Disclosure Day - Spielberg Should Stop Making Films

Overview

This scathing review dissects Disclosure Day, Steven Spielberg's latest film, which the reviewer finds to be a tedious, uninspired, and outdated attempt at storytelling. The critique explores the film's lackluster plot, unengaging characters, and failure to resonate with modern audiences, ultimately questioning Spielberg's relevance in contemporary cinema.

Notable Quotes

- Disclosure Day builds itself as a movie of big ideas, but ultimately it feels small both intellectually and creatively.

- For all things, there is a season, dear viewer, a time to keep and a time to cast away. And as much as it pains me to say it, I think Steven Spielberg's time is up.

- Nowadays, I feel like if they actually came out and admitted that aliens exist, most people are so wrapped up in their own problems and petty squabbles that they wouldn't even give a [__].

🎥 Spielberg's Legacy and Decline

- The reviewer reflects on Spielberg's monumental contributions to cinema, citing classics like Jaws, ET, and Jurassic Park.

- However, they argue that Disclosure Day marks a significant decline, describing it as sad proof that Spielberg's best days as a filmmaker are long behind him.

- The film is criticized for being disconnected from contemporary cultural and cinematic trends, feeling more like a relic of the 1990s than a modern blockbuster.

🛸 The Plot: A Mess of Clichés

- The story follows Daniel, a government worker who steals alien technology and goes on the run with his ex-nun girlfriend. Meanwhile, a weather reporter (played by Emily Blunt) begins speaking an alien language after a bizarre encounter.

- The plot is described as derivative, borrowing heavily from better films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and The X-Files.

- The reviewer mocks the absurdity of key elements, such as alien space dildos that allow psychic connections and the inexplicable appearance of a geriatric alien in the climax.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Unlikable Characters and Weak Villains

- The protagonists are deemed unrelatable and unlikable, with Daniel described as a dork and his girlfriend a walking liability.

- Colin FTH, the antagonist, is criticized for lacking menace or complexity, making him neither threatening nor compelling.

- The government Black Ops team is portrayed as laughably incompetent, undermining any sense of tension or stakes.

📉 Outdated Themes and Missed Opportunities

- The film's themes of alien disclosure and government secrecy feel irrelevant in today's world, where such revelations might barely register with a distracted public.

- Attempts to modernize the story with references to AI and current conflicts are dismissed as clunky and superficial.

- The reviewer contrasts this with the success of recent films like Obsession, which resonated by addressing contemporary anxieties about relationships and isolation.

💤 A Creative and Emotional Void

- The film is criticized for its lack of emotional depth, intellectual engagement, or memorable moments.

- Spielberg's previous works, such as ET and Close Encounters, are praised for their ability to evoke wonder and human connection—qualities entirely absent in Disclosure Day.

- The reviewer concludes that the movie is a 2-and-a-half-hour snorefest and a disappointing addition to Spielberg's legacy.