Breaking into the industry during the 1970s, it’s remarkable that Steven Spielberg has now directed 37 feature films.  Some were celebrated for their commercial success, like the Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones franchises, while others added award statutes to his mantlepiece, including Schinder’s List and Saving Private Ryan.  He also seems to have Clint Eastwood-style genes given he’s 79 years of age and showing no signs of slowing down.  Disclosure Day marks the third film he’s released this decade with the other two, West Side Story and The Fabelmans, earning Academy Award nods for best picture.

You only need look at his resume to realise Spielberg has an interest in what lies outside the Earth’s atmosphere.  Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and War of the Worlds all involve alien lifeforms.  Disclosure Day continues his curiosity.  Daniel Kellner (O’Connor) works in cybersecurity for Wardex, a sketchy, government-connected organisation based in the United States.  For decades, they have been interacting with aliens and exploiting their technology.  Daniel and a few other whistleblowers have smuggled out video evidence and are ready to show the world on live television.

The other lead character is Margaret Fairchild (Blunt), a weather reporter for Kansas City TV who, after an innocuous interaction with a northern cardinal which flies in through her living room window, starts behaving strangely.  She suddenly can speak other languages and can read the minds of those she interacts with.  It’s evident that a kind of non-human force is impacting her actions but where is it coming from and what is its purpose?

The opening act is a tad slow, and the script is structured in a too-obvious way to withhold details from the audience – such as the Colman Domingo character who continually talks of a grand plan but doesn’t explain more.  That said, I was never bored by Disclosure Day.  It’s a premise that offers a plethora of possibilities and in the hands of an experienced director like Spielberg, you’ll be wondering which paths he’ll take as the finale looms.

My intrigue was countered by a sense of frustration.  The villainous Wardex folk, who love black clothes and black cars, are laughably bad.  They have incredibly technology at their disposal, and they hire inept goons who let the heroes get away in moronic fashion.  This cliché might work for a cheesy, B-grade action film but I expected better from screenwriter David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Panic Room).  Without giving away the final act, I also had questions about the credibility in the way things play out.

The film wades into interesting topics like religion, war (North Korea... yawn), politics and the media but none of them get enough time to fully breathe.  As an example, a throwaway quote from the book of Genesis is not sufficient to surmise the impact on organised religion here on Earth.  These ideas have been better explored in movies like Contact and Arrival.  While I wasn’t its biggest fan, I’d also argue the box-office hit Project Hail Mary is a more entertaining watch in the way it focuses on alien communication and connection.

It all adds up to a mixed bag.  Spielberg is trying to make a simple, family-friendly action movie (complete with car chases) while delving into deep themes and asking us to reflect on our own society.  It’s a bold effort but in blending it all together, Disclosure Day comes up slightly short.