'Disclosure Day's Biggest Mistake Was Its Ending

Since the dawn of humanity, we've wondered: "Are we alone?" It's a question tackled by countless movies, television shows, books, video games, and other art forms, with narratives that invite us to question, in many ways, our very understanding of the universe. One of the latest attempts to unravel this mystery is Steven Spielberg's newest blockbuster, Disclosure Day. Featuring an ensemble cast including Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Colman Domingo, and Colin Firth, Disclosure Day follows Blunt and O'Connor's characters as they attempt to reveal proof of alien life to the world, while evading the forces trying to stop them.

Throughout the film, characters discuss the idea that humanity is not ready for the consequences of disclosure, and that, if we were to suddenly learn of the existence of extraterrestrials, it could cause consequences too terrible to imagine. Because of this, when Disclosure Day follows the tradition of conspiracy films and treats the moment when the truth is revealed as its main payoff, it leaves the viewer frustrated, rather than feeling satisfied. The movie is obsessed with the reveal of the secret, but given the questions it has set up, it should be obsessed with the fallout.

The Concept of 'Disclosure Day' Proves to Be Its Undoing

Few filmmakers know how to generate action and create tension as well as Spielberg, which is evident throughout the film's 145-minute runtime — particularly in a car chase sequence involving a train that is one of the movie's highlights. However, good action sequences can only take you so far, and it's here where Disclosure Day falls short.

From its opening scenes, Disclosure Day quickly establishes its conspiracy-style framework: Government-adjacent agencies chase after whistleblowers attempting to reveal what they know, while others try to maneuver the chaos being unleashed by both. It's a trope that Spielberg helped create, and has proven himself a master of, in movies such as Minority Report and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Mixed in with the heroes' race to tell the truth to the world is a discussion about whether the world is ready to handle proof of alien life. The film hints that confirmation would fundamentally reshape society, with political and economic systems, religious beliefs, and scientific understanding all immediately called into question. Humanity's place in the universe would be permanently changed.

It's here that Disclosure Day should have focused its narrative energy, rather than on the cover-up and government conspiracy. Exploring society after disclosure would make for a more compelling story, especially since the aliens are shown in the film to be without malignant intent. However, these major implications for global society are treated as window dressing to the overall conspiracy narrative, which, at times, feels stale and repetitive, relying on tropes we've grown too familiar with.

Treating the alien revelation as the finish line rather than a step on the road prevents the film from dissecting society with real meaning. While these issues haven't prevented Disclosure Day's success at the box office, it's not hard to imagine what could have been.

Steven Spielberg's Missed Opportunity

Disclosure Day's closing scenes, which feature Emily Blunt announcing the existence of alien life to the world on live television, are intercut with stirring images and clips of people reacting to the news in astonishment. In one of the film's best performances, actress Courtney Grace portrays a news anchor who is too stunned to speak and gradually breaks down in tears. Grace, a former reporter herself, helps give the moment its weight, as images and videos from across the world hint that, instead of destroying society, disclosure of alien life might be what brings humanity together.

It's a classic Spielberg moment, where optimism and truth finally emerge in a film built on pessimism and lies. Spielberg wants us to believe in humanity after this proclamation — but seems less interested in exploring what happens afterward, and whether that belief is warranted. It's here where Disclosure Day feels like a missed opportunity. The secret of extraterrestrial life was never the most interesting part of the story; the reaction to the revelation was. Alien life matters because of how people respond to its existence. It's interesting because it changes the context in which every human being understands themselves. That should have been the heart of Disclosure Day.

None of this is to say that Disclosure Day is a bad film. In fact, Disclosure Day is a good film that has an even better one buried within it. However, by spending so much time chasing the questions, it never fully understands the potential of its answers.