Film Review: Beyond Borders (2003)

If films are to be judged solely on the intentions of their authors, then Beyond Borders, 2003 drama directed by Martin Campbell, should be considered to be unquestionable masterpiece. It was devised around its main star Angelina Jolie who, apart from becoming one of the greatest Hollywood stars of its time, also used her clout within American entertainment industry and world public to promote the cause of refugees in war torn areas of the world. Jolie in the film plays character that could be described as slightly fictional version of herself. The plot begins in 1980s London where American socialite Sarah Jordan (played by Jolie) lives a privileged life with her husband Henry Beauford (played by Linus Roache). During one gala evenings he witnesses fiery speech by Dr. Nick Callahan (played by Clive Owen), physician and activist who accuses high society of hypocrisy and unwillingness to help those in need, mainly children who lost their parents and homes to war. The speech makes such strong impression on Sarah that she impulsively leaves London in order to join Callahan and his humanitarian efforts in Ethiopia. Sarah and Nick later reunite in Cambodia during the last stages of civil war, when she helps him in increasingly dangerous attempts to manoeuvres various warring factions into allowing necessary humanitarian shipments. Sarah returns home carrying Nick’s child and later becomes official within UNHCR, United Nations’ refugee relief agency. When Nick goes missing during his mission in Chechnya, Sarah goes into another war-torn country trying to find him.

Beyond Borders, despite all the stellar power of Jolie, turned into massive flop at the box office and fared even worse among critics, which, in the end resulted in humiliating Razzie nomination for the film’s superstar. Such reception, to a degree, could be attributed to the most unfortunate timing of the film’s release, which coincided with US invasion and occupation of Iraq, an effort almost unanimously endorsed by US public, including Hollywood, which, just like its critics had warned, created a whole new batch of human misery which is the subject of this film. American audiences and its critical establishment simply weren’t ready for to reconcile Beyond Borders with the new and disturbing realities. But that doesn’t mean that the film’s sorry fate wasn’t completely undeserved. While Martin Campbell, experienced British director, delivers a solid job and handles complicated production that had used distant locations of Namibia, Thailand and Canada, script by Caspian Treadwell-Owen is terrible. Noble intention to warn audiences in rich Western countries of the plight of people in war-torn hellholes of Third World and Eastern Europe are drowned with melodramatic cliches and one-dimensional characters that can’t be rescued even by obviously talented cast. Jolie can’t be blamed for the lack of trying, but her character in Beyond Borders is simply forgettable, which, on the other hand, can’t be said of Clive Owen who seems to have fun playing larger-than-life idealist. Impression is, to a degree, saved by somewhat unexpected ending, but it isn’t enough to give this well-intentioned but unfortunate film anything more than a passing grade.

RATING: 4/10 (+)

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