A thoughtful and ambitious science-fiction drama that explores humanity's place in the universe
Disclosure Day marks Steven Spielberg's latest exploration of humanity's fascination with the unknown, blending science fiction, faith, and mystery into an ambitious cinematic experience.
There has long been a debate as to whether we were the only "beings" in the universe. With billions of stars out there in space and other planets, it's difficult to think we are alone. In movies, aliens, UFOs, etc., come in many shapes and sizes and have been portrayed as both friendly and hostile. For director Steven Spielberg (Jaws), his fascination with unidentified flying objects and extra-terrestrials began at a young age and continued throughout his adult life and career. In 1977, he gave us Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and five years later, in 1982, he followed up with E.T.: The Extra-terrestrial. This month comes another alien-themed film from him when Disclosure Day hits theaters nationwide.
When Daniel Kellner (Josh O'Connor; Challengers) doesn't show up for work and numerous files go missing, his boss sends a team to go after him and his girlfriend. The next morning, Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt; The Devil Wears Prada 2) can suddenly speak Russian and Korean and begins speaking in tongues while on air giving her weather report. Suddenly, Daniel and Margaret are on the run from Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth; Kingsman: The Secret Service) and Wardex Corporation, who want to keep the stolen files and videos a secret from the world.
Spielberg has a style all his own, and Disclosure Day has his stamp all over it. From slowly building worlds and character development to a big, climactic ending, this film has the overall feel of Jaws, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, etc., that only Spielberg can create. He brings warmth to his films that wraps around you like a cozy blanket and makes you want to settle in for the journey he is about to take you on. He is a master storyteller and truly one of the greatest directors of all time.
For Spielberg to be at his best, though, he needs to have an excellent script to work from, and he, along with David Koepp (Jurassic Park), has a winner with Disclosure Day. The dialogue is unpredictable but not awkward, and each line seems to be deliberate. The idea of blending religion, God, and other worldly beings makes for a terrific dichotomy while not favoring one ideal over another.
The casting is extremely well done, with Blunt leading a group of talented actors. She gives the audience a variety of emotions, from sadness and anger to confusion and a sense of being afraid, and she leaves it all up there on the screen. O'Connor portrays the cybersecurity expert well, and Eve Hewson (Bridge of Spies) does a great job of bringing the religious part into the mix, playing a former Nun and Daniel's girlfriend who suddenly is questioning the idea of God. Firth and Colman Domingo (Fear the Walking Dead) round out this A-list cast.
The first act is a little slow, and while I understand the idea of Spielberg wanting to build his characters and the world around them, he could have done so a little more quickly. Act two is where the meat of the story comes, and act three is strong for the most part, but becomes a little bit cheesy by the very end. I think Disclosure Day was a tad bit too long unnecessarily and could have been just as good had it been truncated slightly (perhaps 10 to 15 minutes).
There is no doubt that in other, less capable hands, Disclosure Day would have been a completely different film, but with Spielberg at the helm, the end product is a serious, thought-provoking study of other life forms and the possible impact they may have on Earth and humanity.
Go see it because it's Spielberg directing Blunt, O'Connor, Domingo and Firth, but stay because it's time we dissect the rumors and put some serious thought behind the idea that we may not be alone.
Grade: A-
