TL;DR – I can see this being a very divisive film, but it completely captured me. hook, line, and sinker.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film.

Disclosure Day Review Introduction

When someone tells you that Steven Spielberg, David Koepp, John Williams, and the gang are teaming up for what might be the last time, it doesn’t matter what the film is, you know you must see it. I don’t think I have ever said yes to an invitation as quickly as I did here. And it was so worth it.
 
So, to set the scene, we open in a crash of bodies as a wrestling match is in full swing. But we are not here for the clashing brawny men; we are here for a man with a backpack that looks out of place. For Daniel Kellner is not here for sport; he is here to be part of an exchange. All the highly classified information he stole from the Wardex corporation was for his partner Jane (Eve Hewson). But Daniel is not just a helpless analyst; he has seen the information he stole, so he knows exactly what pressure point to use against the head of Wardex, Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth), and soon everyone is on the run.

Divisive

Now, no question, I loved Disclosure Day; however, it also might be one of the more divisive films I have seen this year due to the structure. This is not a film that holds your hand; we start in media res, but there is no ‘two days earlier’ for the audience, it just keeps on going. Most of this film is not your usual action film where waves crash onto the beach every ten minutes or so. Instead, it is a deceptive tide that, before you realise it, the water is up to your waist. It is this slow-building crescendo that makes or breaks the film for people. But like all crescendos, it needs to lead somewhere, and for Disclosure Day, that resolution is the third act, which I want to talk more about, but you need to experience it for yourself.

Along with the structure, other factors will either irritate you or you will just roll with them. A good example of this is the evil corporation agents who are either the most proficient agents you have ever seen, or the most incompetent; there is no middle ground. Disclosure Day is also a very long film; it doesn’t feel like it if it captures you, but if it doesn’t, this will be a slog. It is also the most Steven Spielberg film I have ever seen from the director. If you are not a fan of how he constructs a scene or a narrative, well, this is not the film for you.              

Spielberg

But on the note of Steven Spielberg, it is honestly refreshing to see someone fully embrace who they are. In many respects, you could say that Disclosure Day is the love child of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I mean this not just in the visual language, but also in the narrative influences. There is a refinement here that comes from someone who has been honing his craft for decades. One good example of this is how he employs long takes (oners). They are not these big flashy moments, no, they are more subtle, they sneak up on you when you least expect them to be there. While I don’t want to get into spoilers, I think few filmmakers could have pulled off this film’s third act with the bravado we see here. It took my breath away.

Cast

In some respects, this is a small cast film, because so much of what happens is through the lens of the five core characters. Emily Blunt has to go through hell here, and yet still be a fount of compassion, and she pulls all of it off. Josh O’Connor is quickly becoming my favourite young actor working in the space at the moment, and he does not disappoint here. While the film might be writing a larger check than it can cash with its exploration of religion, Eve Hewson is at least giving that entire sub-plot her all. I could not look away as she went toe to toe with Colin Firth. Then let’s be honest, Colman Domingo’s voice is like amber, and you need someone so disarming to make those sections of plot work. But then we fill the rest of the film with solid character actors, so even when they are only there for part of one scene, they still shine and bring an impact to the film.

Production

The narrative framework for the film is that North Korea is collapsing, and the rest of the world is having a very reasonable freak-out that could lead to disaster. You feel this in the visual language of the movie, as it was filmed in and around New England, the film has a very dour tone that matches the feeling of growing angst. Then we have John Williams, who starts the film with an almost surprising and very reserved score, and then about halfway through rips it out to remind us why he is Johnny Williams. I liked all the costumes they used in the film; there were some subtle choices, but they helped the characters sing.  

The Ending

Okay, I have been dancing around this, but I don’t think I can review the film without talking about the ending, because it is almost like a different movie. However, to do this, there will be some [SPOILERS] in the rest of this paragraph. I still want to obfuscate so as not to reveal the full scope of it, but I can say that I was profoundly moved by it. I mean, fantastic work, Courtney Grace. I am not sure some people will understand the catharsis this section gave members of the audience. It is almost like it took what we experienced with 9/11, and then recontextualises it outwards, rather than bringing you further into isolation. It was an outstanding and emotional use of filmmaking.  

Recommendation

In the end, do we recommend Disclosure Day? Yes, we do. Now, I don’t think this movie will be for everyone. I think there was a 50/50 split at my screening. But if it gets its hooks into you, well, then you will be in for a profound time. Though that just might be because I got stared down by a fox on the way home from the movie and the lines between fiction and reality might have blurred a touch. If nothing else, I would recommend if for the way they blended the logos of Amblin Entertainment & Universal Pictures to make it look like Amblin was Universal’s moon, that was a nice touch. Or for how it is always Nixon’s fault, the most real part of the film.

Have you watched Disclosure Day? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. If you liked Disclosure Day, we would recommend Project Hail Mary to you because it continues 2026’s reign of optimistic, joyful, and emotionally resonant Science Fiction.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Bluesky at @Tldrmovrev, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

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Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Disclosure Day
Directed by – Steven Spielberg
Story by – Steven Spielberg
Screenplay by – David Koepp
Music by – John Williams
Cinematography by – Janusz Kamiński
Edited by – Sarah Broshar
Production/Distribution Companies – Amblin Entertainment & Universal Pictures
Starring – Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, & Colman Domingo
With – Wyatt Russell, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Elizabeth Marvel, Hettienne Park, Tommy Martinez, Gabby Beans, Jeremy Shamos, Brandon Wilson, Priyanka Kedia, Lora Lee Gayer, & Courtney Grace
And – Lance Hoyt, Elliot Villar, Noah Robbins, Jim Parrack, Clarke Thorell, Elizabeth Stanley, Nina White, Emily Jackson, Margo Seibert, Ron Song, Michael Gaston, Eboni Booth, Robert Engel, Bob Greenberg, Revon Yousif, Elaine Baez, Lilli Stein, Dan Bittner, Michael Oberholtzer, Lucy Taylor, Viveca Chow, Jordan Gelber, Brooke Morris, Michael Kaurene, Gibson Frazier, & Kit Williams
Rating – Australia: M; Canada: PG; Germany: na; New Zealand: M; United Kingdom: 12A; United States: PG-13