Parents' Guide to

Beyond the Reach

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Nonsensical cat-and-mouse thriller has violence, language.

Movie R 2015 91 minutes
Beyond the Reach Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 1 parent review

whydontwe1234
whydontwe1234 Adult
May 7, 2019
age 10+
I think you should read the book deathwatch by Robb White

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Ben (Jeremy Irvine), a skilled tracker and guide in the Mojave desert, has a crisis of conscience when his girlfriend (Hanna Mangan Lawrence) leaves for college. His distraught mood is interrupted by a job: taking a wealthy slimeball, John Madec (Michael Douglas), hunting in a dangerous part of the desert known as "The Reach." Driving Madec's $500,000 Mercedes SUV, which is packed with weapons, water, and food, they begin the hunt. It's not long before Madec accidentally shoots a man. He offers Ben a huge bribe to keep quiet, but when Ben balks, Madec forces the young man to strip to his underwear and run around the desert, assuming he'll die of exposure. But it turns out that Ben is quite difficult to kill.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This movie is lost and confused. BEYOND THE REACH is based on a 1972 novel by Robb White, an author who collaborated on cheesy horror movies from legendary schlockmeister William Castle (13 Ghosts). If only this movie could have taken itself less seriously. Instead, its baffling plot turns and character motivations are presented in a straightforward, dead-eyed manner. Not much actually makes sense, and even striking sets -- like a secret cave populated by a spinning mannequin -- just seem more confusing than surprising.

The actors are unable to convey any real emotions or logic behind their actions, but if the images of Douglas watching Irvine running around in his undies are nonsensical, they're nothing compared to the awkward and downright dumb opening and closing scenes. All this is head-scratching when you consider that Douglas was an active producer on the movie -- and once won an Oscar for doing the same job.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Beyond the Reach's violence. How much is shown, and how much is implied? Is it meant to shock or to thrill? How does it compare to other thrillers and action movies you've seen?

  • How does the movie make you feel about rich people, as opposed to "regular" people? Do you think that's intentional?

  • Why do you think Michael Douglas' character drinks in this movie? Does he enjoy it? Does he make it look appealing?

  • What's the appeal of movies in which characters stalk and terrorize each other?

Movie Details

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