Spoiler Alert: this contains a summary of the movie.
So much drama surrounding this new movie. It’s all rather unsettling. What kind of experience will it be? Will it be a fun summer fantasme? Is it predictive programming to condition the public to accept a future alien invasion? Or, is Steven Spielberg possessed and inspired of the devil? Another exorcist, this time from Tennessee, suggested not seeing this movie because it could be cursed. Okay, that’s a little scary but, he’s got a point.
Father Reehil went on to question why Steven Spielberg would make a movie that he is claiming could challenge the Christian faith. I watched interviews with Mr. Spielberg. He seemed kind of happy about the prospect of creating such doubt. He was almost euphoric. To be clear, just as I feel my little blog is my way of looking at life and trying to make sense of it, Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster movies are his way of trying to make sense of life too. Everything you hear, see on screen or read has a point of view expressed. It is up to you to reflect upon that and agree or disagree with the premises and thoughts expressed. You know where I stand. I believe in God and the Bible.
I really wanted to see this movie the first weekend that it hit the big screen but, my husband was at a week long church conference at that point. Since my husband was away, I wondered if I should wait for him to come home or instead try to see the movie with a friend? Some of my friends are not at all interested in encouraging me to talk about aliens. The whole United States alien reveal party has made some of them a little bit uncomfortable. Instead of trying to get friends past their comfort levels, I’ll just wait for my husband to return home instead.
My husband took an eighteen hour long solo drive (one-way) towards a remote meeting place designated for the church conference. After he arrived, his first day included a seven hour long field trip highlighting elements of our church history. Wow, what a lot of traveling he has done in the past two weeks! In the week following that, he was engaged in prayer meetings, two church services a day, and hearing the presentation of church position papers on topics of morality and doctrine. There was inspiring and thought-provoking sermons by leaders in the church and a church election process to attend to.
During this time, my husband was questioned, prayed over and annointed. He took a vow of godly living and he was eventually voted into a church office. He is not a minister but, in our church there are a certain number of people from the congregation who serve alongside the clergy for purposes of representation and perspective. This is nothing that he sought but, he felt the Holy Spirit’s movement throughout the process and the sense of purpose for him and the Church.
Even after his long drive home, I found him energized and eager to resume his usual schedule at home. Actually, it seemed like I was more exhausted than he was. Maybe, it’s because without him in the home, I had more chores to do. I had to put out the garbage, bring recycling to the garbage dump and deal with scary sounds in the night without him. Kinda made me appreciate him.
Anyway, knowing that I was going to do a review of the movie Disclosure Day got him interested in seeing the movie too. He wanted to go the day after his return and every day thereafter. I was the one who was too tired and kept on putting off seeing the movie. Finally, four days after his return home, the time had come. I was wearing a proper cleaning frock too when my husband told me to put down the vacuum cleaner and go out to dinner and a movie with him. No cooking, that sounds appealing. However, I was in the midst of a cleaning jag. You see, next week, my husband and I will be hosting two visitors from Taiwan who will come to our church to give us updates on their life and work in that country.
I am not one of those housewives who purports to do everything. When I am busy getting ready for company, it is then that it is time to defrost, reheat leftovers or throw together a simple meal. I tell my husband to wait a minute while I change my clothes. He always makes me smile when he tells me how cute my cleaning frock is and he wonders why I need to change or put on any makeup because I look great just the way I am. Ah!
The movie seemed disjointed from the beginning. It opens with a group of quasi-governmental contractors (Wardex) with top-tier security clearance detaining and interrogating two of the main characters, Daniel and Jane. The character, Daniel Kellner apparently stole classified United States documents pertaining to aliens and is intent on releasing them to the public. Right there it was anti-climatic because the United States has recently released a huge amount of formerly classified documents on the topic and a billion of us worldwide have already dived in.
The Wardex villains somehow fumble and the couple escapes their clutches and is on the run. That, or the Gen Z fantasy of outwitting their elders with alien technology has done it. It is then that you learn that Daniel is working with another group who are exploring the alien files too. It is all a bit comedic.
Steven Spielberg seems to not be sure where he is going in this flick. It seems like he wanted it to be the conclusion in a sort of alien trilogy. The movie connects in many ways to his previous movies E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Perhaps, he wanted this movie to be an Indiana Jones-like action fantasy piece? What if anything was he thinking about 2026 special effects? I think the movie was trying but missing all of the above targets.
However, one mark it did hit was qualifying as being a religious commentary. Just what spiritual points it tries to make is the majority of what my review covers. There was the ubiquitous tech bro Daniel who is present in all films these days and represents some sort of anti-hero. There is Jane, the former catholic noviate who is now fornicating with the tech bro. Blah, blah, blah, anti-establishment female anti-hero. In one spiritual telling scene the ex-noviate Jane is in a spiritual battle with Noah. She remembers enough of her Catholicism to bring out a crucifix, which she digs into her hand, stigmata style to combat Noah. This is supposed to be a battle between Catholicism and some evil force. The suggestion is that Catholicism represents the Christian faith, and it is not strong enough to defeat alien technology. First, Catholicism does not represent the Christian faith and it might very well be defeated by evil. Secondly, the powers of hell will not prevail against God and the true faith path.
Both Daniel and Jane play malcontents. They never seem happy for one moment. There is no chemistry between this couple that would hint at this actually being a love match. In fact, they appear depressed most of the time.Then there is villain, Noah Stanton. He is played by a way-over-the-top Colin Firth. Mr. Darcy, this is not like you nor like George VI in “The King’s Speech” either. Did you lose a bet with Steven Spielberg?
Colin Firth’s character spars with a former coworker Hugo played by Colman Domingo. Hugo presents as a wise and all-knowing character, sort of the good cop versus Noah’s bad cop. Hugo is trying to help Daniel to attain his goals of releasing the alien truth to the world versus Noah who wants to kill Daniel and everyone who is in league with him and to suppress the truth of alien contact. Some of this biblically rings a bell for me. In the Bible, the devil hints that God is holding back something and you really should know about it. Then, you will be like God.
There is an alien supernatural tool which allows you to be in two places at once. Using it comes with a physical price though. Then, there was the newscaster Margaret played very well by Emily Blunt. Part comedic, part alien possessed, she was demonically and hysterically believable. The news stories depict a current world on the brink of World War III. Then there is the aliens themselves who are presented as victims who are harshly interrogated. To Steven Spielberg and his ilk they are just misunderstood. This is hinted at when we see the alien presence in Margaret calm tensions pertaining to North Korea. Their message to us in this movie is presented as : “don’t be afraid of what you don’t know” and “listen.” Butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths!
We learn that Daniel and Margaret were both chosen as children to bring this message to the world. There are scenes which depict aliens presenting themselves to Daniel and Margaret as animals, such as deer, cardinals and foxes. The movie states that the aliens present themselves in forms that will be palatable to us so as not to frighten us.
How is this for frightening: the night after my husband and I saw the movie we were relaxing on our back porch at twilight when suddenly, two small fawns run towards us. They stop and look us straight in the eyes. In the movie, you don’t want to look at the alien in any form in their eyes lest they have power over you. My husband, thinking it funny, teases “don’t look them in the eyes.”
These cute animals, like the one in my yard, usher the children towards a house/alien vessel. Once in the alien realm, the children are given gifts of math, languages and empathy which will emerge at a pre-set time. They are prophets of aliens and not of God. The aliens are presented as an alternative to God in this movie (if you look closely enough). Who needs a relationship with God when you have this fascinating new relationship with aliens?
The characteristics of the aliens and their influence in this story read like an occult checklist. Disguise yourself as an animal-check✔️. Possession-check✔️, be enlightened and equal to God-check✔️. It was all there except the devilish malevolence-lie❌. The devil presents himself as an angel of light. He’s here to help….he’s here to help himself to your soul. Alien messages are straight up what the anti-Christ will be telling you.
Alien fascination is palpable right now. People are looking for something to save them and they wonder if superior alien culture could finally bring in a golden age. It is tempting just like new revelations always are, but is it the truth? No. When mankind gets stuck in a civilizational rut which we are now in, there seems to be a need to grab onto anything that promises answers. But, beware of philosophies that chisel away at your faith. There is no salvation without Jesus. There is no salvation without taking responsibilities for your sin. Follow the Ten Commandments and work the program that God has set before you. Go to God in prayer and ask for guidance and direction in your life.
I did not find this light summertime entertainment nor the summer blockbuster that I was looking for. I wish for such moments but, I know that times of true refreshment come from God.
“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws nigh”-Luke 21:28
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