It’s easy to imagine I might have been completely charmed by this picture if it had come out sometime between 1979 and 1985. My perspective has shifted considerably now that I’m older. I was hoping to enjoy it, especially given how much I appreciate CE3k and the consistently high quality of Spielberg's work up until this point. The filmmaking itself felt substandard; there were jarring lens flares reminiscent of JJ Abrams’ style which just pulled me out of the experience. The computer-generated creatures appeared artificial. Sequences intended to create suspense ended up feeling dull and foreseeable. It was hardly a surprise what the aliens looked like, honestly. Having once worked at NBC's 30 Rock, I couldn't help but find the depiction of that setting laughably unrealistic. Even John Williams’ score lacked any real impact.

Source on TMDB