Steven Spielberg returns to his fascination with interstellar visitors in Disclosure Day, a film that channels the spirit of The X-Files while grappling with contemporary anxieties about truth, secrecy, and human connection. Set against a backdrop of US-Russian tensions, the movie follows two parallel narratives that eventually converge.
Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor) is a rogue cybersecurity specialist at the shadowy Wardex Corporation. He has stolen 107 drives containing the US government’s complete archive of alien encounter footage, from Roswell in 1947 onward, along with a piece of alien technology. His boss, Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth), a silver-foxed version of The X-Files’ Cigarette Smoking Man, takes Daniel’s girlfriend Jane (Eve Hewson) hostage to force the return of the stolen goods. Meanwhile, Daniel’s colleague Hugo Wakefield (Coleman Domingo) joins the whistleblowing effort, believing the world deserves the truth.
In a separate storyline, TV weather presenter Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt) undergoes a strange transformation after a red cardinal flies into her kitchen. She begins to communicate across languages and dabbles in telepathy, culminating in a live broadcast where she speaks in clicks, as if possessed by an alien entity. Her path is destined to cross with Daniel’s as the US and Russia teeter on the brink of nuclear war.
A Timely Plea for Empathy
Spielberg’s childlike earnestness shines through in Disclosure Day, which asks whether humanity can accept a revelation that challenges faith, science, and our very purpose. The film makes a potent plea for communication and empathy—qualities that aliens, we learn, consider humanity’s “evolutionary advantage.” This optimism feels refreshing in cynical times, but it is often undercut by David Koepp’s unwieldy screenplay.
Koepp’s script includes moments that thrillingly evoke Fringe, but it also suffers from clumsy dialogue, plot holes that feel out of touch with the present, and overly literal moments that make viewers want to scream, “We get it, move on!” The alien aesthetic is disappointingly stereotypical, and some CGI animals are truly awful. The film’s drawn-out finale, which should have ended 15 minutes earlier, comes off as intergalactically naff, echoing the missteps of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Despite these flaws, the stellar performances of O’Connor, Firth, and especially Blunt keep the film afloat. Blunt’s portrayal of Margaret is a show-stealer, bringing depth to a character grappling with an inexplicable transformation. The film also benefits from a terrific train-collision action sequence and a few chats about the ethics of secrecy, including a memorable appearance by a smirking nun (Elizabeth Marvel).
For those completely on board, Disclosure Day offers unabashed optimism in troubled times. For others, the script’s pitfalls and the schmaltzy sentimentality may test patience. The film’s reveals won’t conjure awe for everyone; they might instead provoke cackles. Yet Spielberg’s heart is unquestionably in the right place—on his sleeve—and his message about the power of empathy resonates, even if the execution falters.
As European audiences consider the film’s themes of government transparency and global cooperation, they might reflect on recent debates about EU accession and the continent’s own struggles with disinformation. Disclosure Day is a reminder that the search for truth, whether about aliens or human affairs, remains as urgent as ever.
