Like heartbeats, the blood of our beating heart, the metronome of our existence, the film speaks to everything that can be felt by a human being — the tangible and the intangible.
Written by Xiaoyi Wang
When it comes to a Steven Spielberg film, there is no doubt that we are not alone in this universe. This is not a film about whether or not there are extraterrestrial beings or whether they have visited Earth. Instead, we are taken straight into the aftermath. They exist, and they have visited, but the information is kept secret from the world. It may be marketed as an alien film, but it is ultimately a story about humanity in its entirety, and a showcase of Spielberg’s legendary craftsmanship and artistry.
The film opens without any context, going straight into how our main character, Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor), is being seized by a seemingly mysterious organization led by Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth), which we later learn is Wardex, an organization that considers itself the safeguard of all extraterrestrial information. In the back alley of a boxing ring, Keller refuses to comply unless they hand over his girlfriend, Jane Blakenship (Eve Hewson). When they do, he takes out a mysterious crystal-like object with unveiled power that makes all the armed forces stand down, allowing Daniel and Jane to temporarily go back on the run and continue his quest to reveal the truth.
Barely set foot into this film, and we are already overwhelmed with questions. What is the truth? What is the mysterious object? What power does it hold? Why is Daniel the chosen one for the mission?
The B-plot of the first act follows our second lead, Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt), a weather reporter hoping to pivot into a behind-the-desk anchor role that tackles more political and social subjects. It is made very clear that she is living an ordinary life until, on this very day, a bird enters her apartment. In a surreal moment, as they lock eyes, the air shifts. When she comes back to her senses, she starts speaking Russian to her boyfriend, unaware of her actions, before switching back to English and going to work. A series of unnatural events follows, as she begins telling people intimate details of their daily lives; she can read minds and uncover their deepest truths simply by looking at them. But Margaret did not ask for this.
Things blow up live on air when she starts speaking uncontrollably in an alien language, shocking her entire crew. News of this uncanny event immediately reaches Wardex and another group of whistleblowers — former Wardex workers led by Hugo Wakefield (Colman Domingo) — who are secretly building a mysterious set to prepare to reveal the truth of alien existence to the world on "Disclosure Day." Margaret is the final piece they have all been waiting for, and the four plotlines — Daniel, Margaret, Noah, and Hugo — begin to intertwine as the countdown becomes more urgent.
Written alongside Spielberg’s long-time collaborator David Koepp, the story takes place in a parallel version of our modern day. The world is on the brink of full-scale chaos and war. Wardex fundamentally believes that the truth will crumble humanity, as we are not prepared to handle it. Religion will collapse, and society will crumble. In the already fragile state of the world, they believe they must protect this information from the public in order to protect them. On the other side are our protagonists, for whom the truth is not Wardex’s to keep; it belongs to humanity. The consequences of revealing it cannot simply be predicted, as Wardex assumes. It is up to the people to decide.
The story is driven by a magnetic ensemble cast, with Josh O’Connor delivering an earnest performance as the determined truth-bearer, alongside Emily Blunt, who gives an impressive and powerful performance as an ordinary person confronted with powers beyond her understanding. It is clear that there were more layers planned for the secondary characters, but because of how much we have to jump between the multiple plot lines, despite the curiosity, we cannot explore every last aspect of their personal story. As for Eve Hewson’s character Jane, I expected her to have more weight in the final act, considering how important she was in the setup.
The sound design, and especially the original score by John Williams, is the absolute highlight of the film for me. The masterful manipulator serves the story so that every weight of every frame is accompanied by an epic. It is intensely engaging and powerful, threading intrigue and eeriness throughout. At every turning point, it delivers such an overwhelming auditory experience that I was almost distracted by my awe of it.
Its counterpart, the camera, is almost constantly in motion, gliding through scenes, jumping from wide to close shots in seconds, and playing with reflections in windows. We move in and out of different angles that intend to disorient us within the space of the scene. The editing plays with rhythm and syncopation with stellar ease, particularly during the action sequences, while the camerawork heightens every moment of tension, taking us back to the old-fashioned spectacle of "How on earth are they going to get out of this?"
Therefore, it is a shame that the visual effects are somewhat inconsistent. There are moments, such as Daniel in the wheat field, which was one of my favorite shots, that are incredibly visually stunning and emotionally powerful, while others fall below the standard expected of a film of this scale, breaking immersion with unnatural CGI.
Still, it manages to be swept under the carpet thanks to the fast-paced story, which keeps you thrilled through its constant evolution. It moves from the question of what the truth is to how it will come out. Riddled with moving, heartfelt scenes, chilling intrigue, and Hollywood action spectacle, the film continually raises the stakes while keeping the audience anchored to its core.
All of this is to say… There is always something magical about a Spielberg story that is deeply human, and Disclosure Day is no exception. It brings hope to the core of human connection in an age of chaos. Spielberg’s unwavering artistry once again delivers a blockbuster that not only entertains but also digs into the state of our world, confronting the ugliness of human flaws while still offering quintessential hope. In an age of such chaos and division, how do we hold on to faith in humanity? It ultimately points to the empathy that makes us human on this Earth, a home which we all share.
The film calls back to Spielberg’s filmography and proves again and again just how masterful a storyteller he is, always capturing a human experience that is almost celestial, and a fiction that is almost primal. There is a moment in the film when Margaret has a panic attack, so Daniel puts her hand on the strings of a piano so she can feel the vibrations, reminding her of what is real. Like heartbeats, the blood of our beating heart, the metronome of our existence, the film speaks to everything that can be felt by a human being — the tangible and the intangible. Everything that makes the collective human experience what it is: an homage to humanity in its entirety.
Disclosure Day premiered on June 10, 2026, and is now playing in select theaters across the world.
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