For decades, Steven Spielberg has been one of the most celebrated filmmakers, successfully working in nearly every type of movie. His impressive filmography is widely known, so listing his hits isn’t necessary. However, fans have always been excited to see him return to science fiction, a genre he’s explored in each decade of his career. Now, well into the 2020s, Spielberg has not only returned to sci-fi but has delivered a film that feels both current and original.
Spielberg’s latest film, Disclosure Day, revisits the classic UFO theme, but demonstrates he’s still at the top of his game. This modern sci-fi blockbuster delivers thrilling action while also offering a thought-provoking story that stays with you long after the movie ends.
Rating: 4 out of 5
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Emily Blunt is incredible | Some thin characters |
| Prescient & thrilling story | |
| Great cinematography & score |
Disclosure Day Tells a Prescient UFO Story
At the heart of Disclosure Day is Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor), a cybersecurity expert on the brink of revealing something massive to the world: confirmation of the existence of aliens and UFOs. The confirmation goes deeper than just the fact that aliens are real, though, and is what lands him in the crosshairs of Wardex, an agency fighting to maintain the secrecy. This is, of course, the natural propulsion of the film that turns it not only into a cross-country chase film, but a thriller about what this agency knows and is capable of.
A surprising twist in the story is the emergence of strange powers in Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt), a Kansas City TV meteorologist. While on air, she unexpectedly begins speaking in a language that doesn’t seem to be from this world. The film follows Kellner as he evades capture, Margaret as she learns to control her new abilities – like instantly knowing someone’s life story by looking into their eyes – and Wardex as he tries to keep everything secret. Despite these complex storylines, the movie doesn’t feel cluttered or overwhelming.
Spielberg’s Disclosure Day maintains a consistently engaging rhythm, driven by a focus on the emotional core of the story. He and cinematographer Janusz Kamiński allow scenes to unfold naturally, with deliberate camera work and avoiding excessive editing. This approach not only makes the action more effective, but also ensures the film’s powerful imagery stays with the viewer, offering a masterclass in visual storytelling.
The larger plot of Disclosure Day feels as timely as ever, though, with a narrative that is built on the foundation of our modern world’s 24-hour news, a mistrust of the government, an intense demand for the truth in all corners, and the lingering threat of annihilation by our fellow man. All of these things work in tandem with a key piece of UFO narrative that feels like Spielberg himself shaking the audience to make us listen, showing us that the most important things in life are right in front of us and not hidden in the stars.
Disclosure Day Is Anchored By Emily Blunt’s Performance
As Kellner, O’Connor brings an everyday energy to his performance, grounding Kellner as a man caught in an extraordinary position but with the ultimate conviction of what he must do. He’s flanked by a great supporting cast, too, such as Colin Firth as the terrifying Noah Scanlon, the head of the Wardex, whose hardened heart makes him incredibly dangerous thanks to the lengths he’s willing to go to. Firth uses his gravitas in terrifying ways, ascending to one of the most impressive in the film.
Eve Hewson also does good work as Jane, Daniel’s girlfriend and someone wrestling with the reality of what full disclosure would do to the world, though her character gets less to do as the film goes on and feels thin at times. Colman Domingo as Hugo Wakefield, a former Wardex employee actively working for disclosure, delivers a performance as grand as one might expect from the actor, even if, again, his character appears to exist for plot reasons rather than personal ones.
As noted, though, Emily Blunt’s character makes a splash in the larger narrative of Disclosure Day, and it wouldn’t work nearly as well as it does without her incredible performance. From her first scene, where Wyatt Russell as her partner provides great comedic relief, Blunt reveals her take on Margaret as a woman who is always on the move, literally unable to sit still for even a few seconds. After a surprise encounter with a seemingly overly friendly cardinal, Margaret suddenly begins speaking Russian, unaware that she’s even doing it.
This marks the first sign of something extraordinary going on with Margaret, which wouldn’t work if Blunt wasn’t able to deftly handle the quickness of her character’s mind. In one minute she’s rushing to get to work, and in another she’s translating a miscommunication in Korean, a language she doesn’t speak. As the film progresses, Blunt wields her ability to shift between moments of crushing empathy in a way that carries a lot of weight and makes you unable to take your eyes off her every eye twitch and shifting glance; she’s magnetic.
The Heart of Disclosure Day Makes It Stand Out in Spielberg’s Filmography
The core thematic arc of Disclosure Day is what makes it feel even more contemporary than the larger narrative sweeps of leaking government data and the lingering threat of global war. In its heart, Disclosure Day is a film about the battle between cynicism and faith, not straying so far in one direction that it becomes an overtly religious movie (though it brushes against it), but decisively making a comment on the power of empathy in a world that rewards indifference and disdain.
Even though some of the supporting characters don’t quite have the same spark as the main character, Disclosure Day is still a really fun and exciting sci-fi thriller. What’s particularly impressive is that even after the story’s mysteries are solved, the beginning of the film remains engaging and enjoyable.
Disclosure Day will clearly be rewarding on rewatches, not only to see the tricks that Spielberg was hiding the entire time, but to feel the whole breath of its narrative in every moment. The final larger sequence of the film is a spectacle that defies blockbuster convention, though, leading to one of the best final lines in a summer movie in years.
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2026-06-09 19:20