“If you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you?”
This movie marks the 30th collaboration between Steven Spielberg and John Williams. Their first was The Sugarland Express, over 50 years prior. This is even more noteworthy, given that when Spielberg initially approached Williams about making the score, Williams first suggested four other composers take the job, since Williams had retired from film scoring. Spielberg insisted Williams score the film himself, and Williams finally agreed. This film also marks a personal achievement for Steven Spielberg, directing at least one sci-fi movie in each decade of his career: Firelight (1964), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Jurassic Park (1993), The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), Minority Report (2002), War of the Worlds (2005) and Ready Player One (2018). With all those accolades, Disclosure Day had a lot to live up to. And while I won’t go as far as to say that the movie fell short of this expectation, I kind of expected more. It was entertaining, and the cast performances, specifically Emily Blunt’s and Colman Domingo’s, were top tier, but I still found myself feeling left wanting.
With clumsy car chases and a psychic weather journalist, Spielberg attempts to provide an answer to one of life’s existential questions: if the answer to the question whether we are alone in the universe was available, would you want to know? Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colman Domingo, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, and Wyatt Russell formed the ensemble, which is to the film’s credit, as their performances are what really carry the story along. The story follows cybersecurity expert Daniel Kellner (O’Connor), who steals classified files from a secret government arm, proving extraterrestrials have visited Earth. As Daniel goes on the run to release the information, a Kansas City meteorologist, Margaret Fairchild (Blunt), develops sudden psychic abilities that make her a vital ally.
Despite having equal billing with Blunt, O’Connor’s character felt secondary to Blunt’s. O’Connor is engaging, and there is plenty of excitement while his character and his girlfriend, played by Hewson, are on the run. However, I would have liked to have seen more development of the pair’s relationship. The film establishes their relationship from the opening scenes, with O’Connor’s character willing to go to great lengths to protect her. But it felt a lot like being pulled into the middle of a situation with no context and being asked to choose a side. I was also intrigued by Hewson’s character, as she has a surprising, albeit vague, backstory. I would have enjoyed knowing more about her backstory and what led her to her predicament.
Blunt is the film’s main draw, and rightfully so. She is the film’s heart, and she carries that burden with ease, while also showcasing her comedic timing. You needn’t look any further than her police traffic stop interaction, where she leaves the cop dumbfounded. Her emotional resonance is more towards the latter half of the film when she must confront origins of her extraordinary abilities. There is vulnerability in that sequence that was vital to the story in my opinion. I also love how much booking Colman Domingo is getting. He has been on a great run, with this film marking his second box office appearance in as many months, along with five box office appearances in 2025. His role in this film is smaller, but significant, as he is essentially the architect of the story.
As far as the story goes, I enjoyed it, but there were some themes that were a little hard to swallow, such as the clumsiness of the agents pursuing O’Connor’s Daniel. In one breath they are built up to be this wing of the Department of Defense with a nearly unlimited budget and cutting-edge technology, and in the next breath we are supposed to believe that they can so easily be snuck up on and evaded. Also, given what was at stake if the stolen information went public, the agency was not ruthless enough and surrendered too easily.
The film also ended on a cliffhanger, leaving me thoroughly unsatisfied. Right as it seemed like something game-changing was about to be conveyed, they rolled credits, and all I could say was “huh?” I don’t know if the intent is for there to be a followup film, but that seems unlikely. All that was really needed was the actual “disclosure” to tie the whole movie together. Without it, the film felt mission incomplete.
