Disclosure Day

We all know Steven Spielberg and aliens is a perfect match but, whilst Disclosure Day offers a suitable amount of nostalgic delight in that regard, it also feels a little outdated.

Let’s not get this wrong, this is a terrifically made, immaculately shot, ‘big’ feeling blockbuster that is a true family film like only Spielberg can create.

It’s just perhaps a film that would maybe be better thought of if it was released 10 or 20 years ago.

The story of disclosing long held government secrets about alien activity should, and perhaps could, be more prescient in today’s climate.

Maybe it’s to Spielberg’s credit that he doesn’t explicitly present the film in any sort of political manner but there are elements which perhaps suggest some conflict somewhere in the production of what this film should and could be.

There’s a hint of an ongoing global conflict which is a key plot driver to some essential scenes (and perhaps [slight spoiler] the ending although that’s kept deliberately open and vague) but it’s not really presented in any consistent or engaging way.

In fact, it feels like entire scenes explaining it were edited out.

Likewise, the [again, slight spoiler] focus around live news and the shoehorned in and offhand comment about whether the found footage could be AI generated just slightly smacks of a script stuck between old and new.

These gripes just lessen the overall experience once you start to unravel the threads and discuss the film afterwards but, in the moment, this is once again a rollicking ride that is just beautifully made.

Spielberg’s ever steady hand on the tiller just keeps the film barrelling along its exciting road. We’re dropped into the story as it begins to unravel and we’re always just kept slightly behind on things which increases the tension and the intrigue.

Perhaps the ending doesn’t quite deliver on that build up of anticipation but it’s a fantastic watch nonetheless.

So it’s not quite a top tier Spielberg but, given the man’s responsible for some of the greatest cinematic experiences of all time, even something below par is still a great evening out.

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