Throughout his career, Steven Spielberg has wowed audiences with stories about the extra-terrestrial, and while Disclosure Day is not a sequel to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, it feels like a fitting spiritual companion piece. A modern-day bookend to one of cinema’s greatest sci-fi stories.

The film centres on weather presenter Margaret (Emily Blunt) and cyber security expert Daniel (Josh O’Connor), who find themselves caught up in a conspiracy to expose decades of government secrets surrounding extra-terrestrial encounters.

The less said about the plot, the better. This is very much a film best experienced with as few details as possible, allowing Spielberg to take you along for the ride.

Emily Blunt is undoubtedly the standout. In a cast packed with acclaimed names, she completely embodies Margaret and drives the story forward with a performance that feels authentic, grounded and emotionally resonant.

It’s one of those performances where you stop seeing the actor and simply believe the character.

What Spielberg continues to do better than almost anyone else is portray intelligent life beyond our world.

Disclosure Day feels entirely consistent with the themes and wonder of his previous extra-terrestrial work, balancing spectacle with humanity and asking profound questions about who we are and what lies beyond the stars.

Despite running close to three hours, the film never feels its length. The pacing is excellent, with each plot development arriving at exactly the right moment.

There is an exciting cat-and-mouse element throughout, plenty of humour, and several genuinely moving scenes that linger long after the credits roll.

My favourite sequence arrives when Disclosure Day itself finally happens. Set largely within a newsroom as Margaret addresses the nation, it is an unexpectedly emotional moment.

I left the cinema questioning my own beliefs and reflecting on what may exist beyond our understanding. It’s Spielberg at his most thoughtful and affecting.

I also appreciated the introduction of religion through Eve Hewson’s character. The involvement of the nuns adds another fascinating layer to the story, exploring faith, spirituality and the limits of what humanity is capable of accepting when faced with the unknown.

That said, not every character left a lasting impression.

While Josh O’Connor is perfectly serviceable as Daniel, neither he nor Eve Hewson truly stood out for me.

Their roles felt underwritten at times and could arguably have been played by almost anyone.

Similarly, Colman Domingo and Colin Firth, two actors whose work I usually love, felt somewhat overshadowed by Blunt’s commanding presence.

Neither is poor by any means, but both leave less of an impact than I expected.

Ultimately, Disclosure Day is Spielberg doing what Spielberg does best: combining blockbuster spectacle with heart, wonder and big questions about humanity’s place in the universe.

It delivers thrills, laughs and emotional weight in equal measure, and while some supporting performances don’t quite reach the heights of the material, the film remains a hugely rewarding cinematic experience.

Most importantly, this is a film that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible.

Disclosure Day is in Irish cinemas now.