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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful, magical and sweet, 16 April 2007
This film is excellent for a variety of reasons, but I think one of it's main areas of appeal is the fact that it taps into the fear we all have of losing someone who matters to us.
In this case, we have a young boy named Elliot who, after suspecting that an alien spacecraft has landed within his local area, discovers an Extra-terrestrial who he befriends, hides in his room and promptly names 'E.T.'
From there on out, Steven Spielberg uses a variety of successful dramatic devices to draw the viewer into the story, creating an overwhelming feeling of empathy. It is nigh on impossible not to become emotionally involved in this film, and the plight of Elliot as he struggles to come to terms with the idea of losing his new friend, who he cares about so much. The compassion which is shared by Elliot and E.T. is also shared by the viewer, and as the two main characters suffer, we as the viewers share in that, and suffer too.
But there is also great humour, innocence and poignancy here, as the viewer is forced to look at life from a child's perspective, something we could all benefit greatly from doing. Every camera shot, every scenario and every piece of dialogue is executed with sensitivity, charm and innocence, as Elliot introduces E.T. to the human world and tries, often with hilarious results, to keep E.T. as his own special secret.
Then, there is the inevitable, as Elliot is forced to face the reality of separation from his new friend, saying goodbye to the innocence of his childhood in the process. The sad scenes in this film are very sad, beautifully shot and simply mesmerising. This is almost a golden example of storytelling, and one of Spielberg's most fantastic moments.
This is everything you could possibly want it to be: a tribute to the innocence of youth and childhood, wonderful escapism, a tribute to friendship, a masterclass in funny dialogue, a heart-warming and sentimental tale, an optimistic reminder to all of us to keep believing in the good things and ultimately, a sterling example of fantastic film-making.
This film will move all except the very coldest people. Allow yourself to be charmed and moved by this beautiful film.
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