Review of Allied (2016) by Marcelo G — 27 Nov 2016

Overall, I felt like the Zemeckis couldn't make up his mind on what he wanted the film to be, so he just decided that it be everything. I imagine it started in pre-production as a more personable and intimate, almost psychological drama similar to Sam Medes' Revolutionary Road. The plot establishes a romantic love story between two characters and then through the use of situational irony introduces a twist, in this case a possible betrayal that engages the audience to sympathise with Vatan (Pitt) as he squirms to prove Beausejour's (Cotillard) innocence.

Had the movie relied on these simple plot points and used more modest staging all the while focusing on dialogue and strong acting, it would have truly resonated with the audience. Instead too many production meetings and an oversized budget steer the film into sensationalist territory with gratuitous explosions, gun fights and CGI air-raids that only leave the audience confused and bewildered.

As such, the visual storytelling becomes too much: the shots, costumes, and strategically placed props are self-congratulatory and overindulgent. Does an air raid, for example, really need to be shown for the audience to believe an air raid is happening? Does the camera really need to focus on the physical intimacy between Vatan's sister (Caplan) and her lover for us to really believe she is a lesbian?

It seems Zemeckis does not believe his audience is capable of making inferences and thus essentially tells us what to think in a manner absent of any subtlety. This ultimately leaves the the film to fall short of its overzealous ambition to be the next Casablanca or the next English Patient.