Where Steven Spielberg's ‘Disclosure Day' Ranks Against His Best Alien Movies

Steven Spielberg is back in familiar territory with his latest release, Disclosure Day.

Starring Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Colman Domingo, and Colin Firth, the movie revolves around a group of earthlings trying to expose-or disclose-one organization's top-secret proof of alien life to the entire world.

The sci-fi film is only the latest from the acclaimed director to dabble in the extraterrestrial, as Spielberg has had a decades-long fascination with the thought that we're not alone in the universe. His love of the genre dates all the way back to his directorial debut, Firelight, which he made as a 17-year-old in Phoenix, Arizona.

While Disclosure Day has been met with solid reviews ahead of its release, just how does it rank compared to Spielberg's past extraterrestrial outings?

Critic Response to Disclosure Day

Ahead of the movie's June 12 release, the movie sits with an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it certified fresh.

In their review, The Hollywood Reporter praised the cast's performances, calling Blunt the clear "standout" of the bunch. The outlet also noted Spielberg is "in peak form," comparing the film to his Minority Report, in terms of "exacting command of visceral chase sequences and superbly choreographed action set-pieces." THR also called it "an essential addition to Spielberg's rich body of work" to any lifelong fan of the director.

The Washington Post also praised the action sequences, saying they're "Spielberg at his most kinetic." The review went on to call the film "a spectacular tale about what we see, what we hear, and how both can change what we believe and how we treat each other."

The Los Angeles Times, meanwhile, said the film "misses the mark," believing the movie "isn't paranoid enough" overall and "needs a sense of curiosity." As a whole, it left the reviewer "underwhelmed."

The BBC wasn't exactly a fan either, comparing the movie to "a drab X-Files episode, or a more conventional One Battle After Another, in which some people we don't care about are hunted by some other people we don't care about."

Spielberg's Sci-Fi Films Ranked

As mentioned above, Spielberg has a long cinematic history exploring the extraterrestrial and science fiction.

When it comes to all the movies he's directed throughout his career, E.T. is his top rated, period, on Rotten Tomatoes. Currently, it has a 99% rating, with Schindler's List and Jaws just below at 98% and 97%, respectively.

Of his output specifically involving aliens, his next highest-rated film is 1977's Close Encounters of the Third Kind. That movie, which many have compared to Disclosure Day, has a 91% rating on the same review aggregate website. Tied with Close Encounters is Jurassic Park, also at 91%.

His next sci-fi film on the list is Minority Report, at 89%, followed by Disclosure Day at 82%. Below that are features including Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull at 77%, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence at 76%, and War of the Worlds, also at 76%.

At the bottom of the sci-fi pack, meanwhile, is 2018's Ready Player One at 71%.

Disclosure Day is in theaters June 12.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 1:31 PM.