Beyond the Reach (2015) (English Language)

Review

91min

Genre:     Action, Thriller

Director:  Jean-Baptiste Léonetti

Cast:       Michael Douglas, Jeremy Irvine, Ronny Cox…and more

Writers:   Robb White and Stephen Susco

A ruthless high-rolling executive hires a young tracker to lead a hunting trip in the most unforgiving part of the Mojave Desert, when tragedy strikes things take dangerous turn leaving the tracker struggling to survive against the hunter who’s playing a deadly game of cat-and-mouse in this film adaptation of a Robb White novel.

Michael Douglas stars alongside talented young British actor Jeremy Irvine in what is a well shot part survival thriller part chase film, but the desert cinematography that captures the gruelling majesty of the American South-West is about the only memorable element in ‘Beyond the Reach’.

 In his first English language film, director Jean-Baptiste Léonetti stretches a wafer-thin premise over an hour and a half in a film that goes from real-world scenario to a frustratingly predictable story at the flip of a switch, the motivation for the main characters is questionable to say the least and the executive hunter becomes a one-note cartoon villain with almost no lead-up.

 If you’re going to make a “serious” thriller with a clichéd and implausible plot, the least you could do is inject some humour or provide enough character development for the audience to engage with the protagonists when things get tense, but the effort to provide either in ‘Beyond the Reach’ is paltry and the result is a thriller with very little jeopardy or suspense that fails to engage at almost every turn.

 The biggest failure in ‘Beyond the Reach’ however is the utterly unsatisfying ending which is so implausible and downright laughable that it would have ruined the entire film even if it happened to be an engrossing thriller.

 The Bottom Line…

Despite the presence of a powerhouse actor/producer and stunning cinematography, ‘Beyond the Reach’ is a forgettable survivalist chase thriller that completely wastes the on & off-camera talents of Michael Douglas, which for us is simple Beyond comprehension.

Beyond the Reach is out in the UK tomorrow the 31st of July

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Similar films you may like (Home Video)

The River Wild (1994)

Meryl Streep stars as an expert rafter and survivalist on a trip through the Wilds with her family, an unexpected encounter with a couple of strangers soon leaves her in a fight for survival against murderers on the run from the law through the rapids of a dangerous river.

Directed by Curtis Hanson and starring Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon and David Strathairn among others.

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