Steven Spielberg (Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raider of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan) directs his story scripted by David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Carlito’s Way, Mission: Impossible) about the moment the public finally see evidence proving we are not alone in the universe. (145 min.)
Disclosure Day
What’s it rated? PG-13
What’s it worth, Anna? Full price
What’s it worth, Glen? Full price
Where’s it showing? Regal Edwards RPX Santa Maria,
Movies Lompoc, Regal Edwards Arroyo Grande
Glen: Spielberg has done the impossible. He’s made alien abduction almost enviable. He’s also made a film that comments on our time: a secretive corporation exploiting technology to its advantage; a rogue and unchecked Department of Defense; the notion that having a healthy sense of empathy is the next step in human evolution. Oof! Take that, Elon Musk, and your asinine opinion that “the fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy.” What a D-bag. Critics have already been arguing that this isn’t Spielberg’s finest, and sure, OK, but that’s because his oeuvre is so damn impressive. He’s his own impossible act to follow, but I found this story immensely entertaining and satisfying. The Wardex Corporation and its head, Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth), make excellent villains. TV meteorologist Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt) and cybersecurity expert cum whistleblower Dr. Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor) make terrific reluctant heroes. Even at nearly two and a half hours, it hums along.
Anna: In my opinion, nothing is going to out-Spielberg Jurassic Park, but I’m a dino-nerd, so that comes with some prejudice. I too found the moral center of this movie to be quite moving, and in a world where we’re othering and deporting and killing our own, what hope is there for diplomacy with others? I also genuinely didn’t know what was going to happen—you’re rooting for the good guys, sure, but the other side has muscle and money, and a legacy of keeping things quiet. Margaret is hungry to become a “real” news anchor, not just the weather gal, but when a cardinal flies into her and her boyfriend’s (Wyatt Russell) Kansas City apartment, her world changes. She just doesn’t know it yet. A long-lost connection suddenly comes into focus, and while she doesn’t know why she’s suddenly on the search she’s on, her compulsion can’t keep her from it. Exploring the battle of power vs. free will, hope vs. hate, and fright vs. curiosity, this film hit a sweet spot. Boy, does our country need this message right now.
Glen: As the story opens, the world is on the brink of World War III. The film asks an important question: If humanity knew it was not alone in the universe, would we treat each other differently? Would we realize the futility and irrationality of war? Daniel’s girlfriend, Jane (Eve Hewson), worries what disclosure day would do to people of faith. Would they stop believing in God? Spielberg doesn’t seem interested in breaking new ground in ufology—Roswell, the Greys, alien abduction, military UFO footage—these are familiar tropes. His questions and interests seem more philosophical.
Anna: Even his aliens are the classic big-eyed, grey creatures—so familiar that there’s nothing frightening about them—yet Noah is absolutely sure the world cannot know. He puts his life at risk to try and ensure that. The alien tech that lets him inhabit others’ minds is life draining, but no one can stop him from using it. I hope audiences find the film’s message hopeful and a reminder that choosing good outweighs living in the bad. Margaret’s final word in the film is a reminder to us all: “Listen.”
Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in June 18 – June 25, 2026.
