Beyond Justice

This film is a lazy studio money grab. They took a five hour mini-series called Law of the Desert (AKA: Maktub) and chopped it down to around 90 minutes and released it as an action movie. The trouble is that the original mini-series was a whole lot more than an action movie. Hours of material were left on the cutting room floor including assassination attempts and the entire subplot involving Elliott Gould.

The editing is so sloppily done that some of the cuts will jar you. People disappear and reappear in inexplicable ways. And quite egregiously, Omar Sharif's character arc was largely removed from the ending.

On a positive note, many of the action sequences were largely left intact.

A rich, bossy executive's son is kidnapped by her ex-husband, an arab who has been warned to return to his people or face the consequences, which could include her death. When he and the boy arrive at the settlement of his father, the Emir (Omar Sharif), he is informed that, because he has been a bad boy who transgressed against his society's precepts, he will be bypassed and his son, now thirteen, will eventually rule the Emir's people. Meanwhile, the frantic mother (Carol Alt, looking quite elegant) has been put in touch with a specialist in "dirty" operations (Rutger Hauer), who agrees, for a price, to rescue the boy from the Emir's clutches. At this point, the movie begins to slow down as Hauer and his associates penetrate the Emir's lair. There's a lack of imagination and flair to the filming. They just crunch it out. One gets tired of seeing people diving off camels or rolling down sand dunes after they get shot. The film score sounds as if it were written for some other, equally pedestrian movie. And just when you think everything is about to be tied up in a neat package, there's a twenty-minute coda of more gunplay. When you run out of dialogue or plot twists, get out those AK-47s. Does the father pay for his "crime"? Does the kid get saved? Does the Emir say "It is written....?" Does Hauer end up with Alt? Have you ever seen a movie?

If you are a big fan of Rutger Hauer you might even *enjoy* this movie, otherwise, don't spend your time on this one. The music is awful and so are the action scenes, if you want to see Rutger's action film i recommend seeing rather split second or arctic blue.

I never heard of this Italian made film...I caught on Long Islands ch.55 late night movie.. I was amazed.. its a fascinating adventure, beautifully photographed and well acted.. Sustained my interest even at this 2am viewing! It is somewhat cliched, and stereotypic, but an exciting tale well told.. In view of our present world conflict, it gives some insight into the tribal nomadic existences of the various cults that still exist !!, and the mores and values which still persist. Worth seeing...

Late night at the drug store picking up ice & vodka,i notice a rack of discount DVDs. Rite in front i find a Collector's edition, 4 hrs. Rutger Hauer action pack for $3.99. My evening is looking up! First up, Beyond Justice, A fantastic story of international intrigue, moral responsibility, as a hansom mercenary (Rutger Hauer) is hired by a beautiful and rich divorce (Carrol Alt) to rescue her kidnapped son from his father who has taken him back to his homeland of Morraco. The X husband is clearly in a dilemma that would test the limits of any well intending man. His father is a Emir of a nomadic tribe in Morraco and has threatened to kill his X wife if he dose not deliver the boy to him to claim his prince hood.

Needles to say as i was drinking my vodka and cleaning my guns, i enjoyed this movie very much. hope you like it to!