Disclosure Day
(2026, Spielberg)
I went to see Disclosure Day with low expectations. This protected me to a degree from disappointment. I was prepared to accept that the film’s premise is rather dopey, and, instead, I watched the film for things like camera movement, performances, action, suspense and fun. I did the right thing.
The dopey part first: the idea that a government could keep secret for 80 years the fact that aliens have visited us since 1947 (why not before?) is self-evidently ludicrous. The idea that one man could uncover the secret (if it had been kept) is mad. The idea that the whole world’s attention could be captured by a single “disclosure” and that the world could change as a result is crazy. The idea that one person knowing your thoughts could instantly melt any opposition is nuts (even if sweetly naïve). Forget all this and just look at the sheer craft of the film.
No one in major films moves the camera like Spielberg. As an example, take the main chase scene in the film, starting from when Daniel Keller (Josh O’Connor, wonderful in The Mastermind (2025, Reichardt), but ordinary here) is about to steal a car to get away from his pursuers. The camera swoops and swirls and it makes the chase thrilling, even if it makes no sense (why didn’t they just drive around the train? Why did they have to go through the level crossing?). The way they got onto the train was ludicrous, but also a lot of fun. Spielberg still seems to revel in such set-pieces.
Other positive aspects of the film: Colin Firth is great as a nasty villain, but it’s a pity there isn’t more of him in the film. Emily Blunt is also very good (as always). The fact that the film starts in the middle of events (the credits nowhere to be seen til the end) is an excellent choice, since who cares about the back-story? I didn’t even care much for the front-story. I also liked the open-mindedness of the nun (Elizabeth Marvel), and her ecumenical appreciation of creation.
In many ways this is an old man’s film: I’ve noticed there’s a tendency in older directors to put elements from their earlier films in their later films, perhaps in an effort to sum up a career. I think both Clint Eastwood and Stanley Kubrick have fallen into this pattern. Here there’s a little ET, a little Close Encounters, a little Indiana Jones, even a little Duel. There are probably elements of other films too.
Despite all the hype, this is a fairly run-of-the mill film, serving only to showcase Spielberg's skill with the camera, but not so much (he co-wrote the film) with the pen.