Beyond the Reach (2014)

A high-rolling corporate shark and his impoverished young guide play the most dangerous game during a hunting trip in the Mojave Desert.

Director:

Jean-Baptiste Léonetti

Writers:

Stephen Susco (screenplay), Robb White (based on the book: "Deathwatch")

Stars:

Michael Douglas, Jeremy Irvine, Martin Palmer

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Michael Douglas	...	Madec
Jeremy Irvine	...	Ben
Hanna Mangan Lawrence	...	Laina
Ronny Cox	...	Sheriff Robb
Patricia Bethune	...	Secretary
Jadelyn Dawn Wilkins	...	Dead Girl w / Lipstick
Eddy Glenn Patterson	...	Helicopter Pilot

Storyline

Madec, an international and unscrupulous entrepreneur, hires the skilled young tracker Ben to guide him through the fearful and barren Mojave Desert during a hunting trip. Unfortunately, however, things will take a turn for the worse, when prideful Madec shoots unintentionally the wrong target, and in a cynical attempt to wash his hands of the irrevocable deed, Madec will try to bribe himself out of this predicament by offering Ben a hefty compensation in exchange for his silence. But as this is against Ben's principles, before long, the unfortunate tracker will run for his life under the fierce and merciless sun. Undoubtedly, the desert is limitless, but on the other hand, so is the desire to survive.

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Plot Keywords:

shirtless man | new mexico | new mexico desert | trip | guide | 

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Taglines:

What began as an accident has become a deadly game.

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Genres:

Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 April 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

Beyond the Reach

Filming Locations:

Farmington, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$30,287, 17 April 2015, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$44,577, 26 April 2015

Company Credits

Production Co:

Square One Cinema,Lionsgate,Furthur Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Steyr Scout is the rifle carried by John Madec (Michael Douglas) in the film. He specifically identifies the rifle as a "Steyr Scout, .308".

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Goofs

[All goofs for this title are spoilers.]

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Quotes

[first lines]
Ben: You know I can't keep this, right?
[pause]
Ben: Man, your grandfather made it for you.
Laina: To give the man I love.
Ben: Come on, you won't miss me. Your practice at six every morning, classes... All those college guys...

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Connections

Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Michael Douglas/Kat Dennings/St. Vincent (2015)

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Soundtracks

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 22 in E-Flat Major, K. 482: III. Allegro
Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by John O'Conor, piano with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Conducted by Charles Mackerras (as Sir Charles Mackerras)
Courtesy of Telarc, by arrangement with Concord Music Group, Inc.
[Played in Madec's car while he watches Ben in the desert]

User Reviews

Douglas back in a part that fits him, but the end is just terrible.

"We had a deal. And where I come from, a deal is a deal."

It's so much fun to watch a movie in which two individuals chase each other and a cat and mouse game begins resulting in a battle to the death. Recently we saw two Hollywood stars try this theme in "Killing Season". It wasn't exactly an impressive film and after a while the ping-pong game between the two opponents started to irritate. For "Beyond the reach" an old class act of Hollywood was recruited. Only this time it's a unilateral hunt pattern that's being showed here. Unfortunately, the film collapses like a failed soufflé at the end. For once it's something that most film critics unanimously agree with. This time there are no diametrically opposed camps with contrarian views. This film had a promising start with chilling tension and an acclaimed chemistry between the two main characters. But the absurd and completely messed up ending screwed it completely and made absolutely no sense.

Madec (Michael Douglas) is a pedantic rich man with an arrogant attitude, who acts as if the whole universe turns around his own little person. He arrives in a tiny village along the Mojave desert to hunt a bighorn (probably a missing trophy on the wall). Ben (Jeremy Irvine) is hired for this task. He's a young guy who's well known as the best tracker in that environment. Before you know it, they are on the move in a giant fairground attraction on 6 wheels (worth $ 500,000 and imported) equipped with satellite telephone, espresso machine, microwave oven and a remote-controlled music system. Madec has spared no expense for this trip and is also equipped with a Steyr Scout 308 imported from Austria. In retrospect, he's also quite generous when it appears that he doesn't really have a permit to shoot down the rare animal. Madec is a typical snob who thinks everything is for sale. Until the hunt ends in a catastrophe and he accidentally shoots the local desert dweller Charlie. Charlie is someone Ben knew for a long time already and probably learned him some tricks of survival and how to live in the wilderness. How it proceeds can be guessed easily. Ben suddenly becomes the hunted one in this relentless, scorching desert.

The last movie I've watched with Douglas starring in, is "Last Vegas". Overall this wasn't a bad film and I watched it with pleasure. Yet Douglas fits better in a role as a charismatic manipulator and overwhelming bastard. A role as in "Falling Down" or "Fatal Attraction". It was a pleasure to see him again shining as a sadistic,unassailable bad ass. Irvine also meets the expectations and apparently spent several hours in the gym. His upper body is more muscular than the one he showed in "The railway man." His character stands in stark contrast to that of Douglas. An orphaned young man whose girlfriend just left him to start her studies at the university and for whom everyday life is financially more difficult than that of Madec. His battle against the elements in the desert was realistic and proved again he owns some excellent acting skills. Also the people of the makeup department deserve a pat on the shoulder.

The highlight of the film is undeniably the acting of Douglas. The sadistic game that he plays in the sweltering desert and how he enjoys seeing his prey slowly but surely reaching the end, is absolutely top notch acting. The absolute worst part is the denouement. Not that it's inconceivable (because everything can be bought with money), but it's so abrupt. An excellent movie with an intriguing interplay that's being performed for more than an hour, is being reduced into a pale third-rate thriller in sheer 10 minutes. Was there a plausible ending, than this would have been a masterful film.

More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT