Disclosure Day may not be Steven Spielberg’s greatest film, but it’s certainly the one that needed to be made right now, at a time when we are caught off guard by a new order in which compassion, creativity and respect for nature are no longer celebrated, but repressed.
In this context, Disclosure Day captivates us, disconcerts us and surprises us, and its crazy character is undoubtedly the secret ingredient. And if Steven Spielberg remains one of the most creative directors, he is also one of the most realistic. In this new production, which suggests that aliens have a lot to teach us, the director loses his mind for our greatest pleasure and in the process reinforces our humanity.
Scripted by David Koepp, Spielberg’s closest collaborator, the film interweaves two stories like strands of DNA. Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor) plays a government cybersecurity expert who has worked for a criminal organization for decades: Wardex. This hides crucial information concerning the existence of extraterrestrials from the general public. Convinced that the population deserves to know the truth, Daniel becomes the target of Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth), Wardex’s right-hand man. In his adventure, he will be able to count on Hugo Wakefield (Colman Domingo), another former Wardex who becomes his ally, and Jane, his new girlfriend with a troubled past, who seems to hold secret information.
And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also the character of Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt), a beaming weather presenter who suddenly starts spouting strange news in Russian, a language she doesn’t normally speak. Yet perhaps the scariest and most gripping scene in the film is the one in which Margaret presents the weather report as usual, before suddenly being struck by a seizure and this time beginning to speak a mysterious language, made of metallic clicking sounds.
It then becomes clear that Margaret and Daniel are related in one way or another, a mystery that keeps you guessing until the end of Disclosure Day. To achieve this, Steven Spielberg mobilizes his talent and weaves a story marked by suspense that is sometimes almost unbearable. It appeals to our ability to marvel, but also to our fears of the unknown. Moreover, the director thought at length about telepathy, mental control, Christian mysticism and other currents of religious mysticism, but also about the way in which our cruelty can sometimes prevail over our generosity. This film, rich in ideas, reflects Spielberg at the top of his game: the action sequences are produced with a visual clarity that would make most young filmmakers jealous.
All things being equal, a project of this magnitude could not be successful without an exceptional cast, and Spielberg knew how to surround himself with the best of their art. Josh O’Connor, in his role as a man baffled and overwhelmed by his gift for mathematics, exudes vulnerability. He sincerely seems to carry the secrets of the cosmos on his shoulders. As for Emily Blunt, she is phenomenal in her role as the woman chosen for a mission she does not want to accept.
And so do I Disclosure Day unquestionably part of the great Hollywood tradition of entertainment, conventional in appearance, the film nevertheless follows few established rules. Moreover, the director’s faith in the benevolence of aliens emerges as one of his most touching traits. In his new work, Spielberg certainly relies on his favorite themes (good-natured aliens, the promises and threats of technology) and on his immense talent, but he does not rest on his laurels.
Disclosure Day does not offer reheated, it is rather the kind of films that one makes when, at 79 years old, one is not only at the top of one’s art, but one realizes that time is running out. What stories to tell? With what images, what words? Ultimately, this film calls for reconnecting with everything that makes up our humanity, even if this involves the story of imaginary aliens. Moreover, Spielberg has often expressed that he is convinced of the existence of extraterrestrials in the cosmos and even that he would like to meet one if the opportunity presented itself. However, with Disclosure Daythe director shows us that he knows that there is no need to turn our heads towards the stars to find answers: they are already there, on Earth.
