Unbelievable! The 7 Most Epic Action Scenes in the Alien Saga That Will Blow Your Mind!

As a passionate cinephile, I’ve always been captivated by the thrilling amalgamation of science fiction, horror, and action in the Alien franchise. This cinematic universe, much like a xenomorph itself, is incredibly versatile, often mastering each genre element with remarkable finesse, especially its exhilarating action sequences.

It took some time for the Alien Universe to fully embrace its hybrid identity. The inaugural film of the series, Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece Alien, primarily functioned as a chilling space horror, setting the stage. However, the 1986 sequel, James Cameron’s Aliens, is legendary for its heavy emphasis on pulse-pounding action, and ever since then, every Alien movie has been as action-packed as it is terrifying.

Absolutely, the Alien series has a distinct edge in this aspect due to the chilling presence of the xenomorphs, which are among cinema’s most iconic terrors. Featuring human characters like Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley and other main characters, the Alien films consistently deliver suspenseful, thrilling, and frequently frightening action sequences.

Here are the 7 best action scenes in the Alien franchise.

Rain & Andy Dodging Fighting in Zero Gravity – Alien: Romulus

In the Alien series, the highly destructive acidic blood of xenomorphs has been skillfully employed to create an atmosphere of tension and suspense. The upcoming game, Alien: Romulus, significantly intensifies this feeling by eliminating the force of gravity as a key factor.

In the temporary shutdown of artificial gravity, character Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and android Andy (David Jonsson) float to one edge of a blood-filled xenomorph river, compelling them on an agonizing flight through the air to reach the opposite side without getting scorched. The movie Alien: Romulus has garnered deserved acclaim as a refreshing revival for the Alien series, and one of its most captivating scenes – the imaginative application of xenomorph blood in a striking set piece – is undoubtedly a standout feature. EXTRA: This sequence transitions seamlessly into an even more elaborate and thrilling scene, where the tension escalates yet again with the introduction of an elevator.

Shaw Destroying the Engineer’s Ship – Prometheus

2012’s “Prometheus,” Ridley Scott’s re-entry into the legendary “Alien” universe, showcases the grandeur and breathtaking visual spectacle that the masterful filmmaker is known for. In the climactic scenes of “Prometheus,” I found myself on the edge of my seat as Elizabeth Shaw (played by Noomi Rapace) raced against time to halt an Engineer-piloted ship from barreling towards Earth, threatening the extinction of mankind. This nail-biting scenario was undoubtedly one of the highest-stakes moments in “Alien” history, and Scott elevated the tension with a heart-stopping spacecraft crash sequence, arguably the most harrowing ever captured on film. The circular ship, reminiscent of a tumbling coin, plummeted back to the planet below, offering an explosive and climactic end to the Engineer’s vessel – a landing that truly stuck the proverbial ‘landing.’

The Corbelean Dodging the Rings of LV-410 – Alien: Romulus

In the Alien franchise’s latest installment, Alien: Romulus, the climax unfolds with the main characters encountering “The Offspring,” a terrifying hybrid of human and xenomorph DNA. However, this is only the start of their troubles. They must eject this creature from their ship, the Corbelean, but also avoid crashing the drifting vessel into the rings of planet LV-410 as it gradually descends towards it. The visual effects in the finale of Alien: Romulus are exceptional, mirroring the intensity of the sequence and the dual sense of urgency for both immediate threats to the human survivors and the impending doom of the ship collision. The final scene of Alien: Romulus concludes with an outstanding action sequence that, much like the iconic acid blood scene, makes use of weightlessness as a key element.

The Tunnel Chase on the Prison Planet – Alien 3

In simpler terms, it’s acknowledged that “Alien 3” isn’t generally considered the best film in the “Alien” series, as even its director, David Fincher, has distanced himself from it due to the challenging production process. However, the ending of the movie, where Ripley (played by Sigourney Weaver) and the prisoners on Fiorina 161 devise a plan to kill the dog-like alien creature using molten lead, is quite strong. To carry out this plan, they lead the alien through a maze of tunnels, trapping it as it climbs walls and ceilings in pursuit.

While it’s true that most of the prisoners are murderers, this fact reduces the emotional impact when they are picked off one by one. Nevertheless, from an action standpoint, the corridor chase sequence at the end of “Alien 3” is still a great example of the “Alien” franchise’s intense and thrilling action scenes.

The Xenomorph Attacks The Ship – Alien: Covenant

Back in 2012’s “Prometheus”, I got a glimpse of that fearsome creature, the Xenomorph, resting on a bench. However, it was held back for the grand finale in 2017’s “Alien: Covenant”. Let me tell you, the Xenomorph left an indelible mark in that movie’s ending. As our hero, Daniels (Katherine Waterson), and the remaining crew scrambled to board the Covenant’s drop ship, a freshly hatched Xenomorph was hot on our heels, moving at breakneck speed, relentlessly pursuing our departing spacecraft. The Xenomorph’s attack, more of a brief appearance in the grand scheme of the movie, was indeed showcased in “Alien: Covenant”‘s promotional materials, but thankfully, it wasn’t so heavy-handed that it spoiled the finale’s surprise. Instead, it added an electrifying third-act twist to the film.

The Xenomorphs Ambush Colonial Marines – Aliens

In a state of disbelief, Bill Paxton’s character Hudson exclaims, “Why are they shutting off the power? They’re just creatures!” This is said as Ripley, Newt, and the space marines brace for a xenomorph attack in a dimly lit room on LV-426’s colony. The tension before the 1986 film Aliens‘s destruction was arguably never more intense.

The brutal killing spree of almost every human character by the xenomorph significantly enhances its menacing presence throughout the Alien series, culminating in a heart-pounding chase through a ventilation system. A standout scene showcases the relentless pursuit of the xenomorphs towards their hapless human victims. Despite being outmatched and overpowered, several human heroes fight back valiantly until their last breath. Notable instances include Hudson’s heroic stand and the poignant dialogue exchange between Vasquez (Jeanette Goldstein) and Gorman before they both meet their untimely end through a hand grenade explosion.

Ripley vs. The Xenomorph Queen – Aliens

As I sat down in the dimly lit theater, I thought the xenomorphs had met their demise at the hands of the nuclear explosion on LV-426’s human colony. But little did I know, the Xenomorph Queen was merely playing possum, hiding aboard Ripley’s escape ship.

Determined to protect herself and humanity once more, Ripley devised a clever battle plan. She slipped into a powerful mech suit and faced off against the Queen in a nail-biting final showdown. With her iconic line echoing through the ship, she commanded, “Get away from her, you beast!”

The tension between these two formidable opponents was electrifying, leaving me on the edge of my seat until the very end. The stakes had never been higher in this thrilling sequel to the original Alien saga.

In “Aliens,” filmmaker James Cameron aimed to elevate every aspect compared to the original “Alien,” introducing a more menacing Xenomorph Queen, and culminating in an exhilarating battle between humans and xenomorphs on the surface. Simultaneously, Ripley confronts her past trauma from her initial encounter with the xenomorph, embodying the warrior she has become. Even though some may find fault with a lever to open the ship’s hatch being placed within the hatch itself, the power of the final action sequence and the captivating “Bishop’s Countdown” music (often used effectively in later film trailers) by James Horner overshadows this minor issue. Overall, Ripley’s confrontation with the Xenomorph Queen remains the best action scene within the Alien series.

All Alien films can be streamed on both Disney+ and Hulu platforms, and the latest installment, Alien: Earth, is scheduled to premiere on Hulu towards the end of 2025.

2025-04-25 19:11