Greetings again from the darkness. Three-time Oscar winner Steven Spielberg readily admits to a lifelong fascination with life beyond Earth. Two of his most iconic films (plus a couple of others) dealt with just that topic: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977) and ET: THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL (1982). Now, more than forty years later, he uses 79 years of collective data to question how humanity would react to full ‘disclosure’ of alien activity. What’s interesting is that Spielberg and co-writer David Koepp present the story as a high-octane action-thriller of conspiracy rather than in a traditional science fiction format.
The film’s opening catches us off-guard. Why are we watching close-ups of sweaty body slams during a WWE match? It turns out Dr. Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor) is in the crowd as a rendezvous point to exchange his backpack for his captured girlfriend, Jane (Eve Hewson). Oscar winner Colin Firth plays Noah Scanlon, the leader of WARDEX, a private company that has worked closely with the government and military to safeguard the most confidential information on interactions with interplanetary life. Kellner, an IT and math whiz, stole the data and then bolted from his desk at WARDEX. He now finds himself in a predicament that would have likely gone much worse if not for the powerful tool/weapon/device of interstellar origin he uses to safely escape Scanlon’s henchman – taking Jane and the data along with him.
The Kellner – Jane side of the story turns into a chase movie, and in the meantime, we learn surprising and quite disparate details of each of their backgrounds. The ‘other side’ of the story involves Kansas City TV meteorologist Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt) and her musician boyfriend Jackson (Wyatt Russell). One morning a cardinal (bird, not ballplayer) lands on their kitchen table and proceeds to have a staring contest with Margaret prior to again taking flight. Not only does this encounter leave Margaret with a very particular set of skills, but it also sends her on the road to track down Kellner. It’s a connection and reason she can’t explain to average guy Jackson, who does his best to support a girlfriend he’s convinced is going bonkers (hey, we’ve all been there).
Once Kellner and Margaret meet up, yet another chase sequence occurs and this one is even bigger, noisier, and more high-powered than the others (not one, but two speeding trains!). Their movements are directed by the calm, smooth-talking leadership of Hugo Wakefield (Colman Domingo), who is masterminding the whole mission of public disclosure. There is a lot going with the various stories, and Spielberg and Koepp are asking the audience to keep up … even while a potential World War III brews in the background. The film is set up to elicit discussion around numerous topics such as religion, politics, technology, corporate greed, and especially empathy (a topic that too often seems lacking these days).
Despite keeping us (and the characters) on the run for most of the film, Spielberg and Koepp wrap things up at the end, allowing viewers to determine if they believe the right steps were taken. Two frequent collaborators stand out here: cinematographer Janusz Kaminski (with a constantly-moving camera) and composer John Williams. Ninety-four-year-old Mr. Williams, a five-time Oscar winner, came out of retirement for the job on his 30th Spielberg film and proves yet again why he’s an all-time great. As with most of Spielberg’s films, the ensemble cast is strong. O’Connor’s Kellner is easy for us to relate to. Firth’s villainous corporate head is especially effective when he’s doing the mind-control thing, while Domingo contrasts perfectly. Ms. Hewson shows again why she’s one of the more underrated actors working today, and though Wyatt Russell might be a bit miscast as Blunt’s beau, he always makes it fun. The true star here is Emily Blunt. She’s had many standout scenes in her career, yet it’s this role that comes across as an actor who was all in. She is outstanding.
Of course, a Spielberg film wouldn’t be complete without discussing the legend himself. His love of cinema is so obvious here, and his complete understanding of how to grab an audience and leave them fully entertained has never been better. There may be segments that don’t hit as hard as others, and at times the story line seems a bit forced, but the ride is wild and enjoyable and sure to please many movie goers. As for alien life, Mulder told us, ‘The truth is out there’. But then a certain colonel once said, “You can’t handle the truth!” Perhaps it’s best if we just … “listen.”
Opens in theaters on June 12, 2026
Movie Reviews from the Dark 