MesmeroWatch list, 0 saved

Movie
Poster for Alien Nation

Alien Nation

1988 · 91 min

A gritty buddy-cop thriller that blends social commentary with alien intrigue, offering a thoughtful and tense ride.

Directed by
Graham Baker
Genres
Science fiction, Crime, Thriller
Tagline
Prepare Yourself.
Overview
A few years from now, Earth will have the first contact with an alien civilization. These aliens, known as Newcomers, slowly begin to be integrated into human society after years of quarantine.

Your rating is saved. See your suggestions, or find titles like this one below.

Rate it, and Mesmero finds titles that feel like it. You do not need an account.

Search YouTube for a trailer

Add to a list: Alien Nation

You have no lists yet. Name one, and this title goes into it.

All your lists

In the UKNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.
Directed by
Graham Baker
Genres
Science fiction, Crime, Thriller
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • darkstrength 2 of 3
  • tensestrength 2 of 3
  • melancholicstrength 2 of 3
  • cynicalstrength 1 of 3
Pacing
measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • race
  • identity
  • friendship
  • corruption
  • betrayal
Places
  • big city
Era
near-future
Audience
adult
Form
  • twist ending
Content intensity
  • Gore mild
  • Language strong
  • Violence strong
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action6
Horror3
Humour4
Realism5
Romance1
Tension5
Darkness6
Complexity6
Emotional weight5

More like this

Titles like Alien Nation

Movie

Training Day

2001

A sweaty, nerve-jangling ride through LA's underworld that keeps you tense and morally off-balance from start to finish.

Dark, tense · about corruption and betrayal · twist ending

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • corruption
  • betrayal
  • twist ending
Pacing
relentless
Attention
engaged
Runtime
122 min
Details
Training DayHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Project Hail Mary

2026

A warm, funny, and awe-filled space adventure about friendship and sacrifice, balancing hard science with heartfelt emotion.

Tense · about friendship

Via
  • tense
  • friendship
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
157 min
Details
Project Hail MaryHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Matrix

1999

A sleek, mind-bending plunge into a simulated world where reality is a lie and every fight feels like a philosophical puzzle.

Dark, tense · about identity · twist ending

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • identity
  • twist ending
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
136 min
Details
The MatrixHidden from your suggestions.
TV series

Alien Nation

1989–1990

A thoughtful buddy-cop show that uses alien immigrants to explore prejudice with warmth and occasional grit.

Same creator: Rockne S. O'Bannon · Tense · about race and identity

Also
Same creator: Rockne S. O'Bannon
Via
  • tense
  • race
  • identity
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Seasons
1
Details
Alien NationHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Minority Report

2002

A sleek, propulsive chase through a glossy future that keeps tightening around you, clever and cold but with a raw ache underneath.

Dark, tense · about corruption · twist ending

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • corruption
  • twist ending
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
145 min
Details
Minority ReportHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Devil in a Blue Dress

1995

A slow-burning, atmospheric noir that wraps you in postwar LA's shadows and keeps you tense with its intricate mystery.

Dark, tense · about race and identity · twist ending

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • race
  • identity
  • twist ending
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
engaged
Runtime
102 min
Details
Devil in a Blue DressHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Terminator

1984

A relentless, tense chase that feels like a nightmare, blending sci-fi action with horror and a touch of romance.

Same cinematographer: Adam Greenberg · Dark, tense · twist ending

Also
Same cinematographer: Adam Greenberg
Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • twist ending
Pacing
relentless
Attention
engaged
Runtime
108 min
Details
The TerminatorHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

RoboCop

1987

A gleefully violent, darkly funny satire that blends explosive action with a surprisingly poignant search for lost humanity.

Dark · about identity and corruption · twist ending

Via
  • dark
  • identity
  • corruption
  • twist ending
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
102 min
Details
RoboCopHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

District 9

2009

A gritty, visceral sci-fi thriller that blends documentary-style realism with explosive action and body horror, leaving a haunting sense of injustice.

Dark, tense · about identity and corruption

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • identity
  • corruption
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
112 min
Details
District 9Hidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Hidden

1987

A fast, pulpy thrill ride blending buddy-cop action with body-snatching horror, tense and darkly fun.

Dark, tense · about identity · twist ending

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • identity
  • twist ending
Pacing
brisk
Attention
engaged
Runtime
97 min
Details
The HiddenHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Ghost in the Shell

2017

A sleek, moody dive into a neon future that looks stunning but keeps you at an emotional distance.

Dark, tense · about identity · twist ending

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • identity
  • twist ending
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
107 min
Details
Ghost in the ShellHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Touch of Evil

1958

A grimy, shadowy border-town descent where corruption and menace tighten around you like a slow, queasy grip.

Dark, tense · about corruption and betrayal · twist ending

Via
  • dark
  • tense
  • corruption
  • betrayal
  • twist ending
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
111 min
Details
Touch of EvilHidden from your suggestions.

Cast

Where to watch in the UK

No UK streaming, rental or purchase options are known.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details

Genres
science fiction, crime, thriller, action
Directed by
Graham Baker
Written by
Rockne S. O'Bannon
Starring
James Caan, Mandy Patinkin, Terence Stamp, Kevyn Major Howard, Leslie Bevis, Peter Jason, Conrad Dunn, Jeff Kober
Music
Curt Sobel
Cinematography
Adam Greenberg
Runtime
91 min
Country
United States of America
Languages
English

TMDBIMDbLetterboxdWikipediaWikidata