Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Nothing is as it seems in this riveting World War 2 thriller as a wary soldier goes to investigate a mysterious German monarch at his secluded mansion, leading him into a web of deceit and a dangerous love affair with a local Jewish woman.
The Exception is a competent WWII romantic thriller built around the intriguing real-life figure of Kaiser Wilhelm II in exile. The performances, particularly Christopher Plummer as the Kaiser, are solid and elevate the material, but the film never quite transcends its genre conventions. The spy-investigation plot is engaging enough though formulaic, and the romance feels somewhat predictable. Cinematography is serviceable period drama fare without distinctive visual ambition. The premise involving the exiled Kaiser offers some novelty but the execution follows well-worn thriller beats, making it feel derivative overall. The ending resolves neatly without much surprise.