More middling than matinee
Allied (15) A classic case of an interesting premise not living up to its potential, war-time drama Allied sees Back to the Future trilogy director Robert Zemeckis head slightly further back in time.
Set at the height of the Second World War, the plot sees Brad Pitt’s Canadian intelligence officer Max Vatan and Marion Cotillard’s French Resistance fighter develop a relationship that is tested by the pressures of conflict and questions of trust.
It’s fitting that Zemeckis appears to enjoy taking trips back to the past as his latest offering is clearly influenced by the silver screen’s matinee classics of the 1920s-50s.
Before writing this review, I was determined to try and avoid mentioning Casablanca – but it’s impossible not to notice the similarities between Michael Curtiz’s iconic picture and Zemeckis’ Allied.
Steven Knight’s (Dirty Pretty Things, Locke) script supplies paranoia, an up-and-down central relationship, tactical antagonists and testing complications for the lead duo.
The lavish production design and Don Burgess’ (Forrest Gump, The Conjuring 2) cinematography ensure the film’s old school visuals are as much of a star as anyone in front of the camera.
Pitt and Cotillard are no Bogart and Bergman, but very few movie couples are – and the pair do a fine job of progressing from loved-up sex bombs to suspicious partners wary of each other’s intentions.
Pitt has this sort of matinee idol down pat, but it’s a change of course for the versatile Cotillard who copes admirably with the adaptation.
The director, though, doesn’t seem to be on as comfortable ground as he takes a step away from high octane, energetic capers and camera work.
Whether it’s Marty McFly travelling by hoverboard, framing Roger Rabbit, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn battering each other with shovels (Death Becomes Her) or Forrest Gump meeting Nixon, Zemeckis has consistently been one of Hollywood’s most visually creative forces.
Allied sees the 64-year-old take a step back to present a solid-but-unspectacular shooting style in what may be his most lifeless flick yet – disappointing as Romancing the Stone proved he could enliven a bickering couple-themed adventure.
Zemeckis isn’t helped by Knight’s story cramming far too much into the film’s latter stages as plot points tumble out at an alarming rate, with even Pitt and Cotillard struggling to keep up.
It all culminates in a heartstring-tugging climax that doesn’t sit well with the mix of glamour and danger that’s gone before.
Allied isn’t vintage Zemeckis or Pitt – and can’t hold a candle to Casablanca – but it’s tense, unpredictable filmmaking steeped in nostalgia.