Steven Spielberg has directed 35 feature length films over the last 59 years. Some of his most famous films involved aliens – Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), E.T the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), and War of the Worlds (2005). His latest film, Disclosure Day is foray back into the world of extraterrestrials and humans.
The film opens with what feels like the 2nd act of a story. It drops the audience in the middle of a chaotic situation. The world is on the brink of World War III and Cybersecurity specialist Daniel Keller (Josh O’Connor) is in possession of alien technology and other top-secret files. The Wardex Corporation, led by Noah (Colin Firth), are making an exchange; they want the device Daniel has in exchange for his girlfriend, Jane (Eve Hewson). Daniel and Jane manage to escape Wardex and are on the run with the alien tech.
In Kansas City, meteorologist Margaret Fairchild is having breakfast before work. After a strange encounter with a cardinal that flew in through the window, she becomes a powerful empath and can speak languages she’s never learned. During the live weather report, she starts speaking an alien language. When the footage goes viral, Margaret becomes a target for Noah and Wardex.
Margaret’s empathic abilities are leading her to Daniel, and she doesn’t know why. Meanwhile, Daniel and Jane are on their way to meet up with Hugo (Colman Domingo) – a former Wardex employee that believes humanity has the right to know about the existence of extraterrestrials. Daniel and Margaret are on a collision course to meet up with Hugo for disclosure day.
David Koepp’s script can feel a little overstuffed as it tries to explain everything, but it does a great job building up the tension and action. The way information is fed to the audience keeps the stakes and tensions high, while also keeping the audience glued to the screen. The best example is with Hugo. There is stuff happening in the background while he’s on the phone, and the audience isn’t sure what he’s working on or why he’s this puppet master until the final act. The script also gives space for Colin Firth and Emily Blunt to show off their incredible talents.
Blunt is able to capture the stress and panic that would happen if you unwillingly became a spokesperson for extraterrestrials. She’s not only having to be an empath, but she’s also playing a woman that’s losing her mind because everything that’s happening to her doesn’t make sense. There are a few scenes where Margaret is having a breakdown because of the heavy responsibility. It’s a realistic response we don’t often see in films, and Blunt is fantastic in those scenes.
I know the film is categorized as an alien film, but it’s a spy thriller with some alien stuff in it. Daniel is carrying a device he stole, and a shadowy company wants it back for nefarious reasons (probably) – that’s the plot of various spy thrillers. Like most action spy thrillers, the story is paced well, and the action sequences are well made. Wardex’s paramilitary style team chasing Daniel and Jane produces some fun moments, but the best eye-popping visuals come during the third act. The movie could’ve used more of the footage revealed int third act.
As interesting as Keopp’s script is, the ending left a lot to be desired. The story reaches its climax and suddenly the film is over. The story could’ve used an extra 5-10 minutes of an epilogue to give the audience a bit of closure. This doesn’t ruin the movie but stops a good film from being great.
Disclosure Day is a unique story about aliens and their relationship with humans. It also explores the worst fears of what the government would do in a similar situation. Tin foil hat conspiracy theorists will love this film and there is bound to be numerous reddit threads about our current government’s relationship to aliens in real life. The film may have left people wanting more, but what it delivers is one of the year’s most satisfying sci-fi films.
Grade: B
the people's critic 