They Live

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They Live

R

1988

1h 33m

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

78 Reviews

80%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Nada (Roddy Piper), a wanderer without meaning in his life, discovers a pair of sunglasses capable of showing the world the way it truly is. As he walks the streets of Los Angeles, Nada notices that both the media and the government are comprised of subliminal messages meant to keep the population subdued, and that most of the social elite are skull-faced aliens bent on world domination. With this shocking discovery, Nada fights to free humanity from the mind-controlling aliens.

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Critics Consensus

A politically subversive blend of horror and sci fi, They Live is an underrated genre film from John Carpenter.

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Chris Bennion

The Times (UK)

Feb 2, 2024

It is a big, silly barrel of fun, with a delirious, tongue-in-cheek script...

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Phil Hoad

Guardian

Oct 25, 2018

4/5

The film was was responding to the start of the US rust belt and Reagan-era consumerism, but its themes of working-class subjugation and omnipresent media control have only become more pressing.

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

Feb 17, 2017

Carpenter's primary objective was to make a tough action flick, which he does; it fits snugly into his filmography's subset of urban mayhem movies (alongside 'Escape from New York,' 'Assault on Precinct 13,' and parts of 'Big Trouble in Little China').

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Mike Pearson

Denver Rocky Mountain News

Jun 22, 2026

Keith David, Roddy Piper and Meg Foster deliver competent performances, and the story's climax is infinitely more satisfying than its sluggish beginning.

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Richard Freedman

Newark Star-Ledger

Jan 7, 2026

0/4

Swamped in cliches and bone-weary with lack of inspiration, "They Live" is a sad science-fiction comedown for director John Carpenter.

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John Ferguson

Radio Times

Sep 13, 2024

3/5

Piper handles the action scenes better than he deals with dialogue, but he is well supported by Keith David and Meg Foster.

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Gabriel T

Jun 23, 2026

An extremely fun John Carpenter classic! Seeing it on the big screen again brought back teenage memories.

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Jason

Dec 29, 2023

one of the best movies ever made probably more true than we know

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Cody

Jun 22, 2022

A True Classic that rings true today.

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Kevin S

@SayHeyKid1230 17 hrs ago

All time classic. The themes are very relevant in 2026.

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Giovanni T

@RT44369250 Sep 22, 2026

Carpenter is a pioneer in sci-fi cinema and an underrated one too. They Live is an orwellian action flick that literally masquerades post-modern nihilism and an always-actual harsh criticism against consumism and american imperialism behind the lenses of a generic pair of sunglasses. Aesthetically impeccable with the use of black and white, with extraterrestrials that feel more like distorted, monstrous versions of the humans we were supposed to be. There's so little one can say about this movie without describing a century of discontent: just watch it, it's worth every minute of it. And, as always, remember to chew bubblegum and kick ass.

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Leprechaun K

@LeprechaunKing Sep 20, 2026

They Live is one of Carpenter's lesser films due to the limited budget. The effects aren't great but Piper's performance is surprisingly good. The underlying theme of anti-capitalism is clear and loud. It is somewhat entertaining but suffers from poor execution.

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John Carpenter

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Roddy Piper

Nada

Keith David

Frank

Meg Foster

Holly

George "Buck" Flower

Drifter

Peter Jason

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They Live: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Nada (Roddy Piper), a wanderer without meaning in his life, discovers a pair of sunglasses capable of showing the world the way it truly is. As he walks the streets of Los Angeles, Nada notices that both the media and the government are comprised of subliminal messages meant to keep the population subdued, and that most of the social elite are skull-faced aliens bent on world domination. With this shocking discovery, Nada fights to free humanity from the mind-controlling aliens.

Director: John Carpenter
Producer: Larry J. Franco
Screenwriter: John Carpenter
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Alive Films, Larry Franco Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 23, 1988, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Sep 3, 2023
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 5, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $12.3M
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Surround

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