E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial poster & wallpaper
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Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Peter Coyote, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore ... see more see more... , Debra Winger , K.C. Martel , Sean Frye , Erika Eleniak , David O'Dell , Richard Swingler , Frank Toth , Robert Barton , Michael Durrell , Tamara De Treaux , C. Thomas Howell , Milt [Lewis] Kogan , Robert Murphy , David M. O'Dell , Michael Darrell

Both a classic movie for kids and a remarkable portrait of childhood, E.T. is a sci-fi adventure that captures that strange moment in youth when the world is a place of mysterious possibilities (some ... read more read more...wonderful, some awful), and the universe seems somehow separate from the one inhabited by grown-ups. Henry Thomas plays Elliott, a young boy living with his single mother (Dee Wallace), his older brother Michael (Robert MacNaughton), and his younger sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore). Elliott often seems lonely and out of sorts, lost in his own world. One day, while looking for something in the back yard, he senses something mysterious in the woods watching him. And he's right: an alien spacecraft on a scientific mission mistakenly left behind an aging botanist who isn't sure how to get home. Eventually Elliott puts his fears aside and makes contact with the "little squashy guy," perhaps the least threatening alien invader ever to hit a movie screen. As Elliott tries to keep the alien under wraps and help him figure out a way to get home, he discovers that the creature can communicate with him telepathically. Soon they begin to learn from each other, and Elliott becomes braver and less threatened by life. E.T. rigs up a communication device from junk he finds around the house, but no one knows if he'll be rescued before a group of government scientists gets hold of him. In 2002, Steven Spielberg re-released E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial in a revised edition, with several deleted scenes restored and digitally refurbished special effects. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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65% liked it

30,829,699 ratings

Critics

98% liked it

94 critics

PG, 1 hr. 54 min.

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Release Date: June 11, 1982

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DVD Release Date: October 22, 2002

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Stats: 1,317,723 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,317,723)

  • thmtsang
    December 21, 2012
    thmtsang
    Excellent movie about a boy who finds an alien and tries to help him get home. I cry every time I watch this movie. My favourite scene is the iconic bicycle ride by moonlight. Amazing!
  • fb100000716838411
    September 4, 2012
    fb100000716838411
    If you have not seen this movie at least once, then I must ask you one thing: Why? E.T. is about an alien who is accidentally left on Earth by his spaceship and he befriends a young boy named Elliot who soon discovers him. I want to start by saying that the opening title for the ... read moremovie is just plain eery. There's a weird and deep sound playing in the background it doesn't really sound like music. Then it just shows these short, dark figures moving around in the dark and isolated forest. I was about 5 or 6 years old the first time I saw this so I was under the assumption that this was some kind of horror movie. As the movie progresses, we're introduced to Elliot and his family. Elliot is played by Henry Thomas and he's really good in his role. Most kid actors usually suck, but Thomas is an exception. Drew Barrymore plays Elliot's little sister and she's the most well-known person in the movie. Yep, despite the success of E.T., most of the actors careers never got boosted and Barrymore was able to move on to other stuff like.....Family Guy? Anyway, I also feel the need to address a scene that scarred me as a child: The scene in the cornfield when Elliot is looking for E.T. in the beggining of the movie. It's a very creepy and tense scene and when the climax of the scene hits, your kids might end up having nightmares. When Elliot and E.T. eventually see eachother properly for the first time, the friendship starts and you immediately buy it. Elliot is the middle child in his family, his parents are divorced and you obviously get the sense that he's a lonely person in need of a companion. If he didn't meet E.T., I'm pretty sure he would become a drug addict. All the scenes with Elliot and E.T. are really well done. They're full of humor, emotion, a strong sense of curiosity and understanding and it makes for a great story of friendship. The special effects for E.T. are also fantastic. I've always preffered puppetry over CGI and this is one of those movies that shows why. It just pisses me off that Steven Spielberg went back and updated the film so that E.T. is a shallow piece of computer animation in the DVD. Not only that, but he also did a lot of stupid shit like digitally replacing all the guns with walkie-talkies. It may seem like I hate CGI, but I don't. I think it's a great and useful tool, but I just hate the people who overuse and abuse it. I'm just glad I own the original VHS copy of this movie. While speaking on technical aspects, I also have to praise the music for the film. John Williams did such an excellent job on creating a memorable score. It's an unforgettable piece of music and it's one of my all time favorite scores. Without spoiling anything, I'm also going to comment on the ending. It's such an emotional scene that always overwhelms me. It perfectly ends the movie and it's one of those things that just makes you sad. E.T. is one of my all time favorite movies and I don't see myself getting bored with it. It's a classic and if you haven't seen it, then find a way to watch it.
  • fb1442511448
    August 6, 2012
    fb1442511448
    Spielberg breaks boundaries and moves mountains with this phenomenal blend of sci-fi and family fun. The young kids (including and up-and-coming Drew Barrymore) present brash enthusiasm and classy acting to go along with the brilliant effects and score. E.T. is a beautiful pictur... read moree to view over and over again. 4/5
  • superclerk25
    March 19, 2012
    superclerk25
    classic
  • emilkakko
    January 27, 2012
    emilkakko
    For me this fantasy classic has always seem a bit overrated sweet little film from one of the most talented directors of all times. Here you can see a great director working with more weaker material than he usually does.
    There is many familiar themes here that has been evident ... read morein many other Spielberg productions, but he might try even a bit too hard to be touching and oddly fails to connect with our hearts fully. Only in the final fifteen minutes Spielberg manages to awaken his film from sleep and give it some of that majestic magical charm which it so badly needs.
    Maybe it is the fact that Spielberg is pulling our emotional strings so obviously here and therefore makes it all seem a bit forced. From the outside it reminds of many other Spielberg's films, most notably the better Close Encounters of the Third Kind and the fantastic and much more philophical fantasy masterpiece of his Artificial Intelligence.
    There is no doubt that this was a important film considering for Spielberg's own career and it also was a important film for many people who saw it back in the 80's and still is, but i find it a overreted work in Spielberg's own filmography. It is still a well meaning film and certainly does have it's moments. John Williams legendary theme is possibly the film's finest thing.
  • fb100002384654145
    January 18, 2012
    fb100002384654145
    Steven Spielberg's ultimate masterpiece. The film manages to convey the importance of friendship, family, and love in a way that is touching without getting overly-sentimental. Everybody from the child actors to the adults give great performances. The special effects work for ... read morethe character E.T. are so fantastic that at one point I forgot that E.T. was a special effect. I doubt the movie would have felt complete without the fantastic music score by John Williams. Despite taking place in a suburban town, Williams makes the film feel epic nonetheless. E.T. is a timeless classic that can be appreciated by people of all ages.
  • fb619846742
    December 29, 2011
    fb619846742
    A wonderfully constructed sci-fi gem of a film concerning an alien who lands on earth and is accidentally left behind, and takes shelter with a young, isolated boy (Henry Thomas). The biggest thing this film has going for it is its timelessness, being that it shares universal val... read moreues, and taps into human's rebellious tendencies, desire for companionship, and nostalgic hey-days of youth so very well. There are a few scenes that probably could have been cut, as well as a little hokey-ness once in a while, but for the most part this is stellar film-making, with a tear-jerking, intense conclusion that would not be as special without John Williams musical score which packs in own emotional wallop. Just a fine all-around movie that will never get old.
  • aquateen2
    November 2, 2011
    aquateen2
    E.T is an example of what movies were made to be. I guarantee that this charming adorable film will entertain generations of people for many years to come. Absolutley touching but a bit creepy for its own taste.
  • fb729949618
    October 28, 2011
    fb729949618
    It's a shame this film currently has a 65% rating for the audience. I feel that most of these ratings have come from 2005+ which are obviously going to be very different to a review from 1982. This film is nearly 30 years old and it still delivers a strong message to young and ol... read mored, but mainly on the younger audience. It displays a remarkable portrait of childhood and growing up. Sure the film is slow at times and it may be a bit predictable, but that is what's special. Films today aren't like they were in 1982, and films will be different in another 30 years from now. It's important to take date into consideration, and not let that skew your judgement. It was an instant hit at release, and will forever be a classic with audiences young and old.
  • fb100000883534329
    October 27, 2011
    fb100000883534329
    Greatest film ever. Period. I disagree with every list that doesnt list this with best film. This was made a decade before I was born but I had an emotional connection I cant put into words. When I was a child I wore out a copy my parents owned and they had to get another. B... read moreecause of this film, CGI will always seem fake to me, no matter how realistic they try to make it. P.S.- films around the time this came out have been remade in recent years. Personally I will protest any attempt of remakeing this film with CGI or any format

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Critic Reviews

Stanley Kauffmann
February 15, 2011
Stanley Kauffmann, The New Republic

An appealing film this new one is, with some charm, some glee in the childrens' triumphs, some share in their friendship with E.T. Full Review

Don McKellar
June 4, 2007
Don McKellar, Village Voice

More than the work of any other filmmaker, Spielberg's output seems uniquely designed to induce in me this queasy false-memory syndrome. Full Review

James Berardinelli
June 4, 2007
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

On inherent merit, the movie would not warrant such a highly publicized re-release, but this is one of those films that transcends what's on the screen. Full Review

Liam Lacey
June 4, 2007
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

A contemporary classic. Full Review

Dave Kehr
June 4, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Though marred by Spielberg's usual carelessness with narrative points, the film alternates sweetness and sarcasm with enough rhetorical sophistication to be fairly irresistible. Full Review

January 26, 2006
Time Out

Although conclusively demonstrating Spielberg's preeminence as the popular artist of his time, E.T. finally seems a less impressive film than Close Encounters. Full Review

Moira MacDonald
December 31, 2003
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

What E.T. does so well is to capture that moment in life when childhood seems to be slipping away. Full Review

Vincent Canby
October 24, 2002
Vincent Canby, New York Times

[It] may become a children's classic of the space age. Full Review

Kenneth Turan
July 9, 2002
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

A film that connects so beautifully to our sense of wonder and joy.

Mick LaSalle
March 24, 2002
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Viewers returning to it, as well as those discovering it, will find it an enduring children's film -- but one whose impact has diminished with the passage of time. Full Review

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Facts

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    • E.T. [uncredited]: E.T. phone home.
    • E.T. [uncredited]: I'll be right here.
    • Elliott: [tearfully] Bye.
    • Michael: Did you explain school to him?
    • Elliott: How do you explain school to higher intelligence?
    • Michael: Maybe he's not that smart. Maybe he's like a worker bee who only knows how to push buttons or something.
    • Elliott: He is too smart.
    • Michael: Okay, I just hope we don't wake up on Mars or something surrounded by millions of little squashy guys.
    • Gertie: I'm not fearing any man! I may not get there with you...
    • Elliott: You could be happy here, I could take care of you. I wouldn't let anybody hurt you. We could grow up together, E.T.
    • E.T. [uncredited]: ET... Phone... Home.
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E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Trivia

  • Which movie has the siblings Gerty, Elliot, & Michael?  Answer »
  • In what movie did actress Drew Barrymore accidentally use the term penis breath, which was left in the film?  Answer »
  • "He is afraid. He is totally alone. He is 3 million light years from home" was the tagline for which 1982 movie?   Answer »
  • May 1991 Playmate Erika Eleniak has given us such lovable roles as Ellie May in The Beverly Hillbillies and bodacious Tony Johnson in Chasers, but way before she disclosed her... assetts, she had her first, tiny part as a terrified schoolgirl in a swarm of frogs in this sci-fi feature:  Answer »
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