Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Allied 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 27, 2017

"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.

Canadian Air Force operative Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) parachutes into Northern Africa as part of a critical assassination mission. He's posing as the husband of a French resistance fighter named Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard). They're both thorough in their work and convincing as a married couple. They draw ever closer to their target and ever closer to one another. Their make-believe marriage turns into happily ever after. But as they return to London Max learns that his bride, and the mother of his child, may not be who she claims.

Allied never really rises above the level of "good enough." It's a film that does everything well, including exploring its world and characters with enough establishing power in the first half to make it all matter by the end, by staging a couple of intense action scenes, and building the mystery in the second half. But it doesn't do any of it exceptionally well. It's not a standout. It covers its bases to satisfaction, traverses its wartime minefield with courage, and the actors fill the characters with enough depth and nuance to make it matter, but...the movie just sort of rolls on by without leaving a lasting impression. It doesn't resonate, doesn't say anything of any real import. It's a film that blends complex moving parts and emotions with fluid grace. It's entertaining, adequately emotional, but it all seems built around the illusion, not selling the story short but working too hard to make sure the movie not only reflects its era, but reflects that era of moviemaking. Beyond some digital effects -- some stellar, some too liquid and phony -- Allied almost feels like a colorized version of some 40s or 50s black-and-white noir picture in the style of Casablanca, a tribute to the production design team to be sure (the film was rightly nominated for an Oscar in the costume category) but that nostalgic construction too often seems like the focal point, the story playing second fiddle to how it fits into the period.

Pitt and Cotillard do look as if they were born to play their respective parts. Both not only perform the parts elegantly, and not only do they look the part -- perfect hair, attire, makeup, even the way they carry themselves -- but they seem right out of the era, cast from a time machine and dropped into a 2016 production. As does everything around them. Zemeckis and crew do pull the period off with remarkable vision and clarity, even as much of it is propped up by digital effects, and that total saturation certainly helps in bringing out the best in the performances. But the movie still feels too lost in how it looks and feels rather than what it means or even the story it tells. Even the romance never gets over that hump, told well enough to make the audience care but those unmissable sparks really aren't there. Love is made, doubts linger, emotions run hot, and tears flow, but it's not quite enough to make a lasting impression. That's really the story of the entire movie. It's hard to feel anything but ambivalent towards it. Allied can rightly be lauded for a lot of things, but beyond its period saturation it always feels like it's always just a step or two away from greatness.

Allied 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

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.

• Story of Allied (1080p, 5:13): A discussion of the story behind the film, the war, and plot and character basics.
• From Stages to the Sahara: The Production Design of Allied (1080p, 10:10): A look at the film's "romantic" production design, including artistic inspirations, set design, shooting on a stage, blue screen vistas and effects, the movie's feel, and more.
• Through the Lens: Directing with Robert Zemeckis (1080p, 8:49): Cast and crew talk up the director's style, approach to the material, technical details of the shoot, and more.
• A Stitch in Time: The Costumes of Allied (1080p, 8:40): A look at Costume Designer Joanna Johnston's work on the film and her long collaboration with Robert Zemeckis. The piece dives into some of the key individual costume selections.
• 'Til Death Do Us Part: Max and Marianne (1080p, 5:52): A quick discussion of the qualities and performances Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard brought to the film.
• Guys and Gals: The Ensemble Cast (1080p, 5:22): A run-through of some of the secondary characters and the actors who portrayed them.
• Lights, Pixels, ACTION! The Visual Effects of Allied (1080p, 9:33): A comprehensive look at the movie's integration of digital effects, offering a detailed analysis of how several key moments where made.
• Behind the Wheel: The Vehicles of Allied (1080p, 3:30): A brief tour of several key automobiles and military vehicles featured in the film.
• Locked and Loaded: The Weapons of Allied (1080p, 3:35): As the title suggests, this piece offers a quick run-through of some of the guns featured in the film.
• That Swingin' Sound: The Music of Allied (1080p, 7:06): This piece explores the film's score and how it compliments the film. Composer and longtime Zemeckis collaborator Alan Silvestri shares his thoughts along the way.

Allied 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

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.