‘Disclosure Day’ Review: Emily Blunt’s Career-Best Performance Isn’t Enough To Power Steven Spielberg’s ‘Slow Build’ Alien Thriller, Say Critics

Steven Spielberg’s highly anticipated science-fiction thriller, Disclosure Day, has officially landed with critics ahead of its global theatrical rollout on June 12, 2026. Directed by Spielberg and written by David Koepp, the USD 115 million blockbuster stars Emily Blunt as a local TV meteorologist who gains sudden telepathic abilities, alongside Josh O'Connor as a rogue cybersecurity whistleblower. Early reviews from major publications indicate that the film marks a triumphant, deeply emotional return to the alien-centric storytelling that defined the legendary filmmaker’s early career. ‘Disclosure Day’ FIRST Reactions: Emily Blunt Earns Rave Reviews for Powerful Performance in Spielberg’s ‘Weirdest’ Sci-Fi Thriller.

‘Disclosure Day’ Reviews Out

Initial reviews have been broadly positive, with critics praising the production as a masterclass in blockbuster pacing and cinematic spectacle. Critics awarded the film a warm reception, describing it as a "cheerfully mischievous and deadly serious" space-alien adventure that feels like a cross between Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest and Spielberg’s own classic repertoire.  Reviewers have highlighted the film's relentless energy, noting that it works exceptionally well as a fast-paced chase movie.

Watch the Trailer of ‘Disclosure Day’:

Multiple critics single out a terrifying, intricately edited action sequence involving a car and a speeding train as one of the finest set-pieces Spielberg has ever directed.

The Guardian: "Disclosure Day is never anything other than entertaining and grade-A fun; rare enough in the movies or anywhere else, rocketing along with barnstorming set-pieces, exhilarating chases, funny lines and a career-topper of a performance from Blunt who may yet be morphing into a female version of Tom Hanks. However, Disclosure Day does give us once again a very Spielbergian primal scene of suburban childhood, though not with the devastating reality of his autobiographical The Fabelmans; rather, it is that aliens give Spielberg his way of defying the old maxim about not being able to go home."

BBC: "Disclosure Day isn't the worst film of the year, but it may well be the most disappointing. For a start, it's directed by Steven Spielberg, one of the US's greatest living film-makers. And for another thing, it's about a topic that has obsessed him throughout his career: aliens coming to Earth. Disclosure Day might not be so unsatisfying if you share the wide-eyed positivity that Spielberg puts into it, and there are some expertly choreographed action sequences, even if they do echo various Indiana Jones adventures."

Variety: "Disclosure Day feels like a thriller docudrama that’s too cut-and-dried about what it believes. The actors are quite good (especially Blunt, who makes you feel she’s seeing the uncanny), but for all the film’s slow build it doesn’t take us anywhere overly surprising. It just confirms the “truth” that’s been out there for so long it’s starting to feel like a fairy tale for the dispossessed." Movies This Week: ‘Backrooms’, ‘Disclosure Day’, ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’, ‘Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata’, ‘Haunted 2’ in Theatres.

Ultimately, Disclosure Day is being hailed as a triumphant blending of classic cinematic wonder and modern-day tension. Supported by strong performances and Spielberg's signature directorial flair, the film balances its massive blockbuster scale with a deeply human story, positioning it as both a critical success and a major contender at the summer box office.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 10, 2026 03:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).