Allied now available on Blu-ray: review

’ war-time love story Allied is now available on Blu-ray and Digital HD. The film depicts a love story born out of the espionage and secrecy of WWII.

It follows Canadian Intelligence Officer Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) and French Resistance Fighter Marianne Beauséjour (Marion Cotillard) who are tasked with impersonating a Nazi-sympathizing married couple in order to attend an event where they will have the chance to assassinate a German ambassador. But it is after the success of the mission that they realize the feelings they pretended to have for each other have grown into something very real.

After reuniting in England, getting married and having a child, named Anna, all seems to be picture perfect for the couple. That is, until Max is advised by his superiors that his wife has, in fact, been working with the enemy all along and that it is his duty to execute her or risk being executed himself.

In utter disbelief, Max begins the desperate search for answers to prove his loving wife’s innocence in addition to saving her life as well as his own.

Overall, the film was an excellent depiction of love in wartime and an interesting example of the intricate complications inherent to the period.

From giving birth during an air raid, to wondering whether the person you love can really be trusted in a time when everyone was expected to contribute to the war effort and being a spy was perhaps commonplace, the film really asks a lot of its characters as well as the viewer.

With a main theme of betrayal and questions of identity, the film beckons both its characters and its viewers to contemplate where their loyalty lies and what they would be willing to do to stand by the person they loved most.

Special Features:

*In The Story of Allied, director Robert Zemeckis and other members of the film crew discuss why Steven Knight's screenplay for the film was so captivating, citing the fact that it was well researched and focused on the real people who carried out these missions.

*From Stages to the Sahara: The Production Design of Allied touches upon how Production Designer Gary Freeman's set design was effectively used to capture the emotion of the film.

*Through the Lens: Directing with Robert Zemeckis features interviews with the film's producers, cast and crew, who discuss what it was like working with the famed director. It also has an interview with the director himself as he talks about how he enjoys moving audiences emotionally and why Allied was a great opportunity to do that.

*In A Stitch in Time: The Costumes of Allied, Costume Designer Joanna Johnston and Hair and Makeup Designer Daniel Phillips discuss why they fell in love with the film and how each design evokes the time period but keeps a "spirit of modernity" as well as alludes to elements of the story.

*'Til Death Do Us Part: Max and Marianne features interviews with fellow cast members and Producer Steve Starkey who discuss why Marion Cotillard and Brad Pitt were so perfect to play these characters. Other cast members also talk about why they were drawn to their respective characters.

*In Guys and Gals: The Ensemble Cast, the film's director, producers and cast talk about how the supporting cast really helped to provide a foundation for Allied. As well, some of the supporting actors discuss the purpose of their characters in the film.

*Lights, Pixels, ACTION! The Visual Effects of Allied features interviews with director Robert Zemeckis, Producer Jack Rapke and VFX Supervisor Kevin Baillie in which they discuss how the visual effects bring the director's vision to life and aid in the storytelling of Allied.

*In Behind the Wheel: The Vehicles of Allied, Picture Car Coordinator Michael Geary discusses the importance of the vehicles used in the film and how they are often the easiest and most recognizable way to accurately portray the time period.

*Locked and Loaded: The Weapons of Allied features a discussion with the film's armorer, Robert Grundy, regarding the selection of the weapons used in the film as well as training the actors to use them correctly.

*In That Swingin' Sound: The Music of Allied, composer Alan Silvestri discusses what it's like working with director and longtime collaborator Robert Zemeckis and getting the accurate feeling he wanted for the film. They also discuss how the score conveys the romantic but melancholic feeling of the film, while other songs were used to represent the music in the '40s, which was primarily swing, jazz and big band.

Seen Allied? What did you think of the film? Make sure to review it here! ~Alexa Caruso