The bar for a Steven Spielberg film is high, even specifically for a Spielberg sci-fi and more specifically for a Spielberg sci-fi dealing with close encounters. Disclosure Day arrives with the hype-filled baggage of Spielberg’s filmography and while it doesn’t reach those heady heights, it still offers a fun ride, provokes intriguing questions and is sprinkled with that irreplicable Spielberg magic.

We’re thrown into the story with cybersecurity specialist, Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor), attempting to evade Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth) and his cronies from the sinister Wardex corporation. An employee turner whistleblower, Kellner has stolen technology and footage in his possession that proves the visitation of aliens and abusive interrogation of them by members at Wardex. Part of a crew of defectors, Daniel is guided by Hugo (Colman Domingo) as he and his girlfriend, Jane (Eve Hewson), are wrapped up in a cat and mouse chase. With Noah in possession of an extra-terrestrial tool, the attempts to recapture the data become more insidious. Elsewhere, Maggie Fairchild (Emily Blunt), a local weatherwoman, suddenly develops the power to speak different languages and see into people’s lives just by looking at them. On air, she begins to speak in an alien tongue, understood by no one but Daniel. A reluctant vessel of something beyond her understanding, she is drawn towards Daniel and the pair stumble through obstacles in an attempt to get the truth out to the world.

Whilst this is certainly a film grounded in sci-fi, a large bulk of the story is in the vein of a spy thriller and essentially feels like one big chase of a film. There are brilliant individual chase sequences within it including some classic car chases, with what look to be impressive practical stunts, that harken back to the kind of blockbuster cinema we rarely see anymore. One of these leads into a fantastic train sequence will keep your eyes glued to the screen. The creative camera movements of Janusz Kamiński’s cinematography keep scenes kinetic and exciting. You are thrown right in from a completely unexpected opening shot and gripped immediately. The film leans into a slower but steady pace that builds after the initial thrill and tension of the first sequence in a way that is reminiscent of old-school movie making, but keeps a pace that never lulls throughout its two-and-a-half-hour runtime. There are moments of exhilaration, both in the plot itself and in the creativity that dreamt it up, but whilst Disclosure Day holds your attention and intrigue, its grip loosens at times as it occasionally feels like it is scrambling around in a script chock full of big ideas.

The film plays with a lot of big questions, using the idea of alien disclosure as a catalyst. What is faith and religion’s power in the face of extra-terrestrial beings? Would the presence of aliens unite humanity or divide it further? Would it be an all-consuming event that would halt everything going on in the world, including war? Spielberg ultimately has a very human message rooted in the prizing of empathy and how far it can be extended; the film functions as a plea for more of it in our world. There are a lot of interesting ideas and themes brought up but some could be explored in more depth. There are interesting visual metaphors of the role of religion, for example, but after a somewhat clunky conversation, the thread is left hanging, as with other intriguing ideas that surface. The script sometimes struggles to contend with the sheer breadth of debates that the film’s premise provokes. It also occasionally struggles to follow through on everything that has been thrown in, leaving a few potential potholes and questions.

The film features an array of excellent performances, with Blunt as the standout. Maggie has not chosen so much as been chosen as a vessel of sorts and the story contends with the realities of these sudden onset powers in a realistic and human way, played out beautifully by Blunt. She also grounds her character in a way that sells the supernatural aspects; this is a sci-fi but it feels very rooted in our real world (I don’t mean that in a conspiracy theorist-type way). O’Connor too is excellent as Daniel, although the film could afford to give him more character moments to round him out beyond his role in disclosure; in general the film is lacking characterisation in favour of plot exposition, making it harder to connect with these people as individuals. The pair’s relationship as two strangers with a shared bond and mission (even if they don’t fully understand it) is played out beautifully. It is a shame that the trailers somewhat spoil a later reveal, removing the power from its sequence (that and some bizarrely sub-par CGI). Domingo is a steady hand and gently authoritative figure, whilst Firth leans into the villainy but not without a weariness or frustration.

The film builds spectacularly by the time it reaches its climax. The climax itself will have you open mouthed and wide eyed right alongside the characters. Without giving anything away, the actress whose part surfaces at this point delivers a perfectly on point performance that adds to the sequence’s power. It is certainly a Spielberg picture and the filmmaking style, sweeping classic of a John Williams score (used oddly sparingly in some scenes) and the creativity on display feels like a rarity in an age of flat studio output. Moreover, Disclosure Day is heartfelt and sincere in a way so few films are now – it would look less out of place a couple of decades ago and perhaps be more accessible to an audience – although transplanted somewhat into our more cynical modern worldview. It takes seemingly ordinary people and throws them into the journey of a lifetime. It is the kind of film that afterwards makes you really feel like adventure is out there, conjuring childlike belief and excitement.  

Despite getting lost within itself at times, Disclosure Day offers a fun adventure with big ideas, even if it ultimately ends up feeling a little light. For its imperfections it pulls you along, delivering a finale that packs a punch.