10).
Directed by Ridley Scott, Alien runs 117 minutes in English. On Celluloid we index it for “Alien review”, “is Alien worth watching”, and related discovery queries from United States.
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.
Critics consensus: IMDb Top 250 #51 (8.5/10) — Alien remains one of the most highly rated films of all time. The film stars Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, and others.
Should you watch Alien tonight?
Yes — prioritize Alien tonight if you want a proven horror with lasting rewatch value. At 117 minutes, it fits a single sitting — and the five-source score breakdown on the movie page shows where critics and audiences agree.
Where can I watch Alien?
Streaming availability varies by region — check Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and local OTT platforms, or theatrical revivals. Alien (1979) is indexed on CelluloidScore.com with cast, scores, and IMDb tt0078748. Explore more from United States on our country hub or browse horror films.