‘Disclosure Day’? More like ‘Disclosure Delay’

PETALING JAYA: If you’ve watched “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”, you’d know there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. That’s the power of Steven Spielberg’s storytelling.

His previous alien films have resonated with audiences by blending childlike wonder with deeply human emotions. At a time when many sci-fi stories depicted extraterrestrials as hostile invaders, Spielberg shifted the focus to the human experience, making the extraordinary feel intimate, hopeful and relatable.

“Disclosure Day” shifts gears entirely, leaning towards a political, post-truth conspiracy thriller.

Written by David Koepp (“Jurassic Park”, “War of the Worlds”), the 2.5-hour movie follows Danny Kellner (Josh O’Connor), a cybersecurity expert with a criminal past.

Kellner steals encrypted thumb drives from his employer Wardex, a shadowy para-government agency tasked with concealing decades of evidence of extraterrestrial life.

When a ruthless agent (played by Colin Firth) moves to silence him at any cost, Kellner goes on the run and eventually crosses paths with Emily Blunt’s Margaret, a weather forecaster.

Together, they discover a strange connection between them, including a mysterious “clicking” alien signal that only they seem able to understand. What begins as an alliance quickly turns into a cat-and-mouse chase, with Wardex operatives in relentless pursuit.

The story builds towards the titular “disclosure day” – the moment Danny’s stolen data is set to be broadcast globally, potentially exposing the truth about extraterrestrial life. Whether they succeed, and what they uncover along the way, drives the film’s momentum.

So, what works and what doesn’t? Let’s start with the good stuff: the visuals.

Spielberg leans fully into his signature filmmaking style, with sweeping camera movements, his trademark lens flares, and that viral deer-to-alien-eye transition from the trailer.

A number of well-known actors appear here, but Blunt is the clear highlight. Following a strange encounter with a red cardinal, her behaviour abruptly changes, like a switch has been flipped. The moments that follow are both shocking and, at times, unexpectedly funny.

The film also explores her character’s childhood trauma and one memorable scene involves her suffering a panic attack – a moment that leaves the theatre in pin-drop silence.

The legendary John Williams returns with a whimsical score that feels inseparable from Spielberg’s world, echoing nostalgic touches from “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “E.T.”.

“Disclosure Day” also has some strong action set pieces, including car chases. One involving trains goes especially big – if you walked in late, you could easily mistake it for a “Fast & Furious” sequence.

The filmmakers attempt to balance this with heavy, intellectual, dialogue-driven themes. But in the end, it never fully commits to what it wants to say.

A lot of the film leaves you guessing what’s going on (not unlike the characters themselves), so you’re constantly waiting for a big reveal, twist, or truly thought-provoking moment.

Much of the dialogue revolves around how humanity’s religious and societal structures might fracture under the weight of alien disclosure. But this never quite comes full circle and, by the end, it feels underdeveloped.

The script also relies heavily on an alien artefact that essentially functions as a narrative shortcut, allowing characters to suddenly access abilities ranging from mind control to psychic-like travel. But the “how” and “why” is left open to interpretation.

If you’re expecting a straightforward popcorn ride, be warned: “Disclosure Day” demands more attention than you might be prepared to give.

And by the time it reaches its climax, the resolution feels a bit too neat and predictable, which results in the central alien mystery falling short of being truly gripping or memorable.

This all said, “Disclosure Day” is far from a bad outing at the cinema. But measured against Spielberg’s extraordinary legacy, this latest entry doesn’t quite soar to the same heights.

As of press time, ‘Disclosure Day’ is screening in cinemas nationwide.