Edge of the World - Film Review

As the COVID-19 Pandemic shuts down more and more theaters and Disney forces out more and more competition, it has become increasingly harder to find anything new in cinemas that isn't completely soulless. Hearing about this film gave me some hope that although we may not see many original films in theaters anymore, cinema is not dead or dying. It's merely between homes at the moment.

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Where You Can Find It: I viewed this one on Amazon Video where it is available for rent/purchase.

General Information 
Edge of the World is an adventure drama film that was released straight-to-video on 21 June 2021. It was directed by Michael Haussman and was written and co-produced by Rob Allyn. A particularly fascinating element about this film is that it is a co-venture between filmmakers from China, America, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia. Furthermore, it was made in coordination with the Sarawak Tourism Board as it was shot on-location in Borneo. Unfortunately, as this film had no theatrical release, an understanding of its financial success/failure cannot be determined at this time. If one were to gauge its legacy off of critics though, it would likely be considered a bit of a dud. As of 10 August 2021, it holds a 42 Metascore on Metacritic and a slightly better 59% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes. I must admit that I am a bit suspicious of the reviews though, as I am unsure if some of the negativity for this film is due to controversial topics featured in it, like the "Great White Savior" trope, colonialism, and religion, or if it's merely due to its quality. I imagine it is both, however all reviews are subjective and I take some comfort in the fact that this film is based on actual history.

The Story

Having left British society in disgrace, ex-mercenary and adventurer James Brooke (played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers) travels to Borneo in a modified schooner to explore the unknown jungles of what is now known as the South China Sea. Shortly upon arriving, Brooke allies himself with the Sultanate of Brunei to put down a rebel resistance within the expansive Sarawak countryside. The alliance is not entirely peaceful however, as Brooke finds himself working with two different officials in the sultanate, Pengiran Mahkota (Bront Palarae) and Pengiran Badaruddin (Samo Rafael) who both have different objectives. Brooke's time in Borneo quickly affects him as he becomes attached to the island and realizes he must learn all of its secrets if he hopes to navigate the political and cultural nuances it holds.

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Brooke better not lose his head in this adventure, or else someone is liable to run off with it

Knowing very little about the real James Brooke, it was fascinating seeing a stranger-than-fiction story about a pirate-hunting explorer meet with headhunting tribes and negotiate with Brunei royalty. The first third of the film is arguably the best as the viewers share Brooke's experience with these new cultures. We learn quite a bit about Brooke as we follow his journey, however this level of complexity does not extend to other characters nearly as much as it should. The two pengirans (another word for "governor" I believe) lack a decent amount of depth as their positions of authority are never satisfactorily explained. Mahkota is slightly more developed than Badaruddin, however I wish we could've seen a bit more of both of them. Similarly, Brooke's cousin, Arthur Crookshanks (Dominic Monaghan), had the potential to be a great character as there is genuine conflict between him and Brooke, however it's never fully explored.

There are numerous times in the narrative where the plot felt disjointed and poorly paced, which led to me feeling confused as to what was happening, or why something had happened. Some of this is due to the poor editing, which may have been a byproduct of a smaller budget. The initial war with the rebels was particularly befuddling as we initially see Brooke being uninterested in joining the fight, but then he seems to be the most eager to shed blood without much explanation. The final act is even stranger as a conflict with a particular tribe requires Brooke to get access to a certain piece of technology, however that plot point is seemingly dropped for no clear reason.

Warning: Minor spoilers ahead. The last aspect of this film's story I'd like to address is the conflicted messaging it presents by the ending. Much of Brooke's story focuses on mercy and a desire to be better. Brooke is frequently regarded as someone who kills for profit and runs from his own problems, but the viewers can tell that this is something he desperately wants to put behind him. When he's eventually put into a position of authority over the locals, he advocates mercy and discourages beheadings while also hoping to promote a new way of governing that differs from what the natives are used to, as well as the cruel methodology of the British. Near the end of the first act, this argument is truly tested as he's presented with the chance to kill a treacherous enemy and instead spares him. This act of mercy causes both Brooke and the people surrounding him grave harm that eventually concludes in a horrific bloodbath. The final takeaway seems to be that mercy and self-improvement are unrealistic, but I don't believe this was the intended message by Haussman. 

Special Effects/Atmosphere

I mentioned this in the Story section, but special effects seemed somewhat limited in this film and I'm making the assumption that this was due to finances. There are some fight scenes, however they're edited incredibly poorly to the point of where it becomes difficult to understand what's going on. An example is near the beginning when Brooke fires a canon at a rebel fortress, but the camera immediately jumps to the aftermath of the shot as opposed to the ensuing explosion. I suppose this was done to avoid paying for pyrotechnics that such a sequence would require. Similarly, fight scenes have little to no choreography, however these scenes are generally quite short.

Where this film makes its money is in the beautiful atmosphere and costume design. The fact that a good chunk of this film was shot on location is certainly worth mentioning. The jungles of Borneo are beautiful, and I never got tired to taking in the sights and sounds. I recall one particular scene at night where the audio of the jungle's backdrop was just spectacular. Similarly, the costume designs for both the Brits and the tribesmen of Sarawak was really amazing to see. I'm no expert on Sarawak culture, so I can't speak to whether the outfits and customs were accurate or not, however I can at least say that everything looked real, and that extends to the little details as well. Some of the best scenes in this film are when Brooke is just observing or talking to the locals. 

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The jungles of Borneo hold many secrets

The Acting

It's been a while since I last reviewed something with Rhys Meyers in it, but I'm glad to see he's still getting work as I think he's a highly underrated actor. He practically carries the film entirely on his own. We see a similar performance to how he acted in season four of Tudors as Brooke is quite world-weary at this point, however Rhys Meyers shows again and again that he has the range. I experienced a brief flashback of season two when Rhys Meyers shouted at some Brits from his high-backed chair and it made me excited at the prospect of him being featured in something else again.

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Jonathan Rhys Meyers is the heart of this film

I never really saw enough of any of the other actors to get a good idea of where anyone stood in this. It's always good to see Dominic Monaghan, as I loved him in Lord of the Rings and in Lost, but he never got the screen-time his character needed. I was curious to see Josie Ho in action, as her name carries a great deal of weight in China, however she also is little more than a background character for a few scenes. All of this missing depth makes me wonder if the film needed more run-time to properly convey the story it wanted to tell so its characters (and actors) could get the attention that they deserve.

The Best of the Best: The backdrop of a real Borneo with impeccably designed costumes and cultural mannerisms lets the viewer experience Borneo for themselves.

The Worst of the Worst: The shoddy pacing and confusing editing.

Calhooey Score: 6/10 - Above Average

Would I Recommend?

5

I really wanted to like this one more as Borneo fascinates me and the life of James Brooke sounds like something out of a pulp fiction story. I hate to say it, but this film needed more work and it suffers accordingly. I recommend this to those that are interested in Southeast Asia or even historical dramas, but it lacks the depth for general audiences. At the very least, this film may work great as an introduction to James Brooke's legacy, of which I am eager to learn more about.

Spoiler Comments

• Dominic Monaghan's handlebar mustache is legendary in this film and may be worth the price of admission all by itself.
• I'm starting to wonder if Jonathan Rhys Meyers has simply been type-cast as the guy that plays emotionally damaged British lords that rule over island kingdoms. It's a pretty specific schtick, but it's his schtick.
• Maybe it's because I play too much Ace Attorney, but I really wish I could've seen the homicide case made against the crocodile.
• Although Elizabeth had her ears sliced off, I can't help but be amazed that the Lunan even let her live.
• If someone can explain to me why the steamship was no longer needed for Brooke to face-off with Mahkota and the Snake People, it'd be much appreciated.

References

(1) Edge of the World. (2021). Edge of the World film image. IMDB. Retrieved from: https://m.imdb.com/title/tt3006472/news/?ref_=tt_nwr_sm.

(2) Ong, E. (2021, June 5). Brooke and company image. Borneo Post. Retrieved from: https://www.theborneopost.com/2021/06/05/the-edge-of-the-world-its-online-world-premiere-on-4-june/.

(3) Bahr, L. (2021, June 2). Borneo river image. Associated Press. Retrieved from: https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-d63b9ccbef82ef8fb46cbe60dfab99fa/gallery/1da7d78a9b9b4c93b9f0f1229b226104.

(4) Nordine, M. (2021, June 3). Jonathan Rhys Meyers image. Variety. Retrieved from: https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/edge-of-the-world-review-1234987964/.

(5) Bahr, L. (2021, June 2). Night ritual image. Associated Press. Retrieved from: https://apnews.com/article/film-reviews-entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-d63b9ccbef82ef8fb46cbe60dfab99fa/gallery/834e1897f9b84e6ebbbe89d90e4e824a.