"ET Phone Home"

Rating: Null/10 (28 November 2004)

I really wanted to like this film - along with many other pre-teens I saw it when it was first released and although some scenes remained in my mind (ET amongst the toys in the cupboard; the bike ride up in the sky; ET's squeaky voice) I was largely bored with it.
Twenty years later I tried to watch it again (this time with Spielberg's changes such as guns becoming flashlights). Although there is no denying that the relationship between the stumpy legged alien with the wide face and the human children is a nice touch, and that the little fella is a cutie, the film just doesn't have anything to say to me.
The kids - Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore - were fairly good, but not enough to keep the interest throughout. It is far too long before ET comes on to screen to keep the interest of its target audience, and the adults are just that little bit one-note.
Cut through the hype and you might find this a bit dull, I'm afraid.