Here’s the first disclosure, the one you might have been hoping for most. Steven Spielberg is back on magic-weaving form with what is probably his best film since 2002’s Catch Me If You Can.
And if we’re talking aliens, UFOs and all things extra-terrestrial, you might have to go all the way back to ET or Close Encounters for something quite so Spielbergian in its other-worldly ambition. Kind of. Because, second disclosure, there are caveats.
If you were itching for something “new” or groundbreaking, curb those wishes, as everything in this film has been seen in similar form or other elsewhere. And as for jaw-dropping surprises, well, any semi-observant viewers will probably spot them coming a mile off.
For instance, when, let’s call it “item X” not to spoil things, appears momentarily in a scene, you pretty much know who or what is concealed in said item. Nevertheless, that particular reveal is still rather glorious and resplendent.
We kick off, literally, with the stomping foot of a wrestler thundering down on the camera lens (this is probably the most kinetic scene in the whole movie, which we could have done with more of).
In the crowd is Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor, always fabulous, although not at his absolute best), making a handover of a backpack stuffed with “iron-clad” USB sticks in exchange for his girlfriend Jane (Eve Hewson).
On those USBs? The complete secret archive of encounters the US military, secret services and other covert entities have had with aliens over the decades (some of it quite remarkable; a lot of it shockingly grim). Daniel, a formerly imprisoned, genius cyber-criminal, was employed by shady non-governmental organisation Wardex to guard this information, but has gone rogue and turned wannabe whistleblower.
Daniel was planning to enact one of the real-life internet’s biggest conspiracy theories, Disclosure Day, when all is revealed about alien life on Earth (various figures from Barack Obama to the new Pope Leo have been predicted as candidates to do the great deed).
The world’s eight billion inhabitants need to know, says Daniel. Oh no they don’t, counters the menacing boss of Wardex, Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth). Ah, another minor blip in this film’s oomph and thrust, as Firth can’t quite shake off his “cuddly Colin” vibe. When he says, “If we need the full battle-rattle, I’ll call you” to his heavily armed goons, he’s more Pride and Prejudice’s Mr Darcy than Mr Evil.
Noah has a point though: the planet, seemingly on the brink of a Third World War, might go into meltdown if they knew about all this creatures from outer space malarkey in their backyard. And Jane, a former novice nun, throws her thoughts into the ring with a plea about the loss of God once the all-powerful aliens are on the scene. They’re interesting debates, if not strictly necessary for the movie’s momentum.
Back to the action and Daniel soon has his bag of USBs again, hotly pursued wherever he goes by a dozen black SUVs (naturally) and Noah, who has access to some seriously mind-bending off-planet tech.
Meanwhile, Kansas City TV weather woman Margaret (Emily Blunt on breathy, sparkling form) is hilariously doing her “weather shimmy” for viewers (there’s plenty of light lols sprinkled throughout, whether you care for them or not). Until... a bright crimson cardinal bird flies into her kitchen and Margaret starts speaking fluent Russian and Korean, and reading people’s minds. She’s as flabbergasted as us by this.
There’s more chasing (cue some reasonably decent metal-crunching peril), getting caught, interrogations, escaping and yet more chasing as Margaret and Daniel inevitably cross paths, with Daniel’s mysterious former colleague Hugo (Colman Domingo) masterminding their moves over the phone.
There’s complexity in spades here, and depth, but without telling you where it’s all leading to, just recall that the title is Disclosure Day (will the conspiracy nerds be happy?). And nearer to that day come some wonderful Spielberg moments.
Despite its imperfections, what Spielberg has conjured here is some of his vintage boldness in transforming the cinema screen into a magical theatre of childlike wonder.
Disclosure Day is in cinemas from June 10
