While watching Alien: Romulus, it occurred to me that the Xenomorph never fails to terrify. However, it also made me wonder, Is it the scariest movie alien of all time?
There are countless classic horror movies and even more awesome sci-fi movies that have unveiled otherworldly creatures of all different shapes, sizes, and, most importantly, qualities of nightmare fuel, but only one can be the eeriest and most intimidating extra-terrestrial of all. Could it be the Xenomorph? Let's take a deeper look at some of cinema's most horrifying horror villains from outer space before we determine which is my choice for the ultimate in revolting interplanetary royalty.
First, let's start with some honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions
While they did not make the cut for my personal Top 10 Scariest Movie Aliens, I could not call this list complete without some mention of freaky favorites like the visitors who abducted Travis Walton (D.B. Sweeney) in 1993's Fire in the Sky, the bioraptors from the first Riddick movie (2000's Pitch Black), and what are referred to as "Gorilla-Wolf Motherfuckers" in 2011's Attack the Block.
I also believe that Jean Jacket from Jordan Peele's Nope is one of the best modern horror movie villains for its stunningly unique design alone, the haunting sights from The Shimmer (which some might consider to be a creature in its own right) make 2018's Annihilation one of the best sci-fi horror movies of its time, and Robert Patrick's performance as a gym teacher infected by an alien parasite makes 1998's The Faculty a classic.
10. Blue Aliens (They Live)
Have you ever felt you were being treated like a puppet? If so, you can relate to Roddy Piper's Nada from John Carpenter's They Live, who uses special sunglasses to uncover one of the most inventive alien invasion movie plots: brainwashing the human race with subliminal messaging while living among us in plain sight. The Blue Aliens' plan might be even scarier today than when the cult favorite was released in 1988, as its themes of psychological manipulation are more relevant now than ever.
9. The Blob (The Blob)
Not to undermine psychological manipulation, but at least that sort of circumstance is easier to overcome than being consumed whole by sentient slime, like The Blob. With all due respect to the original from 30 years earlier, Chuck Russell's 1988 version is the one that really pulls no punches in showing what horrors this strange gelatinous goo is capable of.
8. Edgar The Bug (Men In Black)
I am actually not sure which I find scarier: Edgar the Bug in his true form as a giant cockroach or while hiding under Vincent D'Onofrio's skin. Either way, the slimy interstellar terrorist is easily Men in Black's most iconic alien for its breathtakingly eerie design and intimidating snarl, even though J (Will Smith) does manage to find its soft spot by stomping on some of its smaller relatives.
7. Long-Limbed Gray (No One Will Save You)
The otherworldly visitors in Brian Duffield's No One Will Save You (one of the best horror movies on Hulu) boast the most familiar alien design imaginable (gray skin with a skinny frame and bulbous head). However, the 2023 film's most unnerving sequence sees Kaitlyn Dever's Brynn chased by one creature with extra-extra-long arms and legs that sends a chill down your spine with every movie it makes.
6. The Children (Village Of The Damned)
Another great John Carpenter movie featured on our list is his 1995 remake of Village of the Damned, in which Superman actor Christopher Reeve takes on human-looking youngsters who turn out to be alien spawn hellbent on taking over the world. The horror genre has its fair share of creepy kids, but the eerily intelligent, platinum-blonde troublemakers with hypnotic eyes are on a whole different level.
5. Death Angels (A Quiet Place)
While the antagonistic creatures from the post-apocalyptic movie favorite, 2018's A Quiet Place, and its sequels are undeniably chilling, it is not their appearance that makes the so-called "Death Angels" so iconically scary. It is their keen sense of hearing, which has forced people all over the world, such as the Abbotts, to live in complete silence or become the monsters' next meal.
4. Pod People (Invasion Of The Body Snatchers)
Perhaps the only thing scarier than a savage beast from another planet is an alien that looks perfectly human and intends to replace you, your loved ones, and the rest of mankind. Hollywood has released multiple Invasion of the Body Snatchers movies, but one thing that remains the same in each iteration is the eerie, emotionless Pod People, who can only take your place if you cannot stay awake.
3. Predator (Predator)
Not all of cinema's most frightening extra-terrestrial creatures are animalistic savages. Exhibit A: the hulking, titular antagonist of the Predator movies, who does select its targets randomly, but uses a certain code of honor like your typical hunter would. Defeating the creature is not a test of strength but of wit, which Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch learns during his final one-on-one battle with the "ugly motherfucker" in the 1987 original.
2. Xenomorph (Alien)
One of the Predator's most challenging opponents is the Xenomorph, which is not so merciful and will tear apart anything that comes in its way — its first victims always being the human host it pops out of. Cunning stamina and bloodlust aside, H.R. Giger's unmistakably iconic design for the Alien movies' flagship creature, which has since taken on many different Xenomorph variations, is an unparalleled combination of picturesque purity and unsettling grotesquerie.
1. The Thing (The Thing)
However, the one thing that the Xenomorph cannot do is fool its prey by posing as a fellow human they trust, like the titular creature from John Carpenter's masterpiece, The Thing, which was a surprising box office flop in 1982. In addition to the wave of paranoia it inspires, the creature's ability to perfectly imitate any living organism makes way for some indelibly gruesome transformations that little to no other cinematic extra-terrestrials can rival.
Our beloved and beautiful Xenomorph just cannot hold a candle to the more clever and manipulative master of disguise from The Thing, which is why I believe it is the scariest movie alien we have ever seen. Would you agree?
