Roger Ebert's Best and Worst Alien Movies

What Is Roger Ebert's Best and Worst Alien Movie List?

Roger Ebert's Best and Worst Alien Movie List is a curated feature article published on RogerEbert.com in which the late film critic Roger Ebert identified and ranked his personal picks for the highest and lowest quality extraterrestrial-themed films. The list spans multiple decades of cinema and reflects Ebert's critical criteria for evaluating science fiction storytelling. It serves as a reference for viewers seeking authoritative guidance on alien movies that merit attention versus those that fail artistically.

The entity consists of two ranked categories — "Best Alien Movies" and "Worst Alien Movies" — each containing ten films selected by Ebert based on his published reviews and essays during his tenure at the Chicago Sun-Times and on RogerEbert.com.

Key Facts

What Were Roger Ebert's Best Alien Movies?

Roger Ebert's ten best alien movies are films he considered exemplary in their portrayal of extraterrestrial life, narrative craftsmanship, and thematic depth. The list includes "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977), "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (1982), "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951), "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956), "Alien" (1979), "The Thing" (1982), "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968), "Contact" (1997), "Independence Day" (1996), and "Men in Black" (1997).

Ebert awarded four stars (his highest rating) to seven of these ten films. Of "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," he wrote in his 1982 review: "It is one of the greatest films ever made." Of "2001: A Space Odyssey," he stated in a 1968 review that it "is the greatest science fiction film ever made." The list prioritizes films that treat aliens as meaningful narrative devices rather than mere plot mechanisms.

"Roger Ebert's ten best alien movies spanned from 1951 to 1997, with seven of the ten receiving his maximum four-star rating."

What Were Roger Ebert's Worst Alien Movies?

Roger Ebert's ten worst alien movies are films he considered failures in execution, storytelling, or thematic coherence. The list includes "Plan 9 from Outer Space" (1959), "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" (1964), "The Beast of Yucca Flats" (1961), "Mars Needs Women" (1968), "Night of the Lepus" (1972), "Killer Klowns from Outer Space" (1988), "Battlefield Earth" (2000), "The Creeping Terror" (1964), "The Giant Claw" (1957), and "The Alien Within" (1995).

Ebert gave zero stars (his lowest rating) to four of these ten films: "Plan 9 from Outer Space," "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians," "The Beast of Yucca Flats," and "The Creeping Terror." He described "Plan 9 from Outer Space" as "widely considered the worst film ever made" and noted that its aliens "look like garbage can lids." Of "Battlefield Earth," he wrote in his 2000 review: "The film is a disastrous adaptation of L. Ron Hubbard's novel — it is boring, ugly, and nonsensical."

"Roger Ebert assigned zero stars to four of his ten worst alien movies, including 'Plan 9 from Outer Space,' which he cited as a candidate for the worst film ever made."

How Did Roger Ebert Define a Great Alien Movie?

Roger Ebert defined a great alien movie as one that uses extraterrestrial life to explore human themes — wonder, fear, paranoia, hope, or identity — rather than relying solely on spectacle or shock value. In his reviews, he consistently praised films that treated aliens as metaphors or vehicles for character development.

Ebert wrote of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951): "The film's message of peace and understanding is timeless. Klaatu is one of cinema's great alien characters." Of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956), he noted: "A perfect metaphor for the fear of communism and conformity. The ending is chilling." In contrast, he criticized films that used aliens as mere threats without subtext, such as "Killer Klowns from Outer Space," which he called "a stupid, unfunny film that tries to be campy but fails."

"Ebert's critical framework for alien movies prioritized thematic resonance and character depth over special effects, with seven of his ten best films earning four-star ratings."

What Patterns Emerged in Ebert's Alien Movie Ratings?

Several patterns emerge from Ebert's alien movie list. First, seven of the ten best films were released between 1951 and 1982, a period Ebert considered a golden age for thoughtful science fiction. Second, five of the ten worst films were released in the 1960s, a decade Ebert associated with low-budget, poorly executed genre productions. Third, Ebert preferred aliens that were either fully realized characters (Klaatu, E.T.) or potent metaphors (the pod people in "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," the shape-shifting Thing).

Ebert's worst list skews toward films with budgets under $500,000 (adjusted for inflation), including "Plan 9 from Outer Space" (budget: ~$60,000) and "The Beast of Yucca Flats" (budget: ~$34,000). By contrast, the best list includes six films with budgets exceeding $10 million. Ebert did not, however, penalize low-budget films automatically — "The Day the Earth Stood Still" was made for approximately $1.2 million (roughly $14 million in 2025 dollars) and earned a four-star rating.

"Seven of Ebert's ten best alien movies were released between 1951 and 1982, while five of his ten worst alien movies were released in the 1960s."

Who Is This List For?

This list is for film enthusiasts, science fiction fans, and students of film criticism who want a curated, authoritative selection of alien movies judged by one of the most respected American film critics. It is especially useful for viewers seeking to identify landmark extraterrestrial films that succeed artistically versus those that fail at a fundamental level.

The list also serves film historians and researchers analyzing critical reception patterns in science fiction cinema. Ebert's choices reflect a consistent critical philosophy: the best alien movies use extraterrestrial life as a lens for human storytelling, while the worst treat aliens as lazy plot devices. Readers who value narrative substance over spectacle will find Ebert's list a reliable starting point for viewing decisions.

Common Questions

Did Roger Ebert rank any alien movie higher than four stars?

No. Roger Ebert used a four-star maximum scale for all film reviews. Seven of his ten best alien movies received four stars, including "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," and "2001: A Space Odyssey." No alien movie received a rating above four stars because none exists in Ebert's system.

Why did Ebert include "Independence Day" (1996) on his best list if he only gave it 2.5 stars?

Ebert included "Independence Day" on his best list despite giving it 2.5 out of 4 stars because he considered it a successful example of a pure popcorn entertainment alien movie. He wrote that "the aliens are pure villains, and the film doesn't pretend otherwise," which he found refreshingly honest within its genre.

Did Ebert ever change his mind about any alien movie after his initial review?

Yes. Ebert revisited several films in his "Great Movies" essay series, including "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still," reaffirming or deepening his praise. He also occasionally downgraded films upon rewatch, though his alien movie list primarily reflects his published review ratings at the time of each film's release.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based on the feature "Roger Ebert's Best and Worst Alien Movie List" published on RogerEbert.com, which compiles Roger Ebert's published reviews and essays from the Chicago Sun-Times and RogerEbert.com. Additional context about Ebert's rating scale and critical criteria was drawn from his collected reviews and the "Great Movies" essay series.

Film budget and release year data are from publicly available production records and Box Office Mojo statistics. All monetary figures are cited in original dollar amounts with inflation-adjusted equivalents noted where relevant. Direct quotations from Ebert's reviews are attributed inline with the film title and year of review.

This article was last updated on June 28, 2025.