6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Set in 1942 following a French-Canadian spy who falls in love and marries a French agent during a dangerous mission in Casablanca. He is notified that his wife is likely a Nazi spy and begins his own investigation of her.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris, Simon McBurney, Lizzy CaplanDrama | 100% |
Period | 97% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Romance | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
UV digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
"Robert Zemeckis" wouldn't be the first name to come to mind when guessing who would direct a World War II Intrigue Drama/Romance. Better known for magical escapism films like Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, and The Polar Express and someone who has dabbled in deeper material like Beowulf and Flight, Allied marks something of a departure for the fan-favorite filmmaker. This is arguably the most tonally dark film in his canon, one that explores the complexities of war and love and the consequences of choices and secrets. Zemeckis rightly plays down the possibilities for spectacle but doesn't quite find the depth the material requires. It's a solid film, well-paced, and accessible even for its intrigue and dark twists, but it doesn't quite exude that sense of time capsule experience -- narratively or technically -- for which it appears to strive.
Note: The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.
Allied was digitally shot at high resolution 6K and 8K and finished at 4K, almost rarity in the UHD format's early stages and propensity to
highlight 2K upscales. Detailing sees an honest improvement with the added UHD resolution, bumped to 2160p. Fabric textures are particularly more
revealing, finding a much greater sense of intimate density where the Blu-ray appears a good bit smoother in comparison. Likewise, desert terrain is
more refined, richer, and more tactile. Where the 1080p Blu-ray can't often get beyond the basics, the UHD finds a more granular, sharper, denser
collection of earthy sands and rocky formations at a desert shooting range 24+ minutes into the movie. London environments are noticeably sharper
and more naturally complex, too. The same qualities -- sharper, more easily defined -- translate to greenery, too, as well as basic brick structures,
paved roadways, and other more complex textures. Essentially, everything in the film -- whether basics facial features and clothes or general in-frame
elements -- is presented with a noticeable-to-significant increase in raw textural definition and sharpness while the UHD's ability to capture even the
finest bits of lint, fuzz, or otherwise previously unnoticed details can be striking. The HDR-enhanced color palette offers a firmer color tone and
temperature, one that's more finely saturated and nuanced, more pronounced but deeper and more detailed. Natural greens are again a standout for
comparison, but even lesser colors, like the brown of a leather holster, reveal the UHD's impressive added depth. Skin tones are firmer, black levels a
bit brighter but still very deep. As with the Blu-ray, source noise or compression issues are practically nonexistent. Paramount's UHD improves on a
standout 1080p image in every area. Even at modest screen sizes, the differences are apparent-to-striking.
Allied's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, the same as featured on the standard Blu-ray, handles the movie's core elements very well, including both wartime action and more subtle drama. Music is well spaced along the front, utilizing surrounds more for minor support than critical, blaring highlight. Action enjoys a wider berth. Gunfire rips through the stage with impressive zip and power. Chaos emanates from all over the stage and even small details, like empty shell casings pelting the floor, are audibly crisp and lifelike. More aggressive, larger-scale elements, primarily bombing runs, explosions, and anti-aircraft fire, show impressive potency and stage presence, placing the listener in the middle of the horrifying blitz. Ambient support in less dramatic sequences satisfies. Crowd din draws the listener in while gusty winds and pelting sands at the 36-miunte mark power through and accentuate a key scene. Dialogue is steady and emanates from the front-center with no discernible problems in clarity or prioritization. This is a very good audio presentation from Paramount.
Allied contains ten featurettes, all of which are featured on the included 1080p Blu-ray disc. No content is available on the UHD disc. For a
movie and a filmmaker so immersed in the modern concept of movie magic, cast and crew certainly
aren't shy about opening up about it and raising the curtain on the illusion. A UV/iTunes digital copy voucher is included with purchase.
Allied is a solid film beset by the central frustration that it can never quite get over the hump. Finely crafted but almost to a nostalgic fault, engaging but not purposeful, satisfying but not particularly memorable, the movie settles for technical successes while leaving its dramatic elements with only enough muscle to get by and tell the story. On the other hand, Allied's UHD release offers marked improved over the 1080p Blu-ray in terms of detailing and color depth. Audio remains unchanged, as does the supplemental selection. UHD owners won't regret choosing this version. Recommended.
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Declassified Extended Edition | Photo Book | Poster | ID Badge | Map
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