Light on Aliens, But High Caliber Nevertheless: ‘Disclosure Day’ Proves That Spielberg’s Still Got It

By Jackson TOYON

It’s officially blockbuster season, moviegoers! And what better way to start it off than with a brand new film by legendary director Steven Spielberg? In 2026, Spielberg has gone back to one of his most favorite and formative roots – aliens. In this fast-paced epic, he seeks to explore a more optimistic take on how humanity might respond to the disclosure of irrefutable evidence of extraterrestrial life – and a pessimistic depiction of the lengths that the individuals in charge of keeping such details secret would go to keep a lid on it. It’s a battle of truth for a civilization that deserves it vs. concealment to maintain public order – and someone’s bound to come out on top.

We’re plunged right into the action as we enter a world that is teetering on the brink of World War III. Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor), a cybersecurity expert at the Wardex Corporation, has stolen a trove of highly classified files detailing humanity’s close encounters with and exploitation of extraterrestrial life, plus a mysterious piece of alien technology – and he’s on the run. Convinced that humanity deserves to know the truth, he is directed by fellow rebel Hugo Wakefield (Colman Domingo) on how to deliver the files before sinister Wardex CEO Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth) can catch up to their operation and stop them. After Daniel and his girlfriend Jane (Eve Hewson) narrowly escape Scanlon and his men, the following morning begins with a bizarre occurrence. Just as Kansas City weatherwoman Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt) takes her position to give her morning forecast, her practiced words don’t come – it is instead involuntarily replaced by an ominous statement in an alien language. Plans change, Margaret finds herself thrust into the center of the conspiracy and the pro-truth rebellion must also get to her before she and her new unusual abilities can fall into Wardex’s clutches. The world’s fate hangs in the balance … and humanity is running out of runway.

Though the trailers and marketing suggest something of an enticing cosmic mystery, the aliens actually take something of a backseat in this movie that is largely a pursuit film. While aliens are always the driving motivation and thematic vehicle for the plot, this feature mainly takes the audience on an enjoyable whirlwind journey of protagonists just barely escaping from the forces that would seek to silence them. 

There’s nothing wrong with a good old chase movie (think “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “The Fugitive”), though viewers who enjoyed the trailers might find a different experience than expected. Despite being a bit long, having some spotty animal CGI, and not quite delivering on the dramatic weight it promised, the film has much to be proud of.

With impressive technical craft and directorial flair, “Disclosure Day” shines brightly in many respects and clearly demonstrates that Spielberg still has what it takes.

Emily Blunt commands the screen with an absolutely towering performance in which she runs the full gamut of emotions, and the rest of the main cast is great across the board. Agile and dynamic camerawork by longtime Spielberg cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, set to an adventurous John Williams score, keeps the action thrilling and propulsive. The film carries an interesting and timely underlying theme about the ultimate necessity of empathy that perhaps some audiences won’t fully embrace, but the earnest conviction behind it is clear.

“Disclosure Day” is a blockbuster that once again proves that exciting action can coexist with some thematic intrigue – viewers don’t have to choose between having one or the other. It boasts a magnetic, leaning-forward-in-your-seat third act and even manages to carry the occasional humorous moment. 

It might not totally knock off a person’s socks, but between the direction and Emily Blunt’s performance it earns its price for admission to the theatre. A filmmaking achievement as sincere as this is a worthy addition to Spielberg’s body of work and an exciting start to this year’s blockbuster season that’s worth a trip to the theater. 

Rated PG-13