Spielberg’s ‘Disclosure Day’ Promises a Classic Sci-Fi Thriller, But Falls Short

Steven Spielberg’s new film, "Disclosure Day", arrives as a conspiracy thriller about extraterrestrials, but the review says it does not live up to that promise. At 79, Spielberg returns to the theme of life beyond Earth for the first time since "War of the Worlds", in a story set against a severe geopolitical crisis and timed alongside renewed US government releases of UFO-related files.

The plot follows Hugo, played by Colman Domingo, who helps Daniel Kellner, a brilliant cyber expert portrayed by Josh O’Connor, after Daniel comes into possession of classified information proving aliens exist. Daniel then joins forces with Margaret Fairchild, an ambitious weather presenter played by Emily Blunt, whose character develops telepathic abilities and can understand and speak foreign languages. They are pursued by Noah Scanlon, Daniel’s former employer, played by Colin Firth, who wants to stop the information from spreading because, in his view, the world is already unstable enough.

The review says the film’s technical craft is strong, especially its cinematography, with striking one-takes, a moving camera inside a driving car, and impressive aerial shots. John Williams’ score is described as nostalgic and one of the film’s best elements, and Blunt is singled out for one of the best performances of her career, carrying much of the movie. The visual design and effects, however, are criticized, especially the generic look of the aliens.

Despite its strengths, the film is said to fail as a thriller. It works better in the first half, while the mystery remains unclear, but becomes predictable as it goes on and runs too long, ending in what the review calls a clear anti-climax. The article concludes that Spielberg does not fully commit to any of the genres or themes he is exploring, including modern anxieties, empathy, and religious questions, leaving a film with strong ingredients but an unsatisfying result.