Disclosure day (2026) review
If something out there is capable of understanding us… why aren’t we capable of doing the same for each other?
Universal Pictures
PG-13 | 2hr 25m | Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller
There’s something Steven Spielberg has always understood better than most directors: Wonder is just as much a feeling than a visual spectacle. From E.T. to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, his films are just as much about connection than they are about aliens…(even though I would make a strong case that Spielberg maybe knows something we all don’t) It’s about the feeling of being heard and seen. Disclosure Day feels like a continuation of the ideas we see all throughout his work. The wonder in this film is buried all within the chaos of the world.
We are thrown straight into a world already on edge: global conflict escalating and a government conspiracy that is slowly coming to light. We are just dropped into it, following converging paths through Emily Blunt a weather woman for a local television affiliate in Kansas City and Josh O’Connor a person trying to make sense of something bigger than themselves.
Universal Pictures
While we do sit in the idea of “what if we’re not alone?” It asks it at a time that feels frenetic.
Spielberg uses that backdrop to explore something deeper: empathy in a time where no one is really listening. Everyone is reacting, panicking, or having to choose between “sides”…but no one is slowing down enough to understand. And then something arrives that doesn’t speak our language… but still listens.
Instead of fear, there’s this overwhelming sense of being heard and understood. You can see it wash over the characters as they interact with truth. We see the weight of what people are carrying come to life as they realize what is truly out there.
Josh O’ Connor is giving some of his best work here as a person overwhelmed by the knowledge he possess. Colin Firth is a great “antagonistic force” in this story with his own character arc and Colman Domingo’s presence is unmatched. Blunt is the anchor to this story. Her performance is an incredible balance between emotional confusion and humor. There’s especially scenes with her boyfriend (played by Wyatt Russell, who brings a surprising amount of humor and lightness in the right moments. When things start breaking down, you feel it with her. She is the beacon for the world to tell the truth and to connect.
Universal Pictures
The film constantly plays in that space between awe and fear, science and faith. It breaks down the idea that discovery automatically leads to peace. It’s fascinating to see the revelation bring some people comfort but for others, it completely destabilizes their sense of reality. It challenges core beliefs.
The score from John Williams leans into these feelings. It has that classic Spielberg warmth, but also brings in nostalgic and reflective feeling.
Even visually, the alien design follows that same philosophy. It’s not overwhelming or overly polished. There are a few rough CGI moments, that completely don’t take me out of the film but has an uncanny feeling to it. The story meanders in the second act while it tries to make sense of what we are experiencing which does slow it down a bit.
But by the third act, the film really settles into itself with a beautiful montage of images and emotions that washed over me. I had a childlike sense of wonder watching those images play out, and found myself asking hard questions. For many, this film will feel “preachy” or sits in a perspective that feels out of reach for the current state of the world. It’s hard to conceive of a world that would value connection over power of the “truth”. Spielberg has always believed in connection and I think he wonders if we are capable of empathy in a world that’s constantly demanding reaction.
