10 More Tense & Suspenseful Horrors
Alien is an absolute classic and arguably one of the best horror movies of all time. It’s tense, claustrophobic and very suspenseful. The characters are likable, the run-time packed with memorable moments and there’s lots of thematic weight to this one too.
If you’ve finished watching this one and are looking for alternate picks, we’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top choices for alternate viewing.
As usual, let us know your thoughts about our picks in the comments below!
Jaws (1975)
Maybe Jaws deserves to top this list; maybe it shouldn’t, but it does deserve to be high up regardless. Jaws is the king of all animal horror films and actually shares a good deal in common with Alien.
The film centers on Cape Cod, where a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community. As a result, it’s up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down. And predictably, they’re going to need a bigger boat when tackling this behemoth.
Like Alien, Jaws plays on the horror you can’t see, with many shots panning around the ocean and making use of a masterful score to really rachet up the tension. Jaws broke down barriers for other films of its kind to follow, including, of course, Alien itself.
Life (2017)
Life follows a team of scientists aboard the International Space Station as they discover and study a sample from Mars that turns out to be the first proof of extra-terrestrial life. However, the life form itself proves more intelligent and dangerous than they ever could have imagined, jeopardizing the entire mission.
Like Alien, Life features a crew in space forced to deal with an alien life form that turns hostile. The central premise of isolation, alongside the tension and horror of an extra-terrestrial threat, are common elements in both.
Pandorum (2009)
Pandorum centers on two astronauts who wake up in a large spacecraft with no memory of who they are or what their mission is. As they explore the ship, they find that they are not alone, and the ship’s new inhabitants are most certainly not friendly.
Pandorum, like Alien, really revels in that sense of claustrophobic dread and the horror of being trapped in space with a less-than-pleasant entity. Both movies slowly unveil the mystery of the creatures and the protagonists’ situation, making for a very tense and suspenseful watch.
The Abyss (1989)
The Abyss centers on a civilian diving team tasked with searching for a lost nuclear submarine. Deep in the ocean, they encounter a mysterious and beautiful alien species. The film’s real stand-out element comes from depicting the struggle of the crew, as they’re forced to survive the deep ocean and its unknown elements.
While the Alien is a hostile creature and the extraterrestrials in The Abyss are more peaceful, both films share that idea of isolation and encountering unknown alien life. If that wasn’t enough, both films explore how humans react and interact with alien beings.
Event Horizon (1997)
Event Horizon is a film of two-halves and perhaps the second isn’t quite as strong as the first. However, there’s undoubtedly a lot of tension and suspense in this film and if you haven’t seen it yet, you absolutely should.
The story centers on a rescue crew investigating a spaceship that disappeared into a black hole and has now returned with something new on board. As the rescue team explores the ship, they experience strange and horrific phenomena.
The Thing (1982)
The Thing is a sci-fi action horror directed by John Carpenter. It follows a group of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter an extraterrestrial life-form that assimilates, then imitates, other organisms. As a result of this, the group become consumed with paranoia when they realize they can’t determine who among them is still human and who is The Thing.
Both films feature a confined setting with a group of people facing a dangerous and stealthy alien that stalks its victims. The sense of paranoia and suspense, not to mention the gruesome transformations and struggle for survival, are common themes in both.
Pitch Black (2000)
In Pitch Black, a spacecraft crash-lands on a sun-scorched planet. The surviving crew members find themselves in a world of darkness, hunted by alien predators that only come out in the dark. Among the survivors is dangerous convict Riddick, played by Vin Diesel, who turns out to be their best hope for survival.
Both Alien and Pitch Black involve crews stranded in hostile environments facing murderous alien creatures. Both films use the fear of the dark and the unseen to build in their respective suspense and horror, along with a strong, central protagonist (Ripley and Riddick) who emerges as a leader.
Europa Report (2013)
Europa Report is a sci-fi flick that recounts the fictional story of the first crewed mission to Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter. The crew of astronauts undertake this treacherous task in the search for possible alien life, but what they encounter shocks everyone to their core.
While Europa Report is less of a horror and more of a suspenseful thriller, it shares Alien’s concept of a crew in a confined spacecraft, that overwhelming sense of isolation, and the thirst to search for alien life. Both films build a suspenseful atmosphere, illustrating the dangers of space exploration and unknown environments.
Predator (1987)
Predator is an 80’s classic and centers on an elite military rescue team sent to the jungles of Central America on a mission. However, that mission goes horribly wrong when they encounter an advanced alien creature that starts hunting them for sport.
Both Alien and Predator feature a deadly creature hunting a group of professionals in a confined and isolated location (a spacecraft in Alien, and a jungle in Predator). Each film balances action and horror as the group tries to survive and defeat the creature.
The Descent (2005)
The Descent is a fantastic horror about a group of friends who go on a caving expedition and become trapped. They soon discover they’re not alone, as they are hunted by flesh-eating humanoids.
While The Descent doesn’t feature an alien creature or a space setting, it does make great use of its camera work to heighten that feel of claustrophobia. Honestly, if anyone has a fear of tight spaces, this film will absolutely exploit that.
Both films also feature strong female characters who must fight for their survival, alongside a rising wave of growing sense of dread and terror.
There we have it, our top 10 alternatives to check out when you’ve finished watching Alien. What do you think about our picks? Do you agree? Did one of your favourites make the list? Or have we missed one of your favourites? Either way, let us know in the comments below!