Rating: 
Summary: Miscast. But well ploted. And it's also eye-opening.
Review: The worst thing about the film is the casting. Angelina Jolie is very pretty and I've enjoyed her performances in several films. But she's way over her head here, cast as a socialite U.N. worker who thrusts herself into danger, not only for her empathy with the suffering that goes on. She's also attracted to a fearless outspoken doctor, played by Clive Owen, who dedicates his life to helping people and advocates their causes loudly and bluntly. For example, in 1984 he crashes an upscale London charity event and brings a starving Ethiopian child with him. That's how he and our heroine meet, of course. And as she is married, this adds to the complexity of their romance. We then see the couple in Ethiopia, where Jolie is a novice in the ways of the world. It's all very sad but she does manage to rescue a child. This part of the film was shot in Namibia and I was a little shocked at the casting because they obviously used people who are really and truly starving. Ms. Jolie's lips, however, remain perfect throughout and they are so unnaturally large that I couldn't help wondering if she has them cosmetically enhanced. This kind of thinking distracted me from the very seriousness of the situation. She and the good doctor respect each other but don't really get together in a romantic way at this time. Years later, in 1989, they meet again in Cambodia. This section of the film was shot in Thailand and is action packed. There are guns and double dealing and very bad people and one of their friends is murdered. Here's where their romance really begins but, alas, they are separated again. Fast forward to Chechnya in 1995 where the good doctor is captured by bad guys and the beautiful woman tries to rescue him. This part was shot in Montreal in the dead of winter. It's a very scary segment and the ending is not a happy one. It's a good story held together by the couple but it just was a little too artificial for me. Also, it tried to say too much in too short a time. I would have rather they focused in just one place. It did hold my interest throughout, however, and the pace kept me interested. I also think that it should be seen just to keep us aware of what is going on in the world.
Rating: 
Summary: Tomb Raider meets Proof of Life meets English Patient
Review: Think Tomb Raider meets English Patient meets Proof of Life meets U.S.A for Africa.
1-Tomb Raider because:- Angelina starring(obviously), her hairstyle and pouting, some of the action sequences, Asian location, brooding English/Scottish/ Welsh co-star with similar character to Nic's, with the love scene even located in Asia
2-Proof of Life because:- some of the subject matter in terms of civil and political unrest, the rescue scene, brooding emotionally unavailable male lead character.
3- English Patient because:- English characters, sweeping romanticized desert scenes, posturing in flowing clean white garb (though Sarah's in the middle of a dusty refugee camp), landmines, brooding emotionally unavailable male lead character
4- USA for Africa because:- obvious.
But having said all this, this wasn't a bad movie- I'd thought it would be worse. It started powerfully but by the end deteriorated into a "movie" in terms of storyline, dialogue, action sequences. However, the second to last scene is an unexpected gem- it made the movie for me.
Clive Owen is the best thing about the movie- a powerful gritty performance. (No offence- I think Kevin Costner is an excellent actor and one of my favorites, but he would have made the role a different animal.)
If you'd never seen an Anglelina Jolie perfomance, she would have moved you, but essentially (and like a lot of other actors) she pulls out her usual range of emotionions and pouts and falls slightly flat and two dimensional. A grittier actress would have been better in the role. If this movie had starred Catherine Zeta Jones as planned, or a Nicole Kidman, or a Julia Roberts, with Kevin Costner or a Russell Crowe lead, Oscar would have been falling over it's feet to worship. But the lack of A-list leads (by Hollywood's standards)and the uncomfortable guilt- inducing subject matter for most Americans was enough to keep audience's away.
To conclude...You'll enjoy this movie more if you watch the special features and watch the movie as it was intended according to the author -"an epic romance set against the backdrop of humanitarian work", not as a documentary on relief work or the UNHCR. (I must say, though, I was very disappointed and surprised at the director's repeated use of the word "Africa" when referring to Ethiopia, given that "Cambodia" was referred to as Cambodia, not Asia, and "Cheznya" was referred to as Cheznya, not "Europe" and the Art director's comment"...Namibia on the Ivory Coast" What does that mean?!)
Rating:
Summary: Could have been better
Review: This film was kind of disappointing. Of course, I shouldn't have expected much from a wannabe Hollywood blockbuster. Instead of exploring the nuances of international conflict and international organizations, the film portrays Jolie as a UNHCR poster-child in a wishy-washy love story. As if the UNHCR or UN in general for that matter is all that great. Furthermore, this film was not clearly researched. Jolie dies at the end because she steps on a land mine. Not realistic at all. Land-mines are anti-personnel. They generally don't kill but are tactical and/or strategic tools meant to demoralize and occupy the enemy with wounded personnel. I'm probably being over-critical because this film presents itself with serious subject matter and purports to be a serious film. But a documentary could have done a much better job getting the point across. Finally I figure the theme was supposed to be "beyond borders." This was the title of the film afterall. Maybe the directors should have capitalized on that theme with something more concrete than trite flitting around to places like Ethiopia, Cambodia and Chechnya. Oh, and one last point. I'm not sure how I feel about viewing the emaciated Ethiopian mother and child in the film. Did they get compensated? Did someone take care of them? Were they exploited? Too many questions of morality in a film that's out to make money.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful
Review: This is a movie that really makes you think about our world today. It is an amazing story. The actors do a great job portraying these difficult roles also. The movie shows what is really going on in these third world countries. Sometimes me live so blindfolded, we do not consider others not nearly as fortunate as we are. This movie should be shown to all those who do not fully appreciate how great their lives are, and to not take things for granted. This is an absoultly outstanding movie and I strongly recommand it to all.
Rating:
Summary: Expand your mind Beyond Borders
Review: This is a quality film, something that is harder and harder to find these days! "Beyond Borders" tells the story of a privileged American, Sarah, who's married to a wealthy Brit. At a benefit dinner one night, Sarah was so moved by an outspoken relief- worker doctor that she decided to travel to his aid camp in Ethiopia. From there, we see the story of several years of her life unfold. She travels between her comfortable life in London and the gritty world of aid camps in Ethiopia, Cambodia, and Chechnya. The visuals in this film were amazing, and the story of life in the aid camps were gritty and certainly not sugarcoated. It was interesting and enlightening to see this world and I'd say the filmmakers did a nice job of educating the audience without being didactic. The entire film was tied together with a love story, which was ordinary, although it provided some action, adventure, and suspense in the film. Angelina Jolie did quite well in this film (aside from her sometimes irritating blank stares and her oversized lips). I wasn't sure I could really take her seriously in such a serious role, but actually she really did quite well and fit the part nicely. Overall, this is a quality film. But be warned... it's not for those who like sugarcoated, feel-good, airheaded pieces of work (in other words, the majority of Americans who will be going to see Texas Chainsaw Massacre instead). I was glad I went and certainly took something out of it. It's one of those few movies that is actually worth seeing in the theatre.
Rating:
Summary: don't know why it got so low rating
Review: this is actually a very serious movie, seriously produced, directed and performed. the guy who once played the cool movie, 'the groupier' done a very passionate humane character in this movie, a.j. also performed well and we can just got her realistic passion about the love of people and kids. the script is not well paved, especially her relation with her husband. don't know how she still kept her old passion after she got a family and a kid, kinda unreal here. but all in all, this is a very good movie. it's not wrong that a specific film carries certain hidden agenda or not, all we have to weigh is whether this film was seriously produced, its castings were seriously chosen and well performed. filmcritic.com gave this movie only a star just because it carried certain agenda, to me, is deadly wrong.
Rating:
Summary: Makes you want to be more.
Review: This is one of those amazing movies that makes you want to jump off the couch and do more for your fellow man. As an avid supporter and volunteer in arts and culture here in Des Moines, it made me think about human service needs here in our community and abroad. This movie was graphic and real. I recommend this picture to anyone who needs a break from the typical drama, comedy, and fiction filling our world and televisions today. Step out beyond your homes, beyond your sofa, and help with our world's problems!
Rating:
Summary: Near Miss
Review: This movie has good intentions, but ends more as disaster tourism. The humanitarian crises end up providing exotic, dangerous backdrops for a love story that never quite takes off. Sarah and the doctor remain two dimensional, especially the doctor. We never know these two people, except as noble, committed souls. There are few simply human moments between them, where they connect as people; it is all crisis without character development. By the time they got to Chechneya, I had lost most of my suspension of disbelief, and much of my interest. I also couldn't help but be annoyed by Sarah's wealth. Most of us would like to help but don't have the luxury of cashing in our savings to buy truckloads of food and vaccines, or of winging in and out of dangerous countries. Then there were Ms Jolie's costumes, made more with an eye to what the camera would love than realism. When she appears in war-torn Chechneya looking fashionable in a priceless sable hat, it is absurd--particularly when she arrives in a remote cabin after a mountain trek with makeup flawlessly in place. This is a movie that wants both glamour and realism. You can't have both. The scenes in Ethiopia reminded me of Helen Fielding's pre-Bridget Jones novel "Cause Celeb," which did a much better job of exploring the world of aid workers. It kept them human by making the point that no matter how noble the work they do, many aid workers are also escaping something back home. Not only that, but being in a crisis doesn't make those problems go away. Though the novel's ending is somewhat unbelievable, this is still a good book to read if you are curious about the world of humanitarian aid. Still, in spite of its flaws, it almost worked. Had the love story been more gripping, no doubt it would have. If you are a fan of either star, you won't be able to resist seeing this in theatres, and you will probably enjoy it. For others, I'd say wait for video.
Rating:
Summary: Schock film!
Review: This movie is deeply bitter. It's touchimg and it deals with a premise that we forget too many times , inmersed as we are in our daily activities.
In a beautiful wedding a doctor will suddenly appear and will denounces the injustice for having denied them an important amount of money for the homeless and poor people from Africa.
This breakthrough will twist the life of Sarah Jordan (Angelina Jolie) and she will become the most exhaustive fighter for this noble cause.
Campbell makes a good and haunting movie , even there are some irrelevant scenes , but you never miss the interest in the story . Obviously this world of injustice will generate the unavoidable atraction between them .
Jolie gives a very realistic portrait.
The rest of the story runs for you .
Interesting story , above the average .
Rating:
Summary: eye opener
Review: This movie should have been PG to teach the youth of today the real world of today and that there are nations out there that have nothing like the U.S.A.We the people of the U.S.A are so in to are selfs that we are blind or just {out of sight out of mind}to the hunger the displaced the sick and on and on. As one person can't do much but as a nation just giveing $1.00 could save millions of people,that is what I'm going to do, find out were I can send my donations. God Bless the U.S.A
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