Disclosure Day was hailed as a cinematic sci-fi event to stand alongside Close Encounters of the Third Kind upon release. With Steven Speilberg directing from a script by David Keopp, audiences rightly had high expectations when it hit silver screens earlier this year. With its arrival on Blu-ray, 4K, and DVD the time has come for re-evaluation as armchair critics get to have their say.
Featuring Oscar-winner Colin Firth alongside Emily Blunt, and Josh O’Connor, Disclosure Day certainly has the ensemble cast in place to engage audiences. Spielberg invites them down the rabbit hole early to witness extraterrestrial investigation and government oversight in an intriguing opening act. Oddly enough, over the next two hours and change disparate plot threads fail to come together, while Disclosure Day lacks a definitive sense of identity.
There are hints of Steven Speilberg in the structure and cinematography, but somehow Disclosure Day lacks an emotional hook beyond the opening 30 minutes. Emily Blunt does some impressive vocal work within the confines of her character while Josh O’Connor represents a way into the Area 51 vibes that add interest, but these elements feel isolated rather than part of a grand plan. Impressive as standalone set pieces but ultimately fragmented and reliant on spectacle rather than something more substantial.
Image Courtesy of Universal Pictures
It makes for a frustrating film on the small screen because of Steven Speilberg’s back catalogue. From Indiana Jones through to more eclectic projects including Amistad, The Color Purple, and Schindler’s List, this is a masterful filmmaker with a legacy worth watching. Disclosure Day has all the elements audiences would expect but without that all-important x factor.
Not so much a misstep as a reflection of cinematic tastes, Disclosure Day feels like it belongs in another era. The paranoia of government oversight has now been superseded by AI as an omnipotent force, making the fear of extraterrestrial life feel superfluous. On home entertainment the fact that culture has moved on becomes even more obvious, leaving audiences with a Steven Speilberg film that feels out of touch.
For a filmmaker who spent decades reading the cinematic room to perfection, Disclosure Day comes down to the law of averages. Age has nothing to do with it, passion is off the table, and inclination must take a backseat. Steven Speilberg and his contemporaries have cinema baked into their DNA, so no one should ever write them off.
For comparison purposes, 1941 is recognised as the only certified flop of Spielberg’s career, despite being wildly inventive and packed with solid performances. In retrospect that film has been acknowledged for its invention and sits alongside his more commercial films with some degree of dignity. In time, Disclosure Day will be appreciated for the role it played in shaping his legacy, but for now it remains a frustrating film packed with promise and wasted potential.
Disclosure Day is available on 4k UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD from HMV, Amazon, Zavvi & Rarewaves.