Disclosure Day unveils familiar themes

Choosing a rating of either fresh or rotten for Steven Spielberg’s film Disclosure Day misses reality for me.  Fresh? He already brilliantly presented a sympathetic look at the existence of aliens in E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Rotten? Featuring genius visual style, Spielberg’s works never deserve a trash bin even if a questionable spot or two emerges.  

With Disclosure Day, Spielberg’s positive skills roll with dynamic chase scenes that heroes need to get through unscathed. But on the negative side, no non-superhero character could survive those close calls, the doubt factor rocketing to outer space heights. So shrug it off, take the ride, and appreciate the other high points of Spielberg skills. These include putting together a great cast, though granted Colin Firth, Josh O’Conner, and Colman Domingo have shined more brightly in other projects like The King’s Speech, The Crown, and Sing-Sing. Previously a standout Mary Poppins or fashionista in The Devil Wears Prada, Emily Blunt steals center stage in Disclosure Day as a ditzy television weather girl turned messenger of life-changing information. She alters her accent, voice and overall demeanor diving into the part with wholehearted enthusiasm as she fights to deliver proof that E.T. exists.

David Koep’s Disclosure Day script implies this revelation will shake up everything we know, even though recent statistics indicate that at least 41 percent of United States residents believe in some form of hyper intelligent alien life. Not exactly a fresh concept, but one worth considering or simply enjoying.  And not one that obsesses me.  But I do like another point in Koep’s script—his aliens rank as superior beings because they prioritize compassion. Sadly, that qualifies as a controversial issue in some quarters, but I take it to heart.