Are we really alone in the universe? This question has been asked by scholars, theologians, and scientists for thousands of years. As we all look to the stars wondering what truly would happen if we were visited from another world. Would the aliens be friendly like those in Steven Spielberg’s first academy award nominated film Close Encounters of the Third Kind? Would they be hostile, like Spielberg’s interpretation of the classic War of the Worlds? Or would they simply just want to return home, like in the classic E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial? To say that Spielberg has treaded these questions before is an understatement.
Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Conner) is a hacker turned cyber-security prodigy who works for a government agency known as WARDEX, Headed by Noah Scanlon (Colling Firth). The agency is responsible for ensuring that humankind is not aware of any close encounters of the third kind. Daniel, who feels it’s his responsibility to share the agency’s knowledge with the world gathers all the footage that has been compiled over the past 50 years to expose the agency and reveal the truth. Scanlon, who is not above torture or murder to protect these secrets captures Daniel’s girlfriend Jane (Eve Hewson) as leverage to regain the footage that has slipped through their fingers.
On a day that begins like any other we are introduced to local Kansas City meteorologist Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt) who starts off her day speaking Russian to her very surprised and confused boyfriend Jackson (Wyatt Russell). As she arrives at work, she begins speaking Korean to one of the guests of the news channel and when it’s time for the weather she begins to speak in audible clicks. What sounds like random noises to everyone else is easily understood by Daniel who is literally hours away.
She is rushed to the hospital where a group of men in black arrive to meet with her. Able to read their minds and understand they are not there to help her she convinces her still visibly confused boyfriend to run away with her and head north. While in the car she receives a call from a man named Hugo (Colman Domingo) who convinces her to destroy her phone and meet up with Daniel.
So begins the adventure to uncover the truth, as we all know, the truth is out there…
Disclosure Day is excellently cast, with each actor bringing their own nuances and personalities to the screen. Emily Blunt continues to show her range with her Midwest accent and charm as the lovable and believable Margaret. Josh O’conners believable portrayal of a cybersecurity nerd who is caught up in events he doesn’t quite understand. As many times as we’ve seen Collin Firth portray a likeable character, he excels at being the villain as well. With the amazing supporting cast Spielberg has crafted a world that is both believable and magical at the same time.
Disclosure day’s visuals are a spectacle that screams to be seen on the big screen, in fact the largest screen available is the one you definitely would like to take it in on. John Williams composes another theatrical masterpiece which should also be enjoyed in the best available sound. This film, which would be perfectly serviceable at home streaming, goes to a far greater length when encountered on the big screen.
At 79 years old Spielberg continues to prove that he can still create worlds that his audiences can get lost in. The film has an almost nostalgic appeal, drawing me back to when I saw Close Encounters of the Third Kind when I was a child. Although this particular genre has been told time and time again, Spielberg still finds a way to make it feel like this is something new, and it certainly is something different. He has crafted another cinematic masterpiece that can be enjoyed by those of any age.
Disclosure Day does something that few films accomplish these days. It perfectly merges the cast, the visuals and the score in perfect harmony. In a way that only a master storyteller like Steven Spielberg can muster. The film asks you to suspend any belief you have and ask yourself the question, what would you do on Disclosure Day? The film will tug at your heart strings; make you cheer for the heroes and will stay with you long after the end credits roll. It’s a film that will likely require a couple of viewings just to take it all in, which is something that I haven’t seen in a very long time.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Be First to Comment