Spielberg’s Latest Wonder: My Film Review of “Disclosure Day”
Well, I finally saw it. And it definitely was not what I, or many of us, were expecting this latest from the GOAT of filmmaking himself to be. Disclosure Day, Steven Spielberg’s new original science fiction thriller, takes some of the themes and concepts previously explored in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and brings them into the 21st century for a story about the relentless pursuit of the truth, while also making an earnest plea for the necessity of empathy.
Janusz Kamiński’s cinematography was always going to be one of the biggest highlights, showcasing his signature Spielbergian long-take oners and truly astonishing lighting design. And while his approach here is applied in a more grounded, restrained way than in some of his past sci‑fi work, it remains quietly dazzling. Meanwhile, John Williams — now 95 — proves he still has the touch of a legendary film composer, delivering a score that reminds us how powerful a sweeping, symphonic orchestral soundtrack can be; we could certainly use more of that grandeur in today’s films.
And of course, much of the film’s strength comes from the cast’s performances: Emily Blunt delivers one of the best roles of her career as meteorologist Margaret Fairchild, whose unusual “special gift” becomes a crucial part of the plot and the driving force behind her and cybersecurity specialist–whistleblower Daniel Kellner’s (Josh O’Connor, whose grounded emotion lends real weight and relatability) ultimate objective. Colin Firth is an effective, enigmatic antagonist as Wardex head Noah Scanlon; Colman Domingo brings his customary intensity and nuance to Hugo Wakefield; and Eve Hewson is a pleasant, unexpectedly affecting presence as Jane.
Overall, while the plot and themes may feel familiar, Disclosure Day succeeds at what it sets out to accomplish, blending the awe of classic Spielberg blockbusters with the grounded, gritty textures of today’s algorithm-driven, surveillance-heavy and unsettled reality.
