Disclosure Day Review: A Spielbergian mediocrity
I loved the first trailer for this movie, and even got randomly chosen to help with quality assurance for the second trailer (even though what I selected wasn't really what was implemented). Even still, both trailers absolutely hooked me, even as someone who's not nearly as high on many of Spielberg's classics. Did the trailers paint an accurate picture of what was to come, or did I end up disappointed? That's what I, Brighton Nelson of The Reel Ranker, will be discussing in today's review.
Unfortunately, this film has all the makings of a wonderful film, but is bogged down by a riddle of issues, to the point that it's just a passable film. I'll still take it over something like Temple of Doom, Hook, or, extremely controversially to the point many may want to click away, Jaws. But, its high highs are lost in translation due to plot holes and logic gaps all throughout. First, the whole "bring it to the news" concept is so anti-modern that this film needed to establish itself as set in the 70s or 80s to honestly have the full impact. Now, people would just leak it on YouTube themselves or send it to a content creator who talks about the supernatural. Regardless, it would be called AI slop within seconds, and nobody would start bawling at the TV. And, even if everybody did believe, we'd still be getting hundreds of comments f saying things like "ts isn't even as bad as my rent", followed by a wilting rose or skull emoji. Then, they'd completely move on with their lives, forgetting it ever happened.
The film is simply out of touch, and just a couple of intentional changes could've fixed that. Second, the villains are laughably weak and the biggest pushovers I've seen on the screen in ages. They are incompetent beyond belief, literally not doing the simplest of duties, and just admit defeat at the slightest resistance imaginable at the end of the film, after going through quite extreme measures. Third, the film offers zero explanation for any of the magic abilities, and the themes attempting to be explored about religion and extraterrestrials end up being so underbaked. Finally, the boyfriend character takes up a lot of screen time, only to have little impact, serving as a weak juxtaposition to the protagonist, and the finale leaves the movie off on a strong note of "why didn't we get to see that movie instead?" At the end of the day, this movie is a really disappointing watch.
Most of that could've been saved with just a few fixes and a bit of polish, but, unfortunately, the blemishes are still there, and nothing can be done. However, there is just enough good here to salvage the film and keep it from getting a thumbs-down. Emily Blunt's performance as the main character and Courtney Grace's carry the magic and emotion that the rest of the film is trying (and failing) to have, especially compared to films like Jurassic Park and The Last Crusade.
The film's action sequences with the train and the invisible house are magnificent, and got actual reactions out of me, which I wasn't expecting. The film also hints at a better, thematically richer film, particularly when the animals are on-screen, and the deeper religious elements (like the line "I will not be anyone's religion") come into play.
While the news aspect is poor, it could've been perfect if set decades earlier, and the antagonists would actually have won in some way. The magic and alien abilities are also cool, even if the execution is mediocre and the payoff for everything extraterrestrial is left tot he imagination. The film is also quite odd, considering its rushed conclusion yet slow pace—like everything else, it's an aspect right in the middle. It's two-faced, with half good and half bad.
The Reel Ranker Verdict
Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 57%
Letter Score: B-
Star Ranking: 3 out of 5
Disclosure Day is a film worth watching, even if it doesn't quite feel like it was made by a crew led by a master craftsman. The film's great ideas and concepts are all just good enough to warrant a watch, especially thanks to the wonderful performances, but they're bad enough to call this an overall miss for Steven Spielberg.
Interested in checking out some recent reviews for some other sci-fi and drama films? See them below!
Brighton Nelson
Brighton Nelson
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