WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Elves, now streaming on Netflix.
E.T. the Extra Terrestrial is one of the most globally loved properties in the world, one that helped catapult Steven Spielberg into the conversation as the best director ever. The magic of the 1982 film had to do with its heart and with the heartwarming story of how Elliott and his siblings tried to get the titular alien back home after it got lost on Earth. Interestingly, Netflix has now put its own, albeit darker, spin on the film, in the Danish horror Elves.
The original E.T. was all about family, with Elliott bonding to the alien as if it were a sibling. They eventually became best friends, but as much as Elliott wanted him to be part of his family, he knew E.T had to go home. The alien's health depended on it, plus this would keep him safe from the dangers humanity posed. This combined to create a heartfelt story as Elliott and Co. learned more about humanity, themselves and proved to be kind, genuine folks.
Elves initially treads similar territory as an elf youngling on a mysterious Danish island ends up at the vacation home of Josefine (aka Jose). It's hurt after an accident, with Jose healing it and her brother, Kasper, also forming a bond with the creature as they realize it's cute, cuddly and a friend. The way Jose latches onto it is similar to Spielberg's film as she hides it from her parents, as well as the island folk.
However, in this case, there's no government hunting the creature down, instead the island's sadistic leader, Karen, is part of an inhumane nature cult and they want the elf, Kee-ko, back inside the barricaded part of the forest so it can be with its own kind. The thing is, while E.T. was happy to find his kin back, Kee-ko's scared as he knows the adult elves are ravenous monsters.
What also changes Elves up is the idea of the creature going home. E.T. ended with the kids taking their buddy to his ship, speeding off to a better life away from Earth, which is where he belonged. Elves, though, paints a darker picture of home because when some of the island's humans put Kee-ko back, it just riles up his species to raid the town and go on a revenge killing spree. Thus, taking the being back actually backfires and causes blood to be spilled, so the elf reuniting with his family is not the cure he needs.
It's worth noting too that Elliott's clique didn't injure or kill anyone to get E.T. home, unlike Jose, who accidentally murders an elf, causing the others to want revenge. It makes her journey much more twisted, but does pave the way for Kee-ko to want to remain with her and Kasper, because he knows they can offer him a real home, as opposed to E.T. who always knew space was his sanctuary.
See how E.T.'s story is remixed in a dark way in Elves, now streaming on Netflix.
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