Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) 👽🛸

The Alien Movie That said we come in piece

Let’s Start By Showing Y’all The Trailers Shall We?

Looking back at the trailers for Close Encounters of the Third Kind, I think they’re fascinating because they sell the movie as this massive alien event while somehow still not preparing you for what the movie actually is. You see UFOs, flashing lights, military activity, scientists investigating strange phenomena, and people staring up into the sky like they’ve just witnessed something impossible. Naturally, your brain starts expecting some giant alien spectacle.

What Spielberg actually gives you is something far stranger.

This isn’t an invasion movie. This isn’t a disaster movie. This isn’t a movie where aliens show up and immediately start vaporizing cities. Instead, it’s a movie about curiosity. It’s a movie about obsession. It’s a movie about ordinary people having an encounter they cannot explain and watching that encounter slowly consume their lives.

The trailers do a fantastic job creating mystery without revealing too much. Even today they still hold up because they understand that sometimes the unknown is more exciting than showing everything.

Non-Spoiler Plot Overview

Roy Neary is an ordinary electrical worker living a normal life until one night he encounters something extraordinary. After witnessing a UFO, Roy finds himself haunted by visions he cannot explain. No matter how hard he tries to move on, he becomes increasingly obsessed with uncovering the truth behind what he saw.

At the same time, strange events begin occurring all around the world. Scientists are investigating unexplained phenomena, mysterious sightings continue increasing, and people from completely different walks of life begin experiencing similar visions.

As the mystery grows, it becomes clear that something important is coming. The closer everyone gets to the truth, the more apparent it becomes that humanity may be on the verge of experiencing something unlike anything it has ever seen before.

Character Rundown

One of the things I appreciate most about this movie is that Roy Neary is not your typical protagonist. In a lesser film he would have become the chosen hero destined to save humanity. Spielberg instead makes him feel like an ordinary guy whose life is falling apart because he experienced something he cannot understand.

Richard Dreyfuss absolutely carries this movie. His performance is phenomenal because Roy isn’t always likable. In fact, there are moments where he’s downright frustrating. The film isn’t afraid to show how obsession can consume a person and damage the relationships around them. That makes him feel more human than many science fiction protagonists.

Jillian is also fantastic. She is dealing with her own experiences and provides another perspective on the mystery unfolding throughout the film. Unlike many science fiction movies that reduce supporting characters to exposition machines, Jillian feels like a genuine person caught in an impossible situation.

The scientists are another highlight. I like that they’re not portrayed as cartoon villains or incompetent idiots. They’re simply trying to understand what they’re dealing with. It’s refreshing because so many alien stories eventually fall into the same government conspiracy clichés. Close Encounters is far more interested in discovery than cover-ups.

Pacing / Episode Flow

I won’t sugarcoat this. The pacing is slow.

Very slow.

And I mean that in the best possible way.

This movie takes its time. Spielberg isn’t rushing toward the aliens. He’s interested in building mystery and allowing the audience to experience the same confusion and fascination as the characters. Every strange event feels like another piece of a puzzle slowly coming together.

I know some modern audiences will struggle with this approach. We’re so used to movies constantly throwing action scenes, plot twists, and explosions at us that a film willing to sit back and let the mystery breathe can feel unusual.

For me, the pacing works because every scene serves a purpose. The tension continues building throughout the entire film. By the time the final act arrives, you feel like you’ve gone on the same journey as the characters. The payoff works because Spielberg earned it.

Pros

The sense of wonder in this movie is absolutely incredible. Nobody captures awe quite like Steven Spielberg. The entire film feels like you’re watching humanity encounter something truly beyond its understanding.

The visual effects remain astonishing. This movie came out in 1977 and there are shots that still look fantastic today. The UFOs have weight, scale, and presence. They feel real in a way that many modern CGI creations often fail to achieve.

John Williams delivers another masterpiece of a score. At this point saying John Williams made great music feels about as surprising as saying water is wet, but the score genuinely elevates the entire movie. The music becomes an essential part of the story itself.

I also love that the aliens remain mysterious. The film never feels the need to explain every tiny detail. We don’t get endless exposition about alien governments, alien history, or alien politics. The unknown remains unknown, which makes everything feel far more magical.

Perhaps my favorite thing about the movie is that it chooses wonder over fear. Most alien films want you to be terrified. Spielberg wants you to be fascinated.

Cons

The pacing absolutely won’t work for everyone. If you’re expecting an action-packed alien movie, you’re probably going to be disappointed. This is a slow burn through and through.

Roy can also be frustrating as a protagonist because you’re watching his obsession slowly consume him. That’s intentional, but it can make certain sections uncomfortable to watch.

Some viewers may find parts of the middle section drag slightly compared to the incredibly strong opening and ending. The film demands patience from its audience, and not everyone is going to be willing to give it that patience.

Final Thoughts

I genuinely believe Close Encounters of the Third Kind is one of the greatest science fiction films ever made.

What makes it special is how different it feels compared to so many alien movies that followed. Nowadays it feels like every alien story eventually becomes about invasions, secret government conspiracies, world-ending stakes, or giant battles. Spielberg took a completely different approach.

This movie is about curiosity. It’s about mystery. It’s about humanity looking into the unknown and realizing there are things in the universe that may be far beyond our understanding.

Even nearly fifty years later, the film still feels magical. The sense of wonder never disappears. The mystery never stops being intriguing. And the payoff remains one of the most satisfying conclusions in science fiction history.

This is Spielberg operating at the absolute top of his game, and the result is a masterpiece that continues to hold up decades later.

Rating

10/10

A science fiction masterpiece and one of the greatest alien films ever made.

Spoiler Warning

Everything below this point contains spoilers for Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Spoilers

The final act is one of the greatest payoffs Spielberg has ever put on film. The entire movie has been building toward Devil’s Tower, and when everything finally comes together the result is breathtaking. Even though I knew what was coming, I still found myself completely captivated watching the massive alien ship emerge from the darkness.

What makes the ending so powerful is that Spielberg understands something many filmmakers don’t. The reveal is only satisfying if you’ve properly built anticipation for it. Two hours of mystery, obsession, strange visions, and unanswered questions finally culminate in one of the most iconic sequences in cinema history.

I also love that the movie doesn’t end with violence. In almost any modern blockbuster, the arrival of the aliens would immediately lead to a battle. Here, the climax is communication. Humanity and the aliens communicate through music, creating one of the most memorable scenes ever put on film. Those five musical notes have become legendary for a reason.

The aliens themselves are also handled perfectly. They’re not monsters. They’re not conquerors. They’re simply visitors. That decision gives the film a unique identity that separates it from almost every other alien movie.

The ending leaves plenty of questions unanswered, but that’s exactly why it works. Spielberg understands that some mysteries are more powerful when they’re left open to interpretation. By the time the credits roll, you’re left feeling the exact same thing the characters have been feeling throughout the entire movie.

Wonder.

And very few movies have ever captured that feeling as perfectly as Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

If any y’all wondering why im reviewing this all a sudden? Its because yesterday Spielberg released his newest film which is another alien movie titled Disclosure Day, from the looks of it? Seems like a predecessor to Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, anyways here’s the trailer for Disclosure Day. Will i review it? Ehhhh eventually, ill wait till its available on streaming service, im in no rush.