Alien Is Still a Near-Perfect Sci-Fi Thrill 45 Years Later (2024)

With how far the Aliens franchise has come, it's fascinating to look back at the very first installment, namely Ridley Scott's iconic 1979 film Alien. Not every film in the series has exactly been of top quality, with many fans rightly believing it peaked with James Cameron's Aliens in 1986. Despite these, it cannot be denied how well-crafted Alien is, or that it had an extraordinary effect on the sci-fi genre. Releasing merely two years after Star Wars reshaped sci-fi in its own right and helped bring forth the blockbuster, Alien reminded movie-goers that not every sci-fi story needed to rely on mysticism or larger-scale battles to be enthralling.

Scott established his signature style with Alien, and carried it with him throughout the rest of his career. WIth beautiful special effects, memorable performances and a simple yet satisfying story, Alien solidified Scott as a powerhouse director. In turn, Scott's work assured film-goers that they'd have an incredible (if often nightmarish) work of sci-fi storytelling and filmmaking to enjoy for decades to come.

Ridley Scott Capitalized On Alien's Themes Masterfully

Fear of the Unknown, Claustrophobia and Isolation Play Major Roles in Alien

Alien presents a clear illustration of the USCSS Nostromo’s crew going a little batty due to their unintentional exile on LV-426, also known as Acheron, while maintaining clear themes like isolation and claustrophobia. This is made very apparent during the scene where Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Parker (Yaphet Kotto) and Brett (Harry Dean Stanton) track a lifeform that they believe to be an alien until it's revealed to be the ship's cat, Jonesy. Parker is visibly stressed after Brett lets Jonesy go. He even made a great point that they should have detained the cat to not mistake it for anything more dangerous again. From the film's claustrophobic setting to the anxiety clearly building up in each individual crew member, Alien flawlessly delivers its themes to the audience.

However, while the crew of the Nostromo suffered a claustrophobic experience, the same could be said for the Xenomorph itself. Much like Jonesy, there are several moments in Alien that could be interpreted as the Xenomorph lashing out like a trapped cat. This concept is illustrated incredibly well in the film's final moments. The displaced creature was also stuck on Ripley's escape shuttle, as if caught in a trap. Despite its horrifying appearance, one could feel sorry for the Xenomorph, especially when Ripley burned it alive with the pod's engines.

Fear of the unknown is another theme that Scott takes advantage of in Alien. Even when the Xenomorph is revealed in full, as it makes short work of Parker and Lambert, there is still a stifling sense of mystery that makes the monster in question even more horrifying. In more ways than one, the Xenomoprh (which was only named as such after the fact) lived up to the movie's title. Beisdes being an alien from deep space, it was truly alien and inhuman in nature. The setting of the Nostromo also complements this theme. The ship's dark interior offered several places for the Xenomorph to hide in and stalk its prey from, despite it being small and cramped.

Scott's patience in showing the audience the film's main threat made the story all the more memorable. Alien's suffocating atmosphere and dingy locations created an inescapable eeriness that more than made up for the limited number of appearances from the titular monstrosity. This slow build-up provided much of Alien's tension and dread. The creature's inevitable full reveal paid off well by not giving too much away too quickly. This is a strategy more horror and thriller directors should implement as, oftentimes, what one doesn't see is a lot scarier than what they eventually do.

For comparison's sake, a recent Hulu film No One Will Save You, unfortunately, illustrates the polar opposite to Alien's execution. The Hulu movie reveals its creatures, which also happen to be aliens, far too early and provides them with tons of screen time. Although the creature effects are great and even disturbing in parts, the scares eventually stop coming. Soon enough, the alien's scenes in No One Will Save You just become routine. This, thankfully, is not the case for Alien.

Alien Turned Ellen Ripley Into an Iconic Action Hero

Sigourney Weaver Delivers a Legendary Performance as the Movie’s Unlikely Hero and Survivor

Ripley was introduced in Alien as just another member of the ship's crew, but quickly solidified herself as one of the most memorable action heroes in cinematic history. While the film's sequel, Aliens, doubled down on this idea and cemented her place in pop culture history, it cannot be denied that Ripley sets the stage for strong female protagonists for years to come here in Alien. While technically a "final girl" -- the classic horror trope of one woman lasting until the end of the film -- it feels almost disrespectful to label Ripley as such. She brings a flair that not many other such final girls offer, as she flees and fights her attacker instead of merely outlasting everyone.

However, it isn't just Ripley's willingness to get her hands dirty that made her strong. Right from the start, as the crew is awoken from their slumber, Ripley asserts herself into the inner-workings of the crew. There are multiple scenes where Ripley does her best to keep her fellow crew members focused on the tasks at hand, even if it draws the ire of some of her male coworkers. Ripley proves that she's not afraid of criticism as long as the job gets done and everybody remains safe as they explore this new world. This is likely why she takes such umbrage with the monstrous alien as it shatters those attempts and kills some of her closest friends.

Sigourney Weaver delivers a rock solid performance that's both believable and sympathetic, as she is thrust into chaos in her desperate attempt to flee her Xenomorph stalker. Weaver's performance ranges from unwavering confidence to guttural fear, resulting in one of the greatest thriller characters of all-time. Although Ripley is better known as a hardened flamethrower-totting action hero these days thanks to the more action-packed Aliens, she was just as compelling and effective when she was a more vulnerable protagonist in Alien. As both a survivor and a fighter, there are few other characters who could match Ripley.

Alien’s Effects Have Aged Better Than Most Films From the '70s

The Movie’s Practical Effects Still Hold up 45 Years After Its Release

Alien is a visual masterpiece. From impressive miniatures to stunning matte paintings, Alien makes a strong argument against the reliance studios have on CGI in the modern era of cinema. While animation is, of course, an extraordinary craft in of itself, there is something to be said about the physical craft of creating special effects by hand. Along with the outstanding atmosphere created by the aforementioned practical effects and set design, the monster designs in Alien became instantly iconic in the 45 years since its release. There isn't a movie-goer who doesn't recognize the Facehugger, Chestburster or Space Jockey, all of which are incredible examples of practical effects. These designs were impressive for 1979 but, even in the more spotty shots, they still hold up in 2024.

And then, of course, there's the classic Xenomorph. After being kept in the shadows for the majority of the film, it was an impressive and terrifying creature to behold when it was finally revealed in full. There's a reason this particular creature design passed the test of time with flying colors. Scott and his team created true magic with the visuals in Alien, which really set a standard for effects from that point on. The fact that later Alien movies had access to better special effects and were even aided by new CGI techniques yet still couldn't accomplish a fraction of what the older Alien achieved is a testament to the 1979 movie's excellence.

Scott went on to redefine the sci-fi genre yet again with 1982's Neo Noir classic, Blade Runner, but it was Alien that truly set the foundation for the director's impeccable style and attention to detail. There's very little to say about Alien that hasn't been discussed for decades at this point, but it's always worth appreciating a true work of art from a legendary artist. Although many believe the Alien franchise ran its course despite the upcoming Alien: Romulus, the impact its first installment left on the world of cinema is undeniable.

Alien is now available to watch and own physically and digitally.

Alien (1979)

R

Sci-Fi

Horror

9

10

The crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.

Director

Ridley Scott

Release Date

June 22, 1979

Cast

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

Runtime

117 minutes

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Pros

• Great cast and memorable performances
• Capitalizes on its themes masterfully
• Beautiful practical effects and creature design
• A simple -- yet extremely satisfying -- story