Top 10 Alien Franchise Movie Moments

While the aliens are already pretty terrifying when walking, they’re somehow even scarier underwater, as this intense scene proves. During their escape, Ripley and crew discover the Mess Hall, their only route out, has been completely submerged in water, and begin their swim across. Unfortunately, aliens follow in what is perhaps the movie’s most famous and easily creepiest scene. The idea of swimming aliens is freaky enough, but being in the position of having to hold your breath while being chased by incoming monsters is a harrowing situation to imagine.

In this shocking ending to the original trilogy, Ripley goes out in a blaze of glory – overly obvious Christ symbolism and all. When Ripley discovers that she has an alien growing inside of her and that the Company wants to study it, she sacrifices herself and falls into molten metal. The music during this scene is swelling and compliments the drama perfectly. The dark cinematography is also outstanding, and the content look on Ripley’s face proves a fitting, noble end to the legendary heroine…at least until the next movie.

The scene that introduced the world to the grown Alien creature, Brett’s death is a true milestone in cinema history. After calling for Jonesy, the cat, Brett finds him hiding in a corner, but also discovers more than he bargained for. The swiftness and quiet deliberation of the alien is terrifying as it drops down behind Brett, and the snarling mouth is an unforgettable introduction to the monster that everyone fears. The sound effects, cinematography, and lack of detail regarding the alien all combine to create a scary scene that plays with everyone’s imaginations.

Playing on many different types of fears all at once, this scene is a classic due to its sheer intensity. After Dallas volunteers to go into the airshaft, Lambert watches him on a motion tracker, only to realize that the alien is in there with him. The airshaft itself is a tight space and pitch black, which plays on viewers’ claustrophobia and fear of the dark. The dread of knowing the alien is stalking Dallas is increased by Veronica Cartwright’s amazingly desperate performance. And of course, it’s capped off by one terrific jump scare that gets us every time.

No other moment in this movie blends horror and action so perfectly – except maybe the scene where the aliens are gunned down by the auto turrets. After seeing motion on the tracker, Ripley and her group await the onslaught of aliens, until Hicks opens the ceiling and discovers a swarm about to attack. The wait for the creatures is unbearably tense, and the scare of seeing the mass of aliens will make anyone shiver. The gunfight that follows is loud, explosive, and a lot of fun to watch.

This scene let the audience know that the movie wasn’t pulling any punches and that it would place an emphasis on action as well as horror. When the marines discover the alien hive, viewers are treated to a terrifically terrifying scene when aliens suddenly drop from above and pick off the crew. James Cameron made a great decision to not show the actual combat, but instead, let our imaginations take over, allowing us to fill in the blanks amid the constant yelling and the chaotic camera. And really, what’s scarier than that?

This scene is one of James Cameron’s finest, remaining exciting and visceral to this day. When Ripley decides to rescue Newt, she rides the elevator down into the Alien Queen’s lair. The audience is treated to a masterclass in suspense as she looks around in fear, alarms beeping and blaring around her. The Queen itself still looks fantastic thirty years later due to the power of practical effects, and Ripley burning the eggs is an unforgettable moment in the Alien canon. It’s got horror, action, and fantastic visual work all in one.

While Ian Holm portrayed the robotic Ash perfectly with his deadpan expressions and humorless personality, it’s still a surprise when Parker knocks his head off and we discover that he is an android. While his spastic freak-out is certainly an indication that something wasn’t right, the reveal is an iconic moment that no one saw coming. The scene afterwards with his talking head is fantastically created with milk and pasta, and still looks disgusting today, highlighting the true mastery of the effects team.

One of the most quoted lines from any of the “Alien” movies, this scene ended the second film with a terrific action sequence and showed Ripley’s bravery and motherly instincts in full focus. After the alien rips Bishop in half and is about to kill Newt, Ripley walks out in a full mech suit and utters the famous line. Everything, including the context, the cinematography, the acting, and the slow reveal, comes together perfectly to form one of the most memorable scenes in action movie history.

Before we look at our most memorable “Alien” moment, here are a few honorable mentions.
- The Space Jockey
“Alien” (1979)
- Dropship Scene
“Aliens” (1986)
- Game Over, Man!
“Aliens” (1986)
- The Knife Trick
“Aliens” (1986)

What else could we pick besides this terrifying scene that continues to scare audiences decades later? After Kane’s facehugger is removed, we think all is well; that is, until he starts choking and an alien bursts out of his stomach. The sound effect of the alien is chilling, while the acting and visual effects are outstanding. Veronica Cartwright is even legitimately scared on screen when the fake blood shoots into her face, as she had not been warned ahead of time. It’s not only the most memorable scene of the franchise, but one of the most iconic moments in all of cinema.

Do you agree with our list? What moment from the “Alien” franchise is your favorite? For more terrifying top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.