Disclosure Day (2026), all about people

Disclosure Day (2026), directed by Steven Spielberg, is a science fiction film that is more about humans than aliens, who make only a brief appearance. For a director known for spectacular visual effects, this one is surprisingly dialogue-driven, which I enjoyed. Those expecting grand visuals and relentless action sequences may come away disappointed. Mangoidiots gives it a Ripe.

Many important developments in the film happen in the background. Quite a bit is left for the audience to infer from the context. The story unfolds through the perspectives of two people, Daniel Kellner, a cybersecurity expert working for a secret agency, and Margaret Fairchild, a television weather reporter from Kansas City. With World War III seemingly on the verge of breaking out, both appear strangely detached from the global crisis and instead become increasingly focused on a mission they are only beginning to understand themselves. I liked this contrast, and it makes for an engaging screenplay.

It is Steven Spielberg’s brilliance that we are shown only fragments of the backstory of both Fairchild and Kellner. Revealing more would have taken away the mystery and the space for the audience’s imagination. The same restraint is applied to the wider conspiracy, the background events, and several of the supporting characters. I liked this approach a lot.

As Fairchild, Emily Blunt is excellent, especially in the scenes where her character has little understanding of what is happening to her. Eve Hewson, who plays Kellner’s girlfriend, does well in a challenging role, particularly in the scenes where she struggles to control herself and ends up driving a knife into her own hand. I only wish she had been given more screen time in the second half. Colin Firth, an actor whose performances I have admired in The King’s Speech and A Single Man, delivers a convincing portrayal of the film’s antagonist. Colman Domingo, whom I recently watched in The Four Seasons on Netflix, plays a key character who supports Kellner.

Even a Steven Spielberg film is not beyond one of my regular complaints about Hollywood’s fascination with alien stories. Why do alien encounters almost always seem limited to the United States? Why do other nations never appear to hold any secrets about extraterrestrial life?

As you head to the theatre, keep one line from the film in mind: “The truth is closer than you think.”