E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Directed by Steven Spielberg
TheoScope Rating
Worldview · content · moral framework
Plot
After a gentle alien becomes stranded on Earth, he is discovered and befriended by a 10-year-old boy named Elliott. Bringing him into his suburban California house, Elliott introduces E.T., as he is dubbed, to his brother, Michael, and sister, Gertie, and they decide to keep his existence a secret. Soon, however, he falls ill, resulting in government intervention and a dire situation for both him and Elliott.
Discern Score Breakdown
30%
30%
25%
15%
Audience Suitability
Kids
Under 10
Teens
10–17
Adults
18+
Family
Mixed ages
Content Flags
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a modern American myth about friendship, sacrifice, and the longing to belong. It carries implicit Christ-figure symbolism and affirms values of compassion and courage, making it one of the more theologically resonant secular films in the family genre. Parents of very young children should be prepared for emotionally intense scenes, particularly E.T.'s illness and apparent death.
Pastoral Take
E.T. is a genuinely beautiful film that most families can enjoy together, and it's appropriate for children roughly seven and older — younger kids may be genuinely distressed by E.T.'s illness and near-death, so know your child. Parents should be ready for a short conversation about the mild language and the beer-drinking humor, which is played for laughs but worth briefly addressing. The real gift of this film is its rich, if unintentional, Christ-figure imagery, which gives Christian parents an organic opening to talk about resurrection, sacrifice, and what it means that Jesus said he would never leave us — don't miss that conversation on the back end.
Discussion Points
- 1When E.T. dies and then comes back to life, and then rises up into the sky at the end — does that remind you of any story from the Bible? What do you think Spielberg was trying to say by telling the story that way?
- 2Elliott lies to his mom to protect E.T. because he loves him and is afraid of what will happen. Can you think of a time when lying seemed like the loving thing to do? What does the Bible say about honesty, and how do we balance truth-telling with protecting people we love?
- 3The government agents in the movie treat E.T. like a specimen to be studied instead of a person to be known. Elliott and his siblings see him differently from the start. Why do you think that is — and what does it tell us about how we should treat people who are different from us or who don't fit in?
- 4At the end of the film, E.T. tells Elliott 'I'll always be right here' and points to his heart before leaving. What do you think he means by that? Does it remind you of anything God promises us when we feel alone or when someone we love goes away?
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Cast
Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote
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