To be honest, Steven Spielberg's 1982 film "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" didn't bring much new to the science fiction genre, and it lacked intricate suspenseful plots. However, it was remarkably successful, even surpassing "Star Wars" in box office numbers.
The reasons for its success, in the author's opinion, can be summarized as follows:
It tells a heartwarming and touching story of friendship between an extraterrestrial being and humans.
It often portrays the extraterrestrial as a pet-like figure, catering to the human-centric mindset of "the scale of all things."
It depicts the government as ruthless and heartless oppressors, resonating with the American public's psyche.
The performances of the children, especially Elliott and his sister Gertie, are outstanding, with innocent expressions and lovable faces, contributing to the film's simplicity.
However, what is often overlooked is the biblical allegory expressed by Spielberg in the movie.
First of all, the movie poster referenced in this article is an imitation of the renowned masterpiece "The Creation of Adam" by Michelangelo. The symbolism of fingers conveying and healing life appears multiple times in the film. Here, the extraterrestrial is metaphorically depicted as God, and Elliott is the Jesus figure, with the first and last letters of his name spelling out "E.T." (Extra-Terrestrial). Interestingly, Elliott's mother is named Mary (revealed when his little sister Gertie calls out, a situation where a four or five-year-old girl would not typically use her mother's name). This parallels the biblical narrative where Jesus' earthly mother is named Mary, and Jesus often refers to her as "woman." The allegory here is unmistakable.
Secondly, there's the "second son effect" from the Bible. In the Bible, the status of the second son is often crucial, such as Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam; Ham and Shem, the sons of Noah; Ishmael and Isaac, the sons of Abraham; Esau and Jacob, the sons of Isaac; Reuben and Joseph, the sons of Jacob. Even with God, there is the "firstborn" Adam and the "second son" Jesus. The firstborn often tends to be fallen, displeasing to God, and loses the firstborn inheritance, while the second son is often loved by God and frequently takes over the firstborn position. In the movie, Elliott represents the second son.
The extraterrestrial's supernatural abilities, such as enabling children to fly on bicycles, making objects levitate, and opening refrigerator doors, allude to the miracles performed by Jesus among the Jewish people.
The emotional and almost life-merged connection between the extraterrestrial and Elliott suggests the biblical notion of God appearing in human form, emphasizing the unity of the two—God is Jesus, and Jesus is God.
The extraterrestrial brings life, aligning with the biblical statement of Jesus, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). After the emotional and perceptual union between the extraterrestrial and Elliott, Elliott, unable to dissect frogs, releases all the frogs in the classroom. This seemingly unrelated scene is not without reason. At the same time, the extraterrestrial can bring dead plants back to life, serving as a metaphor for Jesus resurrecting the dead in the Bible.
The extraterrestrial dies and resurrects before leaving Earth. Under the "coercion" from NASA (symbolizing the government), the extraterrestrial can only find liberation through "death." Before "dying," its emotions and perceptions separate from Elliott, only to be restored behind a sealed freezer. This mirrors Jesus being persecuted by the Jews and Romans, crucified, resurrecting three days later from a sealed tomb, appearing to his disciples, and ultimately leaving the world.
Before leaving Earth, when the extraterrestrial expresses genuine feelings or love to Elliott, it points at Elliott's forehead with its glowing finger (again, a symbolic finger) and says, "I am right here." This alludes to Jesus ascending into heaven, becoming a spirit, entering people's hearts, signifying the idea that from the New Testament era (the era of grace) onwards, God is forever with humanity, a concept also foundational to Mother Teresa's theory that "God is in everyone."
The extraterrestrial consistently utters the phrase "home, phone home," actually metaphorically representing Jesus (i.e., God) not belonging to this world and returning to the kingdom of heaven, as revealed in the Bible.
Finally, when the extraterrestrial's spaceship departs Earth, it leaves a rainbow in the sky. As everyone knows, a rainbow in the Bible signifies God's covenant and promise (refer to the chapters about Noah's Ark in Genesis).
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