The reviews are unanimously negative on Mac and Me, with most critics finding an E.T. imitation whose alien friendship story is overwhelmed by product placement. McDonald’s and Coca-Cola recur in complaints that the film gives selling things more attention than storytelling, while the alien designs and basic filmmaking draw further criticism. The limited praise centres on the casting and treatment of the wheelchair-using young lead, which several critics find refreshingly free of sentimentality or exploitation.
The spread is narrow: no review offers even a mixed assessment, though the critics differ over what deserves rescuing. The Los Angeles Times finds charm in the lead performance and some life in the camera style, whereas The AV Club condemns the puppetry, alien design and filmmaking. Time Out’s approval of the child star’s treatment is similarly qualified by its finding that the direction lacks wit or invention.