To the potential disappointment of Spielberg fans and broader film connoisseurs, Disclosure Day is not a more contemporary version of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. However, given Hollywood’s tendency to repack and “reimagine” classic films, wouldn’t it be more frustrating if the film was just a rehash of Close Encounters? At the age of 79, it’s fantastic to see Spielberg breathing new life into the well played out alien genre. While Disclosure Day isn’t perfect, the classic Hollywood magic that Spielberg brings to the silver screen is just as impressive today as it was in 1977.

There is a certain intrinsic style to Spielberg's films, visible in the sense of wonder created when E.T. appears on earth, the thrill of following the killer shark in Jaws and the complete terror evoked by the sheer scale of the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. As an auteur, Spielberg's speciality is crafting wondrous, otherworldly moments that captivate the viewer. Few filmmakers could revive such a played out trope in the genre of alien films; crop circles, and treat it with such genuine respect that it feels fresh and exciting. It’s this spirit of revitalisation which makes this film enjoyable.

Certainly, the old school is the new school once again, but that doesn’t mean Spielberg rests on his laurels when it comes to the direction and cinematography. I spent a significant portion of this film going “wow that’s a great looking shot” or “man, the lighting is stunning”. This attention to detail is refreshing amid the bombardment of big budget action films that hit the world’s cinemas every year and thus it’s invigorating to watch a film that earns the title of “blockbuster”. That being said, it isn’t all action. There is a decent amount of thrills peppered throughout. Even at its climax, the film maintains an allure of mystery that makes the final chase sequence really feel like a gamble, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats as we take the final proverbial leap with Margaret (Emily Blunt) and Daniel (Josh O’Connor). 

The film’s narrative follows two central characters, cybersecurity and mathematics expert Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor) and local weather reporter Margret Fairchild (Emily Blunt). The film joins Daniel as he is on the run for stealing unknown data from his old workplace and government security contractor, Wardex. While Daniel is guided to a safehouse by Hugo Wakefield (also a former Wardex employee), Margaret is on the other side of the state giving a seemingly standard daily weather report when she suddenly becomes faint and begins speaking in a guttural, alien language.In actuality, these otherwise unrelated characters are deeply connected and are quickly pulled together as Margret’s new found alien powers leads her to Daniel. The film then divulges into a series of long chase scenes. First, Daniel and Margaret find their way to each other, then the pair escape Wardex forces and finally, the pair race against time to reveal Daniel’s data to the world. 

Despite the film’s narrative simplicity, its characters remain compelling because of another of Spielberg's old school abilities, the power to extract authentic and resonant performances from actors. Even though Colin Firth’s Wardex CEO, Noah Scanlon is a paper thin, cookie cutter villain, Firth does wonders in the role. However, the standout performance is by far delivered by Emily Blunt. Thrust into a conspiracy and struggling with the trauma of her father’s early onset Parkinsons, Blunt’s performance as TV weather girl, Margaret Fairchild is able to go from panic attack to determination to anger to fear in a way which realistically elevates an otherwise narratively lacking character to someone that feels real. 

In spite of its narrative, the film does have things to say, bringing up interesting reflections on the importance of traditional news journalism, public broadcasting and even the effects of generative artificial intelligence on public trust in the media. The final act of the film almost entirely centers around the importance of trusted news sources, as technology continues to undermine the validity of traditional journalism. When the mass disclosure of the truth finally occurs at the film’s conclusion, it was up to journalists - the last bastion of truth - to leak the world's best kept secret. 

Today the world is more cynical than it ever has been. We are closer to climate destruction than ever before, our governments become more fragmented everyday and our lives are being overrun by a slew of billionaire technocrats. Disclosure Day invites us into a world of boyish optimism, where a group of rag-tag young rebels really can make a difference. The seemingly untouchable corporations have weaknesses and aliens might not be so bad after all. The average viewer is likely to forget the details of Disclosure Day’s plot minutes after leaving the cinema, but the sense of wonder and hope that Spielberg weaves through his direction of this film will remain long after the first watch. Even if Disclosure Day is not the smash success that many hoped it would be, there is undoubtedly value in its simple and naive aspirations.

Xavier Rowley is a second-year Media/Law student who has recently transferred from Comp-Sci. He spends 80% of his spare time playing guitar and the other 20% nerding out about history, geopolitics, food, film and music.