Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Play trailer

1:49

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

PG

Released Nov 16, 1977

2h 15m

Sci-Fi

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

114 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Science fiction adventure about a group of people who attempt to contact alien intelligence. Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) witnesses an unidentified flying object, and even has a "sunburn" from its bright lights to prove it. Roy refuses to accept an explanation for what he saw and is prepared to give up his life to pursue the truth about UFOs.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Close Encounters of the Third Kind is deeply humane sci-fi exploring male obsession, cosmic mysticism, and music.

Read Critics Reviews

Bruce McCabe

Boston Globe

This is a revolutionary film. It's revolutionary in the sense that it suggests, as few films have, the extraordinary sensory potential of the medium.

Apr 3, 2024

Full Review

Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

["Close Encounters"] attempts to conquer fear of the unknown with love. Maybe the movies will begin to lead us away from their early '70s nightmare visions to a new, more benign fantasy world. As a filmgoer sated with violence, I'm ready.

Rated: 3.5/4

Apr 3, 2024

Full Review

Andrew Sarris

Village Voice

Simply a thoughtless exercise in instant self-gratification. Actually, I felt sorry for this muddled movie with its childlike vulnerability.

Apr 3, 2024

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...an epic, ambitious piece of work that effectively captures the viewer’s interest and attention right from the get-go...

Rated: 3.5/4

Jan 15, 2025

Full Review

David Dugas

United Press International

If it doesn't quite match "2001" for cerebral elegance, it nevertheless is far grander than Spielberg's previous movie, Jaws, and vastly more absorbing than Star Wars.

Apr 3, 2024

Full Review

John Huddy

Miami Herald

The Steven Spielberg movie, instinctively or otherwise, is well timed. It is definitely a movie of the 1970s, for a people disgusted, bewildered -- and lost.

Apr 3, 2024

Full Review

Read all reviews

REBECCA KAISER

Forgot how much I liked that movie! Speilberg at his best!! I took my grandkids 11 and 6 they both fell asleep for the last 10 minutes!!! I tried to wake them but they were out!! I promised them we would find the movie and watch it again so they could see the ending! EPIC

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/14/22

Full Review

Ann B

I hope you show more classics.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/12/22

Full Review

Joel H

I thought I had seen Close Encounters of the Third Kind before, but maybe I hadn’t. Most of this film was new to me, so I must have only seen a handful of scenes. It’s not Spielberg’s best. There’s definitely some artistry and emotion to it, but parts of this movie drag on too long and characters make decisions that don’t feel logical or genuine. Richard Dreyfuss does a convincing job of playing someone driven by an unknown force, and some of the visual effects are still awe-inspiring, but overall, I don’t see why Close Encounters of the Third Kind resonated so well with audiences of the time.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/08/25

Full Review

Audience Member

This is one of the most stupid, miserably bad sci-fi movie I have ever seen. Terrible script, poor dramaturgy spilled with some everyday Murican dumbness.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

04/15/25

Full Review

Landon J

What can you say about a classic... Save for a few nuggets the first half of this feels like a family drama movie. As we go along, increasing amounts of intrigue gets woven in, leading up to a rather satisfying and wholly worthwhile conclusion reminiscent of titles much newer. Great movie for a summer night vibe.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/12/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Re-watching in 2025 after seeing it in the theaters. Frankly, I didn't really love it then and I was 7?! It replays well now but I don't care for it for the same reasons as I didn't then- I didn't find it very interesting nor gripping. This time I watched the Director's Cut- which I also didn't like as much as the theater version- showing the interactions with the humans was kinda too much. It was better left with a sense of unknowing. I'm not gonna keep it in my collection though I DO think it's worth a watch. It's probably Spielberg's least interesting movie during his heyday.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Steven Spielberg

Director

Richard Dreyfuss

Roy Neary

François Truffaut

Claude Lacombe

Teri Garr

Ronnie Neary

Melinda Dillon

Jillian Guiler

Cary Guffey

Barry Guiler

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Official Clip - Roy's Mashed Potatoes

2:13

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Official Clip - Roy Leaves

1:42

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Official Clip - Communicating with the Mothership

2:11

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Official Clip - Who Are You People?

2:05

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Official Clip - Contact

2:11

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Official Clip - Roy's First UFO Encounter

2:10

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Official Clip - Chasing the UFOs

2:05

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Official Clip - The UFOs Surround the House

2:09

View more videos

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

93%

82%

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Watchlist

The Black Hole

42%

46%

The Black Hole

Watchlist

Logan's Run

58%

67%

Logan's Run

Watchlist

Flash Gordon

83%

69%

Flash Gordon

Watchlist

Meteor

5%

13%

Meteor

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Craig Robinson, Adam Scott, and Amber West Reveal 8 Scary/Funny Things About Ghosted

Watch Online: Beauty and the Beast, American Vandal, The Lost City of Z, and More on Netflix and Amazon Prime

New On DVD This Week: Wonder Woman, The Big Sick, and More

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Trailer 1

1:49

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 40th Anniversary Trailer

2:24

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Science fiction adventure about a group of people who attempt to contact alien intelligence. Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) witnesses an unidentified flying object, and even has a "sunburn" from its bright lights to prove it. Roy refuses to accept an explanation for what he saw and is prepared to give up his life to pursue the truth about UFOs.

Director: Steven Spielberg
Producer: Julia Phillips, Michael Phillips
Screenwriter: Steven Spielberg
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia Pictures, Julia Phillips and Michael Phillips Productions, EMI Films
Rating: PG
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 16, 1977, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jul 7, 2024
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.1M
Runtime: 2h 15m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Most Popular at Home Now