Beyond Borders R, 128m Starring: Angelina Jolie, Clive Owen and Noah Emmerich Directed by Martin Campbell Opens Friday, Oct. 24
4 / 4 stars
Fernando Solanas and Octavio Getino once wrote: "The camera is a gun that can shoot 24 frames per second." In the hand of director Martin Campbell, the camera certainly is a gun - and it is powerful. His new film, "Beyond Borders," is undoubtedly the most profoundly touching film this year. "Beyond Borders" is far more than an Angelina Jolie movie. In fact, despite her strong acting abilities, Jolie is one of the most mediocre parts of the film.
The film's narrative spans 11 years and takes place in London, Africa, Cambodia and Chechnya. Jolie plays Sarah Jordan, an American recently married to an English man, played by Linus Roache. The film begins in the mid-1980s with Sarah and her husband attending a benefit in London. Nick Callahan, played powerfully by Clive Owen, bursts into the benefit carrying an emaciated African boy, protesting the funds cut of his camp in Africa. Moved by his cause, Sarah decides to take her savings and leave immediately for Africa. Sarah is the typical American, with her I-can-save-the-world attitude and designer clothes and perfume. Her character makes American viewers uncomfortable because they can see themselves reflected in her. Sarah fails to understand true suffering and death because she has never faced it. But through visceral, shocking imagery Campbell expertly forces understanding on the audience.
The violence in this film is not gratuitous shoot-em-up gore that graces the screens of most R-rated films. Because the violence is only employed when necessary, it has a greater effect. Some scenes in the film are so effective that they draw tears of shock from even the most stoic viewers.
Sarah returns from Africa to her husband, creates a normal life and has a son, all the while with Nick and his work in the back of her mind. After experiencing Africa, Sarah cannot simply return to the world of wealth and apathy, so she works at the United Nations. Several years later, circumstances place her back in Nick's company in Cambodia, where they finally allow their passion and love for each other to surface.
After a brief visit to Cambodia, Sarah again returns to London. Though she tries to live normally and forget about Nick, Sarah worries when she cannot contact him. At this point the movie loses its save-the-world direction and dives into Hollywood-romance territory: the movie's one major flaw.
Until this point, besides the complementary sex scene, Campbell provides viewers with a gritty look at life outside the realm of Western thought. But, in accordance with an unwritten Hollywood law that says every movie must revolve around a love story, he lets the film slip into sentiment.
The final third of the film, which takes place in Chechnya where Sarah tries to save Nick, is incredibly powerful, but not as good as the rest of the film. At one point viewers just want Sarah to forget Nick and go save that cute little African boy she helped in the beginning of the film.
"Beyond Borders" is a powerful viewing experience. Audience members should expect to leave the theater shaken, wiping tears from their eyes. There is a distinct possibility that a viewer might go home, sell his or her belongings and go save children in Africa. The film is that powerful. But it would have been even more moving had Campbell stuck to his vision and ignored Hollywood's ideals, which, without Campell's brilliant directing and a strong ending, would have spoiled an amazing film.
The camera used to film "Beyond Borders" can absolutely be construed as a weapon: A weapon that is aimed to destroy Western apathy and leave in its wake a sense of much-needed international awareness.
