Alien invasion movies work in numerous ways – some are more exciting and action-oriented, others are more rooted in horror. However, even these two genres are not mutually exclusive. Some horror movies contain thrilling action sequences, and some action movies contain horrifying moments scarier than the ones found in the genuine horror films. Either way, the alien invasion subgenre is a fantastic source for some good scares.
And there have been many good scares throughout the years. The mere concept of an alien invasion is terrifying to ponder, and these terrifying movie scenes visualize that horror in incredible and spine-chilling detail.
War Of The Worlds (2005): Harvesting Humans
War of the Worlds is rated PG-13, but it contains one of the most horrifying sequences in alien movie history. While hiding out in Harlan’s basement, Ray finds Harlan suffering a mental breakdown while looking out the window. Looking out himself, Ray makes a horrifying discovery – the alien tripods are pinning corpses to the ground, sticking them with a long, needle-like device, sucking their blood through the device, and then dispersing the blood through the air to harvest their extraterrestrial crops.
Independence Day (1996): Destroying The White House
Independence Day contains what may be the most famous visual in alien movie history. In fact, it may be one of the most famous visuals in movie history. Period. The massive alien ship hovers directly above the White House, an ominous blue light descends from the ship, and the White House explodes. The White House is one of the leading symbols of power and freedom in the Western world, and watching it explode makes for the ultimate symbol of mankind’s doom.
Men In Black (1997): The Bug Takes Over Edgar
Men In Black is primarily an action-comedy, but it still contains its share of freaky sequences. Perhaps the freakiest of them all is the alien’s takeover of the poor farmer Edgar. The alien attacks Edgar and uses his skin as its own. The new Edgar looks horrifying, sounds inhuman, and walks with a creepy and unnatural gait that betrays his otherwise human exterior. Things get even scarier when Edgar’s wife comments on his newly-loose skin, causing alien Edgar to pull the skin back over his skull. It is not a nice image.
Annihilation (2018): The Human-Bear Thing
Annihilation is a different sort of alien invasion movie. Rather than a tangible alien threat, Annihilation concerns the “Shimmer” – a weird, otherworldly force that arrived on a meteor and mutates the surrounding environment. In one of the movie’s best sequences, a mutant bear attacks and seemingly kills Cass.
Later, the mutant bear – sporting a mutated and exposed skull – is drawn to the tied up scientists. When it screams and/or growls, the faint sound of Cass’s human scream can also be heard, indicating that Cass has become a part of the bear in some capacity.
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016): Confronting Michelle & Emmett
While the first Cloverfield was more of a monster movie, 10 Cloverfield Lane is explicitly about aliens – as evident by the massive ship that captures Michelle during the film’s climax. However, that is the only alien that audiences see, as 90% of the film takes place inside a bunker. In one of the movie’s scariest sequences, the deranged Howard finds some escape tools in the bunker and proceeds to threaten both Michelle and Emmett with a vat of acid. When Emmett takes the blame, Howard shoots him directly in the face.
Edge Of Tomorrow (2014): Cage’s Initial Death
Edge of Tomorrow is one of the most unique alien invasion movies, and it deserves all the praise that it receives. The movie has an incredibly unique premise – whenever Tom Cruise’s Major William Cage dies in battle, he “restarts” back at the military base before the battle begins. It’s Groundhog Day mixed with alien action, and it is incredible. Cage’s initial death is quite horrifying, as he dies in an explosion while covered in alien blood. The image of Cage’s black eyes and partially-melted face is nightmare-inducing.
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978): Matthew’s Scream
One of the most famous alien invasion movies of all time, Invasion of the Body Snatchers stars Donald Sutherland as Matthew Bennell and Veronica Cartwright as Nancy Bellicec.
In the movie’s famous (and horrifying) ending, Nancy approaches Matthew outside the San Francisco City Hall. As she comes closer, Matthew raises his finger and points at her while emitting a creepy, inhuman scream, indicating that he has become one of the pod people.
The Thing (1982): The Entire Defibrillation Sequence
The Thing is an alien invasion movie of sorts, as it concerns an ancient alien creature attacking a remote base in Antarctica with the hopes of going back to the mainland and taking over the world. Luckily for the rest of the world, MacReady kills it in the ultimate act of self-sacrifice. But not before the famous defibrillation sequence. Norris’s chest opens up and bites off Copper’s arms, and Norris’s head detaches itself from the rest of the body before crawling away with its own elongated tongue and turning into a spider with eyestalks. This is John Carpenter at his absolute best.
Slither (2006): Brenda Explodes
Written and directed by James Gunn, Slither is a throwback to cheesy grindhouse horror movies of the 1970s. The story concerns a small town in South Carolina that is taken over by an alien entity, turning the residents into zombie-like creatures. One of the movie’s signature visuals is the sight of the massive and bloated Brenda, who has been impregnated with little alien babies. When the alien larvae hatch, they tear Brenda apart from the inside, and she bursts in a cloud of red and bloody alien maggots.
Signs (2002): The Birthday Party Video
Signs was perhaps the decade’s most popular alien invasion film, and it provided movie lovers with a ton of classic and now-iconic sequences. Perhaps the most famous is the birthday party video. A home video is filmed at a child’s birthday party in Brazil, and when the partygoers investigate a strange noise, they get a glimpse of a tall, green alien creature that quickly scuttles away. While not accompanied by a loud noise, this remains one of the most iconic jump scares in movie history.
