Is Alien appropriate for children?

# Alien - Parental Guide This R-rated sci-fi horror film features intense violence, strong language, and genuinely terrifying moments that will disturb most children. The alien creature is designed to be grotesque and threatening, with graphic scenes of violence. It's best reserved for mature teens and adults who can handle sustained suspense and horror imagery.

What age is Alien suitable for?

Our verdict for Alien is: Not recommended. See the age grid on this page for specific recommendations by age group.

Is Alien safe for children? | ScreenWise Parent Guide

Content breakdown

🔫

Violence

Strong

🗣️

Language / Profanity

Strong

🔞

Sexual Content

Moderate

👻

Horror / Scary

Strong

About this movie

Type

Movie

Released

1979

Rating

Genre

Horror, Science Fiction

Synopsis

During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.

Cast

Tom Skerritt

Dallas

Sigourney Weaver

Ripley

Veronica Cartwright

Lambert

Harry Dean Stanton

Brett

Full cast on IMDb ›

Age suitability

Under 6

Not yet

Ages 6–8

Not recommended

Ages 9–12

Not recommended

Ages 13+

Not recommended

Where to watch

🎬 Find on Amazon

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Parents also checked

Ratings based on MPAA/TV classification and TMDB metadata. Updated March 2026.
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