Ranking All The Alien & Predator Movies, From Worst To Best

James Cameron’s muscular follow-up is that rare beast; a sequel to a landmark classic that manages to surpass the original. It holds its predecessor in high regard yet doesn't repeat it, instead, evolving into something that plays to a new set of rules and genre.

The air-tight through-line is Sigourney Weaver as Ripley. Cameron organically furthers her arc with a transition from the first film’s hapless victim into fierce mother lion. It's a move that elevates the genre thrills to prestigious heights - with it no surprise she received an Oscar nod for her work here.

The supporting cast features a smorgasbord of 80s character actors as tough Marines, their arcs from confident badasses to frightened survivors are a classic high-point. None are one-note and contain a depth missing from these types of movies (Bill Paxton you are missed).

Still, all this wouldn’t have mattered if Aliens didn’t deliver on the blockbuster - and oh boy, does it. Thirty years on, some of the effects work have waned but when it comes to adrenaline-pumping thrills and visceral action, Aliens is one of the best films ever made.

Cameron trades in the slow-burn thrills of the original for a break-neck rollercoaster ride from beginning to end. Yet, one filled with strong character and heart - this is classic stuff indeed.