Rent Edge of the World (2021)

Unrelentingly dull - Edge of the World review by Alphaville

You know those historical documentaries with dramatised reconstructions that never seem real? This whole film is like a series of those reconstructions… plus a laughably sonorous voiceover to fill in the gaps. Little plot, cardboard characters, risible dialogue, phone-in acting, bland direction.

It’s billed as ‘a swashbuckling adventure’. If only. There’s a woke message here as real-life Victorian adventurer Sir James Brook boats through the Borneo jungle fighting slavery, but few will care. Apparently his story inspired Apocalypse Now. If only art-house director Michael Haussman had binge-watched Apocalypse Now to find inspiration for this turgid art-house drama.

Derring-do Malay-set Movie Very Loosely Based on a True Story from 1840s - Edge of the World review by PV

This film would have been so much better if it had stayed loyal to the true story of James Brooke, an upper class Brit born 1803, who, as many in the British Empire fought to end slavery - and pirac.

He restored the Sultan of Brunei to the throne in the far east, and was made the Rajah of Sarawak as a thank you.

He was Probably gay or at least bisexual too - he retired to Devon and evidence is from there, plus possible relationships he had in Sarawak. Of course, that is left out of this film though a native young local member of the nobility comes on to him.

He Also met and knew Alfred Russel Wallace who with Darwin came up with the theory of natural selection for evolution, yet that is left out. His nephew and his son succeeded him but the son was deposed. Fascinating stuff.

This film however chooses to make this a derring-do swashbuckler with glimpses of fact but mostly fiction. Made for a US and Chinese/far east audience no doubt. Hence the often anti-British rhetoric. And it is shameful that Britain is referred to as England throughout esp when they want to portray a baddie - it was the BRITISH empire. Not English and a great many Welsh, Scots and Irish involved. This is the 1980s for goodness sake, not 2014.

But as a starter for research this is a useful film. Errol Flynn was supposed to make a movie of this called the White Rajah in 1936 but it was never made. Joseph Conrad based the hero of his Lord Jim novel on Brooke.

It really could have been so much better. 2 stars. Would have been 3 but for the appalling reference to England instead of Britain and the lack of union flags.

Boring - Edge of the World review by Crocodileroc

A truly awful film. Based on real historic event I learnt something new to me of the history of Borneo. This film could not be compared with "The Revenant" or "The last of the Mohicans" which were both excellent films compared to this rubbish. I was disappointed that the film was tainted with political correct sentiments criticising the British Empire etc.