RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Beyond Borders
Beyond Borders

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Beyond Borders (2003)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
14 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:99

Fresh:14

Rotten:85

Average Rating:4.3/10

Consensus: Beyond Borders is good-intentioned, but the use of human suffering as a backdrop for a romance comes across as sanctimonious and exploitative.

Runtime: 2 hrs 6 mins

Genre: Dramas

US Box Office: $4,394,454

Synopsis: Director Martin Campbell (GOLDENEYE) balances a romantic tale, serious political commentary, and beautifully shot scenery from exotic locations in BEYOND BORDERS. Oscar winner Angelina Jolie gives... Director Martin Campbell (GOLDENEYE) balances a romantic tale, serious political commentary, and beautifully shot scenery from exotic locations in BEYOND BORDERS. Oscar winner Angelina Jolie gives a moving performance inspired by her real-life U.N. work, and has the perfect romantic foil in Clive Owen. Ostensibly a tale of romance triumphing against the odds, this is in fact a multifaceted story that deals with its various topics in a visually arresting style. BEYOND BORDERS follows the problematic blossoming romance between busy American socialite Sarah Jordan (Jolie), and rogue doctor Nick Callahan (Owen). The two initially meet in 1984 at a charity event in London. Sarah is still flushed with excitement from her recent marriage, but is nevertheless enchanted by Nick's impassioned speech on behalf of starving children in Ethiopia. Sarah decides to help the cause in Africa, meeting Nick there and sparking a romantic connection which is cut short because of family and work commitments. Four years later, Sarah finds herself alone after a torrid divorce. Her work for the United Nations now consumes her thoughts, and when the chance to travel to war-torn Cambodia--and reunite with Nick--arises, it proves too good to turn down. The two immediately hit it off, but Nick's commitment to his work once again causes them to separate. Five more years pass, and when Sarah receives a call that Nick has been captured and made a prisoner of war in Chechnya, she realizes she has one more chance to rescue her man, and to rekindle the passion. [More]

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Clive Owen, Teri Polo, Linus Roache

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Clive Owen, Teri Polo, Linus Roache, Noah Emmerich, Yorick Van Wageningen

Director: Martin Campbell

Director: Martin Campbell
Screenwriter: Caspian Tredwell-Owen
Producer: Dan Halsted, Lloyd Phillips
Composer: James Horner
Studio: Paramount Pictures

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Beyond Borders Trailer
    >
1 of 1

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Beyond Borders

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
10/18/08
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/30/06
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

...brutally haunting images ... in a setting where sappy dialogue evaporates like water.

Full Review Source: Tyler Morning Telegraph (Texas) | comment Comment
09/20/04
Mark Collette
Mark Collette
Tyler Morning Telegraph (Texas)

Se abordar os esforços humanitários ao redor do planeta é admirável, colocá-los em segundo plano para priorizar uma história de amor é mais do que frustrante; é imperdoável.

Full Review Source: Cinema em Cena | comment Comment
03/17/04
Pablo Villaca
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena

Beyond Borders trivializes the pain and suffering of actual people by reducing them to a backdrop for Hollywood twaddle.

Full Review Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette | comment Comment
01/01/04
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Affecting moments appear sporadically in Beyond Borders, but they can’t amend for the movie’s lack of shame.

Full Review Source: Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia) | comment Comment
11/22/03
Mark Palermo
Mark Palermo
Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

"Beyond Borders" is a soap opera with its heart in the right place.

Full Review Source: Quad City Times (Davenport, IA) | comment Comment
11/17/03
Linda Cook
Linda Cook
Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Modamag.com | comment Comment
11/07/03
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
Modamag.com

While most movies insist on having 'plots,' this one boldly proceeds without one, flying in the face of convention.

Full Review Source: EricDSnider.com | comment Comment
11/04/03
Eric D. Snider
Eric D. Snider
EricDSnider.com

Those expecting Jolie's character to end up feeding and clothing every indigent person on the planet might be surprised at the movie's toughness and refusal to compromise.

Full Review Source: Creative Loafing | comment Comment
11/04/03
Matt Brunson
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing

Beyond Borders should have been to relief efforts what Schindler’s List was to the Holocaust. Or what Saving Private Ryan was to WWII.

Full Review Source: Aisle Seat | comment Comment
11/02/03
Mike McGranaghan
Mike McGranaghan
Aisle Seat
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
11/01/03
Boston Phoenix
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The idea of people from the West, previously indifferent, who immerse themselves in sickness and war in an effort to make a difference has been explored less melodramatically in an ongoing story arc on TV's E.R.

Full Review Source: Journal News (Westchester, NY) | comment Comment
10/30/03
Marshall Fine
Marshall Fine
Journal News (Westchester, NY)

A silly movie made all the more silly by how much it wants not to be a silly movie.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
10/30/03
Tim Cogshell
Tim Cogshell
Boxoffice Magazine

It wavers like a child wanting to dive in to the deep end of a pool.

Full Review Source: Talking Pictures (U.S.) | comment Comment
10/30/03
Tony Toscano
Tony Toscano
Talking Pictures (U.S.)

Beyond Borders can be wrenching and vigorously committed, but it’s also occasionally tasteless and calculating. Think Doctor Zhivago with landmines.

Full Review Source: State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL) | comment Comment
10/30/03
Paul Povse
Paul Povse
State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL)

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Zertinet Movies | comment Comment
10/29/03
Steven Snyder
Steven Snyder
Zertinet Movies

It is a rather callous, travelogue look at misery around the world.

Full Review Source: FilmsInReview.com | comment Comment
10/29/03
Victoria Alexander
Victoria Alexander
FilmsInReview.com

Beyond Borders is one of those rare big-budget films that has something of vital importance to say about the real world, and pulls no punches saying it.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
10/28/03
Bruce Feld
Bruce Feld
Film Journal International

This pop nugget of McHistory, for all of its aspirations to sermonize, never elevates beyond a simplistic morality tale of, well, black and white.

Full Review Source: Premiere Magazine | comment Comment
10/28/03
Scott Warren
Scott Warren
Premiere Magazine
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
all

Latest News for Beyond Borders

May 20, 2005: Trailer Bulletin: The Island
Yahoo! Movies brings us an all-new trailer for Michael Bay's sci-fi thriller "The Island." A tale of utopian societies, rampant cloning, and desperate escapes,... More...

See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

56% 56% 9 09/12
66% 66% Away We Go 10/12
16% 16% Planet 51 03/12
70% 70% Religulous 03/12

What’s Hot On RT

Ban Them All!

Ban Them All!

10 Most Controversial Movies

Zombieland

Zombieland

Director Ruben Fleischer's favourites

New Avatar action

New Avatar action

Watch an exclusive chase clip from the film

Kids' Book Films

Kids' Book Films

We fly through 10 of the best

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
69
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
24
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
48
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
128
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
182
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
93
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
92
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
84
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
72
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
45
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
23
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
22
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
16
  • Win A Signed Where the Wild Things Are Poster
3
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
16
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
21
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Beyond Borders at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Beyond Borders at IGN
  • Beyond Borders at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Dressing Wonderland
Dressing Wonderland External Link

Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.

Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Win Glee DVDs
Win Glee DVDs External Link

We've got 20 copies of the hit TV series' Pilot Episode to giveaway.

Win tickets to Cold Souls
Win tickets to Cold Souls External Link

Double passes up for grabs to the new comedy starring Paul Giamatti.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Star Wars prizes
Win Star Wars prizes External Link

Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser

Win the entire 007 collection
Win the entire 007 collection External Link

Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.

Win Fight Club Special Editions and more
Win Fight Club Special Editions and more External Link

We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.