Publication Date: 06-15-2026

Disclosure Day (2026) review

Dir. Steven Spielberg

By: Steve Pulaski

Rating: ★★★

I realize this is going to sound cold and scientifically ignorant, but for as long as I’ve lived, I’ve never had a deep-seated interest in aliens. Sure, I believe they exist — in a universe as vast as this one, we can’t be the only lucky ones — but I don’t lie awake at night scouring reddit and grainy footage trying to discern whether or not that was indeed a UFO that flew over Sheboygan. The same goes with space-travel. It’s something to laud from a scientific progress standpoint, but it’s hard for me to get excited when we have so many earthly problems, from healthcare to world hunger and a rapidly warming planet, nobody seems interested in fixing, why the race to go destroy another planet? Not like I’d ever be able to afford to visit it anyway.

This might be narrow-minded, but it’s the truth. So, when I saw Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day was yet another alien movie, I couldn’t help but think this is what happens when people don’t show up to West Side Story. At least it’s an original story, and a decent one at that: brimful of the kind of competently plotting, sweeping camera angles, and riveting set-pieces, all tied together with strong themes of empathy and compassion.

Disclosure Day opens in the middle of cybersecurity specialist Dr. Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor) having stolen confidential alien artifact and a treasure trove of data he obtained from Wardex, a secret branch of the government dedicated to extraterrestrial research. Intent on reverse-engineering alien technology and holding aliens hostage, Wardex CEO Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth) has officials dispatched to take Daniel and his girlfriend, Jane (Eve Hewson), into custody, guided by Hugo (Colman Domingo), a Wardex employee privately coordinating the disclosure of the information Daniel has seized.

Meanwhile, a Kansas City meteorologist named Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt). A cardinal flying through her loft window triggers a sudden shift in consciousness for her, and out of nowhere, she can read minds, speak different languages, and alter her perception in an instant. Later that same day, while giving the morning weather report on TV, she begins speaking in gibberish, which is actually an alien language that Daniel can translate it in an instant once the ensuing clip goes viral. When Margaret realizes she is meant to be somewhere specific, she racks her mind for the location as she and her boyfriend (Wyatt Russell) hit the road, whilst being pursued by Noah’s goons.

First things first: how great is it to hear the music of John Williams put to great use? Sure, it was only three years ago that he scored Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, but that forgettable retread and its subpar story and visual effects all-but sucked the life out of the quality craftsmanship around it. This is Williams’ best work in years. The way I found myself intuitively leaning forward and, seconds later, realizing it was because of his engrossing sounds. Just exquisite.

It’s strange for a two-and-a-half-hour movie to feel chopped and screwed, but occasionally Disclosure Day does. There’s a confrontational scene between Noah and Hugo that, while very well-written, feels like it was intended to precede a few argumentative phone-calls that were ultimately left on the cutting room floor. Furthermore, I consistently felt in arm’s reach of the story whenever the focus was on Daniel and Jane. Their individual performances are solid, but so much of their screen-time is predicated on the two characters being chase. It often feels obligatory, especially when we see Daniel sneak past several operatives while his clodhopper shoes make audible noise on a dirt-road. These kinds of conveniences can pluck you out of the experience.

When Koepp focuses on Margaret, the film crackles with soul and an unshakeable feeling of helplessness. One of Emily Blunt’s best moments in her already-impressive acting career comes when she’s overwhelmed to the point of having a panic attack, and Daniel hastily consoles her; not in a comedic manner, but in a way that reflects the instant pressure of the situation. She’s anxious to the point of tears, consumed by thoughts not her own, and has dissolved into being a “passenger,” a recurring term, in her own life. Even prior to that pivotal bit of emotional, Blunt is at the center of every great scene in the film, including one involving a train — Spielberg’s still got it, don’t let anyone tell you differently — another involving her childhood home, and the riveting climax.

In fact, much of the third act is one long climax. As someone who works in broadcasting, much of it is very accurate, including the massive, anxious control room setting, and the impromptu manner in which plans and process of execution changes on a dime. That said, it’s as riveting as it is optimistic (remember when you had to “get to a TV” to get the latest breaking story?). What a knockout performance by Courtney Grace, a former television news anchor and it shows. From the clear, enunciated delivery of her lines, her handling of newly presented information she must disseminate in real-time, and her (convincingly unsuccessful) repression of emotions, Grace commands the moment like a veteran actress.

Spielberg and screenwriter David Koepp seem awfully optimistic that the disclosure of irrefutable evidence regarding the existence of extraterrestrial life on our planet would be a uniting force for all. Or maybe it’s their nostalgic side emerging, for they believe that’s how it would’ve gone down many decades ago. These days, many would spend time arguing on social media while others would claim the footage was AI-generated. It’s as ironic as Alanis Morissette’s banger that this film arrives a time when I suspect the Epstein files generate more intrigue than classified documents on black-eyed green dudes. Disclosure Day might feel like a byproduct of baby boomer-era hopefulness, but your ultimate connection to the material might depend on how you view the final 30 minutes. I loved it. I wish it were true. And then the lights came on.

Starring: Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell, and Courtney Grace. Directed by: Steven Spielberg.