The Movie Man: Spielberg Delivers Awe and Suspense in Must-See ‘Disclosure Day’

It’s summertime, and while we will hit the beaches and do almost any outdoor activity that the warm weather allows, we can’t forget what has been a distinct feature of the season for most of our lives: a Spielberg blockbuster.

If there’s one man who can get us from the beautiful outdoors to the air-conditioned movie theater, it’s Steven Spielberg. For all his accomplishments at the box office and during award seasons, what makes his movies special is that he always manages to capture a sense of wonder for the audience. While he has never animated a movie, he has a lot in common with Walt Disney, whose success was credited to his ability to connect, not just with kids, but with the kids in the adults (particularly those who have grown cynical but still want to believe).

With Disclosure Day, Spielberg brings us back to his familiar subject: aliens. When a cybersecurity expert (Josh O’Connor) for a semi-government agency suffers a pang of conscience, he becomes a whistleblower and soon finds himself on the run, chased by the agency’s monomaniacal leader (Colin Firth). Along the way, his path is intertwined with a local weather reporter unaware of her latent telepathy (Emily Blunt), and another high-ranking agent who has experienced a conversion and feels obliged to tell the world the truth about life beyond Earth (Coleman Domingo).

Everybody gives tremendous performances, particularly Blunt, who runs the emotional gamut while discovering her talents and grappling with childhood trauma. Colin Firth takes the cake as the driven villain who is willing to use the alien technology to find the fugitives on the run, putting his life at risk every time, always one step ahead of the heroes. His character bears a striking resemblance to the title character in Dostoyevsky’s The Grand Inquisitor. While he is not a cardinal partaking in the Inquisition who has imprisoned Christ with the hope of executing him, he is a man who understands the greater truth but is ultimately aware that most humans cannot handle it, so he opts to bury it for the greater good of the world. If people were to become aware that we are not alone in the cosmos, a nihilistic and destructive terror could follow from the realization that we are not as special as we think we are.

And it would not be Spielberg without the moments of suspense and anticipation. We are left helpless as we watch, aware of precious time slipping away, following the characters as if we are spectators at a sports game. This is where Spielberg is at his best, getting us invested in the characters via a life-or-death situation while simultaneously exploring their personal depths.

And let’s not forget the music: John Williams is back for his 30^th collaboration with Spielberg. Williams has never disappointed with a soundtrack, and he keeps his streak going with Disclosure Day.

What I appreciated the most was the cinematography, particularly the use of light, which provides a familiar visual style that stretches throughout Steven Spielberg’s vast filmography. This is not a digital movie. It was shot on physical film, which leaves a different impression on our eyes than what our digital TVs (built for video games and sports) provide. I felt as though I were watching one of his early flicks from the 1970s or 80s, a proven visual style in an era of uncertainty for the movie industry.

If there is anything that can be taken away from Disclosure Day, it is the central message of “don’t be afraid.” While there are plenty of people who take the path of Colin Firth’s character out of genuine concern, sometimes we must take a chance to properly understand there is a way to reconcile our self-imposed value as a species with the existence of intelligent life from another corner of our universe.

This is a must-see movie, and I strongly encourage everyone (especially families with age-appropriate children) to experience the magic of the movie theater. It would not be summer without a blockbuster movie by Spielberg, so don’t miss out on this opportunity.

About the Author: Having lived in Old Lyme and Lyme since the age of three, Kevin Ganey has a lifelong passion for cinema that goes beyond simply watching films. He is the creator of CityOfCinema.com, a site devoted to movie analysis, and co-hosts the Moviehouse Mystics podcast with Koda Uhl, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.