Steven Spielberg Happily Returns to His Alien-Roots with Disclosure Day
Although flawed, especially pacing wise, Steven Spielberg’s ‘Disclosure Day’ succeeds in large part due to its riveting subject material and a standout performance from Emily Blunt
If you have followed the lengthy career of the legendary director Steven Spielberg, you know the topic of the existence of aliens is something that fascinates him. From a primary focus in movies like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, War of the Worlds, and even a secondary plot point in other films he’s been involved in like the Indiana Jones saga, it’s absolutely a staple subject in his filmography.
And to his absolute delight I’m sure, the topic of UFOs has been a widely discussed topic, especially recently since the Trump administration disclosed more files just two months ago that had been kept from the public.
Granted, the making of Disclosure Day was before these files were released, but it coincidentally makes this movie even more timely and intriguing.
The plot involves a local news meteorologist (Emily Blunt), who has difficulty settling down and seems to always want to be on the move, having a breakthrough revelation of a unique talent she possesses that could be a bridge to communicating with extra-terrestrial life.
Meanwhile, a defector (Josh O’Connor) of the agency Wardex, who has been keeping the information they have about aliens sealed, is on the run and wants to finally expose the truth. Meanwhile, the power-hungry boss of Wardex (Colin Firth), remains obsessed with potentially bridging the communication gap himself, while trying to capture O’Connor and anyone that threatens to leak anything to the public.
Right from the jump, you’re invested in the movie. Blunt and O’Connor’s characters seem like they’re on a collision course to meet and work together, and the ride of seeing them dodge all the government agencies in their way so that they can accomplish their goal is genuinely fun to watch.
Blunt has always been a sturdy, reliable actress who’s usually excellent in anything she’s in (Sicario is one of her finest hours), but she’s an absolute revelation in this movie. From having to juggle different dialects, to trying to balance her relationship with her boyfriend (Wyatt Russell), and becoming resourceful so she can use her talent to share the truth -she’s the total package here.
O’Connor, who’s on a heater especially after the latest Knives Out film (honestly, my least favorite of the series so far), is solid as well. At first the movie seems to be squarely on his shoulders, but as it progresses, like the story itself, it becomes a joint project between him and Blunt, and they work off each other very well.
Firth is fine as the bad guy, he doesn’t have a ton to work with but still strikes the right tone of menacing villainy with some subtle hints of vulnerability when needed.
In terms of the problems with the movie, the pacing is a little jagged, especially around the halfway mark. And there are times when you think Stormtroopers from Star Wars are more accurate than all the agents after our heroes. There are some considerable leaps in logic and the suspension of disbelief aspect is really tested, which is an unfortunate detractor. The movie also feels a little bit on the long side at almost two and a half hours. This feels like it could’ve been two hours, maybe a little over that. And the weight of the runtime certainly starts to weighs on you, especially around the halfway mark.
But ultimately, and expectedly, Spielberg pulls it all together, especially in the last twenty minutes which are an absolute masterclass. And it feels fitting, because at almost 80 years old, both the ending and the film itself feel like a full circle moment for him. It wouldn’t be surprising if this was his last movie about aliens.
The finale, as well as Blunt’s Oscar-caliber performance (although she probably won’t get nominated, it’s not that kind of movie unfortunately), are why this movie ultimately is still a winner. Without these things, the film most likely drifts into mediocrity, but Blunt especially refuses to let that happen.
While it’s probably the least impressive entry into the Spielberg aliens film world, it’s still intriguing and worth watching. And that’s a testament to both the legacy of Spielberg, as well as how strong a filmmaker he is still is.
Rating: *** out of ****