we could paraphrase michelle pfieffer's character in dangerous minds and say that beyond rangoon starts with an " a . " that's fair enough . all movies , like all school children , should be given the benefit of the doubt . the chance to succeed . after all , we like to think that the right combination of talent and effort can do wonders . mountains can be moved , and good movies can be made . yeah right . children fail , as do films . as does director john boorman's latest . the success of beyond rangoon hinges on the believability of patricia arquette ( ed wood , true romance ) as the busty westerner-in-peril wandering about 1988 burma without a passport . though we can stomach the mild plot contrivances that get her there , it's a tougher task to overlook the actress . she's a lightweight . as the first scene ( with narration ! ) demonstrates , she doesn't have * nearly * enough range for the emotions that her character--a mother fleeing the memories of a murdered husband and son--is supposed to show . she may give a stronger performance than , say , keanu reeves in a walk in the clouds , by not by much . beyond rangoon is a very physically appealing film , thanks to the practiced craftsmanship of john boorman ( deliverance , excalibur , hope and glory ) . he keeps the narrative moving , no matter how muddy the story--or the heroine--gets . why he chose arquette remains a mystery , though . maybe he was thinking that the dramatic weight of the story would overcome any casting deficiencies . but even after an hour of half-stated political statements and murky mass killings , we * still * don't know enough of what's happening in this country to feel distressed for the characters or their situations . empty exoticism . the technical credits in beyond rangoon are a curious mix , combining lush jungle photography with bad blue-screen work . also odd is the obvious dubbing . done to make some of the foreign characters sound less foreign ? and , is it my mistake , or do the same extras keep reappearing as different soldiers ? ? doo doo doo doo . [ " twilight zone " theme , or opinion of movie . you be the judge . ]
