Story Flat, Cast and Effects Good

Rating: Null/10 (25 July 2011)

What saved this movie for me was the performance of mainly Elle Fanning and Joel Courtney, as well as the other young actors. They really Excel in this movie, and IF there ever was a competition between Elle and Dakota as to who is the better actress, Dakota better get prepared for some heavy inter-family competition.
The story is really flat though, and characters as well as the alien cannot manage to get into the heart of the viewer. Funnily Riley Griffiths talks about this very aspect of movie making during the story, but it seems Spielberg didn't bring it together this time.
If you're expecting the depth and fascination like in E.T., look elsewhere. This movie doesn't deliver on this promise.
The points are for the young actors and the special effects. Still they don't manage to make it worth spending 10 bucks and 2 hours on this movie for me.