Advanced Search Beta »
Basic Search Fields
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
Metascore
35 out of 100

Generally unfavorable - based on 11 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 11
  3. Negative: 2 out of 11
view
per page
  1. NPR
    Reviewed by: Ella Taylor
    60
    Like the decent B-movie director that he is, Hyams tosses in two gripping car chases and blows up a few more vehicles for good measure. But otherwise, there's little in this pointless rehash to distract audiences from the pleasure of watching Tamblyn.
  2. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Claudia Puig
    50
    Lacks tension or mystery. Even the courtroom scenes feel artificial.
  3. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    50
    He squeezes a bit of suspenseful juice out of the old plot, and Douglas makes smarm a chewy pleasure, but this is a noir in search of a hero we can root for because we actually buy what he's doing.
  4. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Melissa Anderson
    50
    Lang's film, the last he made in the U.S., exposed the immorality of the death penalty; Hyams's retread offers only more plot and longer, louder car chases.
  5. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Jeannette Catsoulis
    50
    Despite excellent stunt work and a too-brief appearance by Orlando Jones as an unflappable cop, the movie -- unlike Mr. Douglas's hairdo -- never rises above mediocrity.
  6. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Frank Scheck
    40
    The lack of charisma exhibited by leads Jesse Metcalfe and Amber Tamblyn doesn't help matters, and not even the stalwart presence of Michael Douglas fails to provide the proceedings with sufficient gravitas.
  7. Empire
    Reviewed by: Staff (Not credited)
    40
    Comes across as more 80s TV movie than 50s period piece.
  8. Time Out New York
    Reviewed by: Aaron Hillis
    40
    The scam is so crazy, it just might work…for a throwaway episode of "Law & Order."
  9. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Robert Abele
    40
    The leads can't lend either spunk or gravitas to what was already a preposterous yarn 50 years ago.
  10. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    25
    What I can't figure out is how director Peter Hyams can remake a 1956 movie from the great Fritz Lang and not learn anything about suspense, pacing and storytelling in the process. This movie is beyond boring. You could stay warm for two hours by striking a match to the wooden acting.
  11. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Kyle Smith
    0
    The would-be noir Beyond a Rea sonable Doubt has an absurd story, but on the plus side you can hardly see what's going on because the photography is so murky.
prev next
Page:
  • 1

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
4.6 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 2 out of 4
  1. moviegrabbag
    1
    It's sad that Michael Douglas signed onto this movie. The dialogue is complete crap and the last line of the movie is stupid and laughable. Worst of all the movie builds up to nothing. It feels like it just stops. I get the feeling that the producers wanted to give it a manageable running time so they cut large chunks that might have helped the movie, but not likely based on the dialogue up to this point. The wist ending to the movie is also horribly obvious from well before the second act gets started. Don't waste your time on this piece of garbage… Full Review »
  2. Ronnie
    7
    I like it, because it kept me interested enough with a final not obvious at all. Perhaps you could spend some time enjoying it ;)
  3. K.R.B.
    2
    We rented this from Shaw's Video on Demand for $5.99 because the wife likes Michael Douglas. We should have just waited for it to come out on the Woman's Television Network.… Full Review »
See all user reviews »