Review of Allied (2016) by Orlando O — 01 Dec 2016

Is Marion Cotillard character a german spy or not a spy? Really depends, when the plot folds in this World War II romantic thriller film. Allied really does work well in setting up a romantic casablanca tone. Which is the direction on were the first half of the film works so well in building these two characters together and finishing their assignment in going undercover to kill a german officer. Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard chemistry worked so well on the screen.

The film begins with Max (Brad Pitt) arriving in Casablanca to meet up with a french resistance Marianne (Marion Cotillard). They both go undercover as a married couple to enter a German Party, where the German Official was going to be attending which they needed to assassinate. After there feelings for each other grow, and mission completed. They both relocate to London, were they can try to start a family. Max learns from the special ops that Marianne may be a german spy and has three days to discover who she really is.

Allied started out great, it had a good set up with these characters meeting and planning their assassination and learning from each other. Even the romantic setting during a sandstorm with the two in the car, worked so well. Plus the shoot out sequence was quite entertaining. Usually the last half of the film is were the movie loses its momentum. It creates the paranoia when Max is hoping the special ops is wrong about Marianne. Hoping it was all a false misleading and she is who she says she is. Even during a unsettling feel during a party, Max becomes suspicious when she talks to a unknown jewelry sales man. Even when he is going to the extent to travel to hostile country to see if her history meets up with what she tells him. Thats usually the most suspense you get in the film. Otherwise, the second and last act does get very slow and the suspense that was building up disappears. The twist does not give much of a shocking direction. But it is what it is and director Robert Zemeckis troubles in trying to lead the suspense and thrills while trying to maintain the emotional connection with the characters.