tech
Alienated by Disclosure Day? You are not alone
Audiences have propelled Spielberg’s alien thriller to the top of the box office. Yet some exiting the cinema appear to believe this sappy extravaganza is not the director’s finest hour
TL;DR
- Spielberg's career is characterized by a dialogue with the audience, inviting shared awe.
- Disclosure Day, his return to the summer event movie, addresses social division and secrets.
- Early reception suggests the film is polarizing, with mixed audience reactions and a CinemaScore of B in the US.
- The film's themes align with mature-period Spielberg works like 'Bridge of Spies' and 'The Post', and his personal movie-memoir 'The Fabelmans'.
- The plot is criticized as thin and arbitrary, serving as a weak cover for simplistic editorializing.
- The film updates 'Close Encounters' for the information age, warning against social media while favoring traditional values.
- Characters are described as cardboard cutouts lacking depth, unlike those in earlier Spielberg films.
- The film attempts to blend the sharp, savvy Spielberg of the opening with a more sappy, nostalgic tone, but struggles with VFX.
- Key plot points, such as the threat from Korea and the function of a metallic object, remain unclear.
- The film's ending, with the character's plea to 'listen', is perceived as a defensive cry from creators unsure of their story.