---
title: "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial"
year: 1982
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial"
fi1m_id: "e-t-the-extra-terrestrial"
imdb_id: "tt0083866"
tmdb_id: 601
wikidata_id: "Q11621"
fi1m_score: 91
critics_score: 85
critics_reviews: 15
published: "2026-09-12"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:51.625579+00:00"
region: "SA"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Directed by Steven Spielberg · 1h 55m · Adventure, Science Fiction, Family

## Identity

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** e-t-the-extra-terrestrial
- **IMDb ID:** tt0083866
- **TMDB ID:** 601
- **Wikidata ID:** Q11621
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083866/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/601, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11621

**Fi1m score: 91** · Critics 85 from 15 reviews

*In a sentence:* The alien wants to go home, which is reasonable, though we would happily have him round again

> Spielberg makes a boy’s friendship with a homesick alien funny, tender and worth taking seriously. The music sometimes tells us more than we need, but the children and the creature make its sentiment feel deserved.

## Synopsis

Elliott, played by Henry Thomas, befriends an alien who is afraid, alone and far from home. The visitor wants to return, while Elliott begins to make sense of a friendship with someone whose experience is far removed from his own. Their encounter places an unfamiliar creature amid suburban childhood, where family unhappiness and the need for company already shape the human lives around him. Steven Spielberg directs this family science-fiction adventure, written by Melissa Mathison, with Drew Barrymore as Gertie, Robert MacNaughton as Michael and Dee Wallace as Mary.

## Review

Steven Spielberg’s *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial* is a funny, deeply affecting family film whose kindness never feels like a duty. We would recommend it even to those usually suspicious of children befriending unusual creatures. Melissa Mathison’s screenplay takes the friendship seriously without requiring Elliott or his alien companion to become solemn representatives of human goodness. The visitor wants to go home, a wish simple enough for a child to understand, and the film gives that wish the attention it deserves.

Henry Thomas is the crucial choice as Elliott: he makes concern for the alien seem immediate and practical, without presenting it as precocious wisdom. We were moved more than we expected by the boy’s affection for this frightened visitor. Thomas gives the friendship such conviction that the creature’s unfamiliarity soon ceases to be the most interesting thing about him. Drew Barrymore’s Gertie and Robert MacNaughton’s Michael help keep the children funny and distinct, each worth watching in their own right.

The creature itself is a considerable achievement because we can take an interest in him beyond wondering how he was made. The effects make his gentleness convincing, giving Thomas a companion we can believe he would care about. The film’s humour also allows him to be odd without making him merely a joke. Spielberg leaves room for affection to develop, which is essential in a family fantasy that asks us to care about someone so unfamiliar.

Allen Daviau’s cinematography gives suburban childhood enough visual interest to hold its own beside the visitor. The human setting remains worth looking at; the film does not become a wait for another sight of the alien. James D. Bissell’s production design helps make that setting feel inhabited by children, with lives that extend beyond this extraordinary encounter. We believe in the ordinary surroundings, and that gives Spielberg somewhere credible to put a creature who could so easily have seemed like an interruption.

Carol Littleton’s editing keeps the children central even when the effects might reasonably claim our attention. That balance is one reason the film’s treatment of divorce and dislocation feels personal: the fantasy does not require childhood’s unhappiness to disappear. Mathison also understands the usefulness of a joke when a scene threatens to become too reverent about innocence. Against the family-adventure habit of hurrying towards the next attraction, this attention to how children feel is a substantial virtue.

John Williams’s score occasionally pushes too hard. Its familiarity can be comforting, but there are passages when the music tells us how to feel with an insistence the performances do not need. Spielberg sometimes seems anxious that we might miss just how much we ought to care, when Thomas has already made the point. These are moments of overstatement, and they briefly make us conscious of being coaxed towards a response we were having quite willingly.

The U certificate should not be mistaken for a promise of an emotionally undemanding evening. There is sadness here, and the affection makes it harder to keep at a distance. Choose it for family viewing, but leave the adults a little time afterwards before asking what they thought.

*Fi1m score 91, published 12 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews lean strongly to the positive: thirteen of fifteen recommend the film and none dismiss it. Most critics read it as Spielberg’s most personal work, a story about a broken suburban home as much as an alien, and they credit Melissa Mathison’s script for keeping the sentiment honest with sharp detail and humour. The child performances, the practical creation of E.T. and the middle-American setting are praised almost everywhere, and several critics revisiting the anniversary reissues find the clean, classical storytelling holds up against later effects-heavy films.

The spread is narrow, the dissent mild. Time Out finds it less impressive than Close Encounters, objecting to vulgar comedy and to emotion bought at the expense of truth, while Sight and Sound treats it as a child-like suburban pastoral that defies easy criticism and invites analysis instead. The AV Club notes moments of emotional overstatement, and The New York Times has minor reservations about a familiar-sounding John Williams score.

## Straight answers

**How long is E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and what is it rated?**

*E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial* runs 1h 55m. It is an adventure and science fiction film.

**Where can I watch E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in Saudi Arabia?**

*E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial* is not on any streaming or rental service in Saudi Arabia at the moment. It is available in 53 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**What should I watch after E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial?**

After *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial*, try [*The Iron Giant*](https://film.one/film/the-iron-giant) (1999, Fi1m 88): Another unlikely friendship whose humour makes its fear of outsiders matter. Then [*My Neighbour Totoro*](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro) (1988, Fi1m 89): Children meet unfamiliar creatures, and the film takes their feelings seriously; and [*The Spirit of the Beehive*](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive) (1973, Fi1m 87): A quieter, more unsettling child’s encounter with the idea of a monster.

### Reviews we read (15)

- **Radio Times**, Joanna Berry (5/5): Spielberg's ode to aliens is also a tribute to loners, with the abandoned ET befriended by lonely boy Elliott. It is a special, delightful adventure that entertains children and reaches the child in all of us. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-hsp2ho/et-the-extraterrestrial/)
- **Empire**, James White (90/100, inferred): The critic calls E.T. a classic that retains its magic and emotional complexity, dealing with themes of divorce and dislocation in a personal way. They single out the film's affecting power and the performances of the child actors for praise. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/et-extra-terrestrial-review/)
- **IndieWire**, Tom Brueggemann (90/100, inferred): The critic argues that E.T. deserves more credit as one of the biggest and best-reviewed films ever, noting its massive adjusted box office and strong critical reception including a high Metacritic score. He singles out its status as a standalone blockbuster without sequels and its cultural phenomenon status for praise. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/2022/06/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial-still-doesnt-get-the-credit-it-deserves-1234732003/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (90/100, inferred): The 20th-anniversary reissue of E.T. is welcome because the film endures through its personal resonance for Spielberg, superb script by Melissa Mathison, beautiful construction, and brilliant casting that makes the simple story of a boy and his alien friend timeless. It remains one of the director's most personal works, filled with warmth and effortless storytelling. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-mar-22-et-turan22-story.html)
- **Slant Magazine**, Eric Henderson (90/100, inferred): The Blu-ray review celebrates the film's emotional power and ability to evoke catharsis through its specific suburban family dynamics and the alien's bond with the boy. It singles out the realistic portrayal of a broken home and the universal heartache turned into wonder for particular praise. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial/)
- **The Guardian**, Philip French (90/100, inferred): The critic praises Spielberg and screenwriter Melissa Mathison for blending old-fashioned sentiment with new technology in a disarming way, creating a funny, inventive, and affectionate portrait of middle-American childhood that avoids mawkishness through sharp detail and humour. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/1982/dec/12/features.philipfrench)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Martin Kent (90/100, inferred): Spielberg has created another instant American classic with warmth and humor that works superbly on many levels and will attract all demographics. The film is a simple fantasy elevated by brilliant cinematography, production design, editing and ILM special effects, and was brought in for a remarkably low budget. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/review-1982-movie-1019278/)
- **The New Yorker**, Michael Sragow (90/100, inferred): Spielberg's masterpiece about the audacity of empathy has lost none of its humor, emotion, or mystery in the 30th-anniversary edition, capturing pre-digital American childhood with its rough edges and secret gardens of imagination. The film daringly joins boy and alien at the heart while remaining rowdy and observant, free of psychobabble. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/e-t-turns-thirty)
- **The Telegraph**, Marc Lee (90/100, inferred): The critic calls the film Spielberg's most personal work, about his parents' divorce, and praises its convincing domestic setting for sci-fi adventure mixed with anxiety. It redefines popular sci-fi by replacing laser threats with awe and wonder, making it an endless delight. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/11310774/Must-have-movie-ET-The-Extra-Terrestrial-1982.html)
- **Variety**, Todd McCarthy (90/100, inferred): The reissue confirms that E.T. retains its status as an instant classic, appearing even stronger on its 20th anniversary with its simple, clean storytelling and classical filmmaking style standing out against modern effects-heavy films. The restoration enhances the visuals without major alterations, preserving the director's empathy for children's perspectives and the film's quaint charm from practical effects. [Read](https://variety.com/2002/film/reviews/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial-2-1200550824/)
- **The New York Times**, Vincent Canby (85/100, inferred): The critic calls the film an enchanted fantasy about a boy befriending a gentle alien who wants to go home, predicting it may become a space-age children's classic that recycles timeless themes from earlier works like Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz. He praises the beautifully realized special effects and the standout creation of E.T. itself while noting minor reservations about the familiar-sounding John Williams score. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/11/movies/moviesspecial/et-the-extraterrestial.html)
- **Total Film** (80/100, inferred): The critic views the film as a small, personal work that surprised everyone by becoming a massive hit, noting its autobiographical elements and enduring spell. They discuss the anniversary edition tweaks but affirm the original's appeal. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/et-the-extra-terrestrial-20th-anniversary-edition-review/)
- **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (70/100, inferred): The review praises the film's timelessness and fairy-tale qualities in a suburban setting despite its age and anniversary edition changes. It singles out Spielberg and Mathison's ability to find magic in ordinary suburbia and the convincing alien creation for praise, while noting occasional overstatement in its emotional appeal. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial-the-20th-anniversary-1798197343)
- **Sight and Sound**, Gilbert Adair (65/100, inferred): The critic finds E.T. a child-like, idealistic suburban pastoral that defies easy criticism while inviting multiple analytical approaches. He singles out its benign, sexless alien visitor and its evocation of wonder akin to Peter Pan or religious iconography for particular note. [Read](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/reviews/releases/gilbert-adair-stalker-and-et.php)
- **Time Out**, DP (65/100, inferred): Spielberg invests the commonplace story of a lonely kid befriending an alien with fierce and naive magic, drawing parallels to religious mythology, but the film seems less impressive than Close Encounters, with vulgar comedy sequences and a sacrifice of truth for emotional punch. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/et-the-extra-terrestrial)

## Details

- **Director:** Steven Spielberg
- **Director:** Steven Spielberg
- **Writer:** Melissa Mathison
- **Cinematography:** Allen Daviau
- **Editor:** Carol Littleton
- **Music:** John Williams
- **Production design:** James D. Bissell
- **Producer:** Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg
- **Cast:** Henry Thomas as Elliott; Drew Barrymore as Gertie; Robert MacNaughton as Michael; Peter Coyote as Keys; Dee Wallace as Mary; Erika Eleniak as Pretty Girl; K. C. Martel as Greg; C. Thomas Howell as Tyler
- **Runtime:** 1h 55m
- **First release (France):** 26 May 1982
- **Genres:** Adventure, Science Fiction, Family
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 1982); [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Nominee, 1982); [Golden Globe Best Drama winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-drama.md) (Winner, 1982)
- **Budget:** $10 million
- **Box office:** $797 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUbV0fu4Nzg

## Where to watch in Saudi Arabia

Not streaming, renting or buying in Saudi Arabia at the last check.

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Saturn Awards 2003: Best Classic Film DVD Release (won)
- Academy Awards 1983: Best Cinematography (nominated); Best Director (nominated); Best Film Editing (nominated); Best Picture (nominated); Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated); Best Original Score (won); Best Sound (won); Best Sound Editing (won); Best Visual Effects (won)
- BAFTA Film Awards 1983: Best Direction (nominated); Best Editing (nominated); Best Film (nominated); Best Makeup and Hair (nominated); Best Sound (nominated); Best Special Visual Effects (nominated); Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles (nominated); Best Original Music (won)
- Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director 1983: Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director (won)
- César Award for Best Foreign Film 1983: César Award for Best Foreign Film (nominated)
- David di Donatello for Best Foreign Director 1983: David di Donatello for Best Foreign Director (won)
- Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film 1983: Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film (nominated)
- Golden Globes 1983: Best Director (nominated); Best Screenplay (nominated); Best Motion Picture – Drama (won); Best Original Score (won)
- Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media 1983: Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (won)
- Hugo Awards 1983: Best Dramatic Presentation (nominated)
- Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film 1983: Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film (won)
- National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director 1983: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director (won)
- National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film 1983: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film (nominated)
- Saturn Awards 1983: Best Music (won); Best Science Fiction Film (won); Best Special Effects (won); Best Writing (won)
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Director 1982: Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Director (won)
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Film 1982: Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Film (won)

## If you liked this

- *The Iron Giant* (1999), Fi1m 88: Another unlikely friendship whose humour makes its fear of outsiders matter. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-iron-giant.md)
- *My Neighbour Totoro* (1988), Fi1m 89: Children meet unfamiliar creatures, and the film takes their feelings seriously. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro.md)
- *The Spirit of the Beehive* (1973), Fi1m 87: A quieter, more unsettling child’s encounter with the idea of a monster. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive.md)
- *The Red Balloon* (1956): A child’s attachment to something extraordinary, told with little need for words.
- *Petite Maman* (2021), Fi1m 88: Childhood fantasy makes difficult family feelings easier to approach without explaining them away. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/petite-maman.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial