“Disclosure Day” follows a cybersecurity expert and weather reporter who must evade government agents while attempting to reveal secret files that prove the existence of aliens.
June seems to be the month of disclosure. In back-to-back weeks, there have been films released that explore humanity’s response to proof of extraterrestrial life. On June 5, Jonathan Sobol’s “Signal One” came out. Now, on June 12, is Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day.”
It’s been a while since I’ve seen a movie that’s so mainstream, but also… not at all. “Disclosure Day” is full of generic plot points and contrivances that carry the narrative forward. It also contains intelligent questions and deep-rooted ideas. Somehow, Spielberg manages to make them blend more often than not.
The first half of the film is abundant with “strange” creative choices — the biggest being the script itself. David Koepp’s screenplay (based on an original story by Spielberg) is messy by design. Following two converging storylines, the 155-minute runtime is filled with stop-and-go momentum. It brings up intriguing points only to abandon them for the next 20 minutes in favor of car chases and spectacle. This is where the tones clash. “Disclosure Day” leans into mainstream territory with turn-your-brain-off fun, but it also constantly pauses to dissect. It’s a fascinating movie because of this. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a connected one.
It strikes a chord in the moments of revelation. The final 20 minutes of “Disclosure Day” reward viewers who stick around through the tedious journey to get there. It answers many of the lingering questions about alien life. But what it doesn’t answer is how humans themselves will ultimately respond to this fact. It’s an ending that encourages discourse, which is always a good thing.
Emily Blunt (Margaret Fairchild) steals the show. Her performance is wide-ranging, from stunned silence to full-blown panic attacks. She even speaks in different languages, some being from out of this world entirely. Over the course of the film, Blunt actually says fewer words than Josh O’Connor (Dr. Daniel Kellner). It’s a performance that is as much physical as it is vocal. Despite this, it’s hard not to feel like she becomes sidelined for far too long.
Especially in the middle act, O’Connor’s character becomes the focal point of “Disclosure Day.” And not only does the generic story not command this, but neither does the performance. For most of the movie, O’Connor remains too monotone. As he shares top-secret intel or even leaps onto a train, his delivery never changes. This grows even more apparent as he stands alongside Blunt. While his performance never proves distracting, it also never reaches the heights of his co-star.
Also appearing are Colman Domingo (Hugo Wakefield), Colin Firth (Noah Scanlon), Eve Hewson (Jane Blankenship) and Wyatt Russell (Jackson).
“Disclosure Day” is beautiful — outside of some subpar visual effects. Director of photography Janusz Kamiński is able to capture both the large-scale and intimate moments well. It could be a simple bird flying into a room or a UFO soaring through the sky; both are stunning in their own ways. Shot on 35mm film, the authentic portrayal grounds the instances of uncanny CGI in reality. The composition itself is also worth noting. Your eyes will be bouncing all over the screen while watching, because Spielberg uses all of the 2.39:1 frame.
John Williams’ score also adds a touch of nostalgia. It hits the typical beats for fast-paced thrills while staying largely restrained overall. As the conclusion nears, the music is integral to continuously increasing tension until the credits roll.
“Disclosure Day” is full of many bumps, but it ends with epiphany. It’s a classic larger-than-life story from Spielberg that’s more profound than it is superficial.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
