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Perhaps Steven Spielberg wants to introduce a new generation to one of his favorite creations. Or maybe he wants to win back audiences disillusioned by his last sci-fi outing, A.I. (Artificial Intelligence). Then again, he could be trying to nudge this family favorite back into the all-time box office Top Ten. Whatever the reason, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial has landed again. What many call Spielberg's masterpiece is back where it was meant to be—in a darkened theatre on a big screen, with a top-notch sound system. Following George Lucas's Star Wars Special Edition lead, Spielberg is offering an update for E.T.'s 20th anniversary. Some details the filmmakers considered rough have been "improved"—now a digitally animated E.T. runs like a frantic monkey through the trees, and his face is more expressive. The soundtrack has been remastered. And some clippings from the cutting room floor have been reinserted to give us a few surprises.

The spiritual parable at the film's heart has made it a favorite among religious audiences, some of whom argue that E.T. is a Christ figure. (Originally, some religious leaders warned audiences away from the film for what they described as New Age messages, but those protests seem to have blown over.)

Holly McClure (Crosswalk) says the digital additions and extra scenes "only add to the pleasures of this classic film. I love this movie: the music, the adorable children, the sweet relationship E.T. has with Elliot and the fantasy elements." She adds, "Many Christians have taken issue with the spiritual messages in this film. These topics are important to discuss with your younger children, giving them your spiritual perspective, but I don't believe those plot points ruin this movie or give Christians a theological reason not to let [their] children see it."

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' critic is less worried: "Spielberg fashions an inspiring image of youthful innocence and courage in a story that some may find overly sentimental. Nevertheless, the childlike fantasy conveys some genuine emotion and a message of trust and peace that the family might enjoy sharing."

Bob Smithouser (Focus on the Family) meanders happily down memory lane: "I first met the little brown guy with the glowing finger in June of '82, just as I was graduating from high school. … It was a magical time and E.T. was part of it. So it's possible that my memories of the film are a bit idealized." He wasn't alone: the rest of Smithouser's audience—mostly adults—was enraptured by it.

For John Evans (Preview), a few careless words from the mouths of the children in the movie "prevent a wholehearted recommendation of this fascinating film."

Ken Priebe (Christian Spotlight and Hollywood Jesus) says the film "speaks to us on another level, a deeper one in our subconscious and our souls. It deals with everyday emotions and experiences like broken families, loneliness, friendship, and love. It also points to a hunger we all have for a relationship with a being outside our world. … We are all incredibly lonely." He then expounds upon how our loneliness cannot be redeemed by aliens, but by Christ.

Phil Boatwright (The Movie Reporter) also recognizes "an allegory with similarities to the story of Christ. Think about it. A sacrificial being comes to earth, giving love and his life for others, dies, comes back from the dead, ascends into the heavens and promises to remain in our hearts. Wow."

While it is easy to see the symbolism, it would be wrong to oversimplify the reasons for the film's appeal. Other critics, like Tom Shone (Telegraph.co.uk), highlight additional relevant truths: "John Williams's score … reveals the film as the love story it was always meant to be: boy finds true love, loses true love, finds him again, before finally losing him to the heavens. It's The Way We Were, with the love interest played, not by Robert Redford, but by a four-foot stack of wrinkly rubber. (Same difference.)"

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March (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46