Aliens
8.8/10
jumps
8
gore
6
dread
6
Tap a dot to add your rating.
Where to watch: Not on major US streamers — check digital rental.
How it scared people
The vibe
Cameron's answer to Ridley Scott's haunted house was a war picture, and its cleverest weapon is the motion tracker — a sound design decision that does more damage than any of the guns. Ripley is why it lasts: Weaver took an Academy Award nomination out of a film about a bug hunt, which never actually happens.
Aliens (1986) Parents Guide
| MPA rating | Rated R |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 137 minutes |
| Jump scares | 4/5 — genuinely scary, with sustained tension and hard-hitting scares |
| Gore | 3/5 — a moderate amount of blood and violence |
| Dread | 3/5 — a lingering atmosphere that stays for the evening |
| Themes | monster attacks; characters cut off from help; graphic bodily transformation |
Aliens is rated R by the MPA. We score it 4/5 for jump scares, 3/5 for gore and 3/5 for lingering dread, over 137 minutes. Older teens and adults — less for what it shows than for how long it stays with you.
We rate what the film does — scares, gore, dread — not scene-level content like language or nudity, which we don't track.
Before you press play
- How scary is Aliens?
- On our intensity scale, Aliens rates 8/10 for jump scares and 6/10 for dread. It is genuinely scary, with sustained tension and hard-hitting scares.
- How gory is Aliens?
- Aliens rates 6/10 for gore — expect a moderate amount of blood and violence.
- How long is Aliens?
- Aliens runs 137 minutes (2h 17m).
- What is Aliens rated?
- Aliens is rated R by the MPA. On our own scale it rates 8/10 for jump scares, 6/10 for gore and 6/10 for dread — the R tells you what it was certified, those tell you what it will do to you.
- Where to watch Aliens (1986)?
- Aliens is not on major US subscription streamers right now — look for it on digital rental or purchase (Apple TV, Prime Video, or your usual store).
