Beyond the Reach (2014) is beyond awful.
Not everyone agrees with me, but let me make my case.
This film is an adaptation of the classic juvenile novel Deathwatch. If you spent any time in a high school library during the ’80s or ’90s, you know that book’s cover—it’s iconic.
Deathwatch is about a successful businessman and hunter named Madec, who acquires a hunting license for big-horned sheep. To help him find one, he hires a young, timid gas station worker named Ben to be his guide.
During the hunt, Madec accidentally shoots someone. Rather than face the consequences, he tries to cover up the crime by bribing Ben into silence. When Ben refuses, Madec snaps. He forces Ben to strip down to his shorts and wander the desert without water, watching from a distance as he slowly succumbs to exposure.
The entire book is a tense survival thriller—Ben using his wits and endurance to outlast Madec and make it out alive.
A few years later, Deathwatch got its first film adaptation, Savages, starring Andy Griffith as Madec, playing completely against type. Instead of the wholesome sheriff from The Andy Griffith Show, here he’s a ruthless, spoiled rich man. Ben was played by Sam Bottoms, best known as surfer Lance B. Johnson in Apocalypse Now. Savages was an amazing TV movie, and if you can find it, do yourself a favor and give it a watch.
Nearly 40 years later, Beyond the Reach became the second film adaptation, this time starring Michael Douglas as Madec and Jeremy Irvine as Ben. On paper, that’s a great cast. And let me tell you—Michael Douglas is the best thing about this movie. He goes full-on capitalist sleaze. It’s like watching Gordon Gekko go insane and murderous. Hearing him yell, “I’ll kill you!” is a treat.
So what went wrong? Why don’t I like this movie?
Let’s start with the title.
I know a title doesn’t make a movie, but it does set expectations. A title is a preview, a taste. Beyond the Reach is a forgettable, meaningless title. I’ve been thinking about this movie all day, and I still struggle to remember it. Now compare that to Deathwatch—a fantastic title that immediately tells you what the book is about. It’s about watching someone die. Or Savages, which promises people going wild and Andy Griffith playing against type. But Beyond the Reach? Beyond the reach of what? Madec is constantly within reach of Ben. He watches him, points his gun at him multiple times. The title doesn’t fit. What were they thinking?
Now, let’s talk about Ben.
Jeremy Irvine is completely miscast. Ben is supposed to be meek, lacking confidence—a struggling college-aged gas station worker. But in this movie? Irvine is too pretty, too put-together. He’s got a girlfriend, six-pack abs prominently displayed, and carries himself with way too much confidence.
Some people compare him to Paul Walker in terms of just being cast for his looks, but I disagree. Paul Walker, at least, fit his Fast & Furious role because he was a genuine car enthusiast.
Do I buy Irvine as a survivalist? No. Do I buy him as meek and insecure? Not for a second. There’s nothing wrong with being attractive, but he looks like a damn model the entire time.
Another problem? Ben barely uses his survival skills. He mostly survives by sheer luck. How do you avoid dynamite multiple times by just the skin of your teeth? Once, okay, but over and over? Come on. Give the guy some actual competency.
But the worst thing about Beyond the Reach? The ending.
It diverges from the book in a way that is inexplicable. I won’t spoil it, in case you actually want to see this movie (which you shouldn’t), but it’s bad. It defies all logic. Symbolically, Madec represents capitalism and institutional power, but the ending? It’s a slap in the face. It goes against everything Madec’s character represents. Worse, it cheapens Michael Douglas’s performance—the one good thing this movie had going for it.
And that’s why I hate this film so much.
It had so much potential. Great source material. A fantastic performance from Michael Douglas that almost makes up for Jeremy Irvine’s miscasting. But the script? Holy fuck, the script is awful. You had two writers, Stephen Susco and Robb White, and all they had to do was read the book and stick to the story. They couldn’t even manage that.
The film was directed by Jean-Baptiste Léonetti. This was his one and only American film. He’s made some well-received short films and another French feature, Carré Blanc, but I doubt he’ll be making another English-language movie anytime soon.
Now, I realize not everyone agrees with me. Some people do like this movie. On IMDb, Beyond the Reach has a 5.6/10. On Letterboxd, it scores 2.7/5. Clearly, some people enjoy it—maybe just for Michael Douglas’s performance. But professional critics? They hate it. It has a 36% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 34/100 on Metacritic. And I think the critics are right.
It’s not the worst movie ever made, but when a film wastes this much potential? It’s infuriating.
Skip this one. Watch Savages instead. Or better yet, read Deathwatch.
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