I saw "A Far Off Place" in the theaters. At the time, I wasn't familiar with Reese Witherspoon. When I was reading about her a few years later, I was a little surprised to find out that the girl in "A Far Off Place" was her. "AFOP" might teach you all that you need to know about poaching. It portrays Nonnie Parker (Witherspoon) and Harry Winslow (Ethan Embry) having to flee into the Kalahari with guide Xhabbo (Sarel Bok) after their camp gets attacked by poachers. Throughout the trip across the desert, the three of them not only get to know each other, but get a feel for the land. This is one movie that you're sure to like.
23 Reviews
No politically correct nonsense here
CuriosityKilledShawn22 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I've voiced my displeasure at the current state of Disney movies before and pointed out how vastly different they are in the 21st Century to movies that were made as recently as the 90s.
Reese Witherspoon plays Nonnie Parker and Ethan Embry her reluctant friend Harry. Both kids are living with their parents in rural Africa when their home is attacked by Ivory poachers. With their bushman friend Xhabbo as a guide the kids take off across the Kalahari desert to reach the safety of the coast and nearest town, while the poachers plan to kill off their only witnesses.
A Far Off Place opens with the massacre of a herd of elephants. The killers themselves are then mercilessly gunned down by supporting hero Col. Theron. Would Disney DARE allow a scene like this in the 21st Century? Look at the quality of Tim Allen's The Shaggy Dog and you'll find your answer. For any family-orientated movie it takes some nerve to open with killing such as this but even 16-year-old Nonnie herself is at ease yielding a rifle and doesn't hesitate to blow-up bad guys.
The African desert scenery is gorgeous and director Mikael Salomon (who also made the underrated Hard Rain) fills the movie with lovely cinematography. The dunes, the blue sky, the night sky...it all makes you wish for a sunny holiday.
A Far Off Place (a combination of two novels "A Story Like the Wind" and "A Far Off Place" by Laurens Van der Post) is not a well known movie and is quite hard to find, but it's worth hunting down. A shame that such a good movie has fallen off the radar.
Reese Witherspoon plays Nonnie Parker and Ethan Embry her reluctant friend Harry. Both kids are living with their parents in rural Africa when their home is attacked by Ivory poachers. With their bushman friend Xhabbo as a guide the kids take off across the Kalahari desert to reach the safety of the coast and nearest town, while the poachers plan to kill off their only witnesses.
A Far Off Place opens with the massacre of a herd of elephants. The killers themselves are then mercilessly gunned down by supporting hero Col. Theron. Would Disney DARE allow a scene like this in the 21st Century? Look at the quality of Tim Allen's The Shaggy Dog and you'll find your answer. For any family-orientated movie it takes some nerve to open with killing such as this but even 16-year-old Nonnie herself is at ease yielding a rifle and doesn't hesitate to blow-up bad guys.
The African desert scenery is gorgeous and director Mikael Salomon (who also made the underrated Hard Rain) fills the movie with lovely cinematography. The dunes, the blue sky, the night sky...it all makes you wish for a sunny holiday.
A Far Off Place (a combination of two novels "A Story Like the Wind" and "A Far Off Place" by Laurens Van der Post) is not a well known movie and is quite hard to find, but it's worth hunting down. A shame that such a good movie has fallen off the radar.
The Kalahari adventure!
Reno-Rangan24 July 2016
If you are a Disney live-action film fan, you won't disappoint with it. It comes between the regular Disney films and Disney nature films. It sets in somewhere in the Namibia and takes us with to a great adventure which is more like a documentary film than a film with a story. Actually, there was a small story, mostly on the opening and the end part and the rest of the film was a foot journey like 'The Way Back'. Based on the book of the same name about a girl and a boy who team up with a bushman to cross the Kalahari desert after their family was attacked by the poachers.
I did not know anything about it, so I expected nothing. But I thought of 'The Gods Must be Crazy', since it is not a comedy, I prepared for something new. I really liked the film, but not that much. Spectacular African landscapes, and awesome performances by everyone. I would have loved it if a few more wild animals participated in it, after all African flavour means that's what we all anticipate, especially the children. So from that perspective, it is slightly a disappointment, but not much. Other than that it is a fine family film from a trusted production house.
6.5/10
I did not know anything about it, so I expected nothing. But I thought of 'The Gods Must be Crazy', since it is not a comedy, I prepared for something new. I really liked the film, but not that much. Spectacular African landscapes, and awesome performances by everyone. I would have loved it if a few more wild animals participated in it, after all African flavour means that's what we all anticipate, especially the children. So from that perspective, it is slightly a disappointment, but not much. Other than that it is a fine family film from a trusted production house.
6.5/10
An Inspiring Journey
Brien_Salix28 July 2003
There are so many things I love about this movie. The score is wonderful, and the actors reveal human depth without dragging us through tiresome dialogue. They learn compassion, selflessness, and perseverance. Even though the plot starts out familiar; two kids at odds with each other, on their own, the film doesn't fall into a rut. instead it presents a refreshing uniqueness with it's quality. It inspires without trying too hard, something most movies fail at horribly. I'm surprised this film is so obscure, but considering how good it is, maybe it isn't.
Wow, touching story
Musicfan37009 January 2002
This story has so much knowledge and truth behind it, it's amazing. Reese is very good in this movie, and it's one of her best films ever. She is amazing & she is smart in this movie. Staying strong and surviving is harder than TV shows, and this movie teaches us so much. That friends and family is more important than anything, and we can make it through difficult times if we just stick together and stay strong. This film is great, and I respect Reese alot more than what I already did now. She should be proud to have portrayed such an emotional and well-rounded role. I'm sure she is proud. This film is great, the acting is cool, and it's emotional. But it's good family fun, or maybe just fun for the Reese fanatic like me.
Probably Not For Pre-Teens
aimless-4612 February 2006
It is unfair to judge a children's film by the same non-technical standards you would judge a film made for a more mature audience. That said, I had a difficult time figuring out the intended target audience for Disney"s "A Far Off Place", an odd mix of "Alaska", "Walkabout", and "Blue Lagoon". Since each of these films had a different target audience (children for "Alaska", adults for "Walkabout", and teens for "Blue Lagoon"), "A Far Off Place" suffers from a poorly matched and confused mix of story elements, the attempt to appeal to multiple target audiences ultimately makes it unappealing to all audiences.
Despite some positive comments on this database, "A Far Off Place" did not impress audiences at the time of its 1993 release and has generated little interest since. Based on stories by South African writer Laurens van der Post, "A Far Off Place" is the story of three teenagers: Nonnie (Reece Witherspoon as a girl raised on South African game preserve), Harry (Ethan Randall as a visiting American boy) and Sorel Bok (as their young Bushman guide Xhabbo) who attempt to evade a gang of ivory poachers by fleeing into the Kalahari Desert. Ethan Randall is actually Ethan Embry from "Can't Hardy Wait".
Although recommended for ages eight and up, younger viewers will be disturbed by the early scenes, where the family's idyllic life is ended by a night attack on their home by the poachers. The house is burned and the parents are murdered. And more mature viewers will be deeply disturbed by the next scene where Nonnie turns into Rambo and kills most of gang in a sequence credible only to a horrified eight-year old.
At this point it begins to look like "Walkabout", a story of an Australian girl, her little brother, and a young Aborigine on his ritual journey to manhood. In a significant deviation from the book Xhabbo's wife does not accompany the group into the desert.
"Walkabout's" more adult theme of interracial sexual awakening is replaced by a "Blue Lagoon" romance between the two white teenagers, a reflection of the film's narrower values and more modest ambitions.
The scenes shot in the desert are almost the equal of "Alaska" for scenic beauty but "Alaska"s" more realistic survival challenges are superior to the blend of survival skills and mystic powers that Xhabbo demonstrates to his two companions during their journey. There is an element of "The Gods Must Be Crazy" in this clash of cultures but the film does not go very far (bad pun intended) with the concept.
Both "Alaska" and "A Far Off Place" insert the element of poacher violence into the journey, to the detriment of the basic story. 'Walkabout" did not need this and found sufficient story material in the enormity of the survival experience.
Bok is excellent as the young Bushman and Randall/Embry's performance is solid if unexceptional. Those interested in Witherspoon's early work would be better served checking out her great debut performance in "The Man In the Moon" and avoiding this career misstep. Those looking for a children/family story should stick with "Alaska".
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
Despite some positive comments on this database, "A Far Off Place" did not impress audiences at the time of its 1993 release and has generated little interest since. Based on stories by South African writer Laurens van der Post, "A Far Off Place" is the story of three teenagers: Nonnie (Reece Witherspoon as a girl raised on South African game preserve), Harry (Ethan Randall as a visiting American boy) and Sorel Bok (as their young Bushman guide Xhabbo) who attempt to evade a gang of ivory poachers by fleeing into the Kalahari Desert. Ethan Randall is actually Ethan Embry from "Can't Hardy Wait".
Although recommended for ages eight and up, younger viewers will be disturbed by the early scenes, where the family's idyllic life is ended by a night attack on their home by the poachers. The house is burned and the parents are murdered. And more mature viewers will be deeply disturbed by the next scene where Nonnie turns into Rambo and kills most of gang in a sequence credible only to a horrified eight-year old.
At this point it begins to look like "Walkabout", a story of an Australian girl, her little brother, and a young Aborigine on his ritual journey to manhood. In a significant deviation from the book Xhabbo's wife does not accompany the group into the desert.
"Walkabout's" more adult theme of interracial sexual awakening is replaced by a "Blue Lagoon" romance between the two white teenagers, a reflection of the film's narrower values and more modest ambitions.
The scenes shot in the desert are almost the equal of "Alaska" for scenic beauty but "Alaska"s" more realistic survival challenges are superior to the blend of survival skills and mystic powers that Xhabbo demonstrates to his two companions during their journey. There is an element of "The Gods Must Be Crazy" in this clash of cultures but the film does not go very far (bad pun intended) with the concept.
Both "Alaska" and "A Far Off Place" insert the element of poacher violence into the journey, to the detriment of the basic story. 'Walkabout" did not need this and found sufficient story material in the enormity of the survival experience.
Bok is excellent as the young Bushman and Randall/Embry's performance is solid if unexceptional. Those interested in Witherspoon's early work would be better served checking out her great debut performance in "The Man In the Moon" and avoiding this career misstep. Those looking for a children/family story should stick with "Alaska".
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
A wonderful movie for adults and children
tric2 September 2001
If only more movies were made to this standard. I saw this movie in the theatre when it first came out, and it was one of the first videotapes I bought. The photography is beautiful. The actors, especially Sarel Bok, are great. I liked that Nonnie became the main character in the movie. The combination of the books A Story Like the Wind and A Far Off Place is seamless in this movie treatment. And the translation from book to screen is near perfect. The spirit of the stories is maintained. The children I have watched this movie with have thoroughly enjoyed it, and we have had very interesting discussions on the themes of protecting wildlife, the environment and the qualities necessary to persevere when faced with life's difficulties and choices.
The cleanest desert
shneur16 April 2006
There's only so much disneyfication one can stomach -- even with the best of intentions. This story of two teenagers and a bushman trekking 2000 km across the Kalahari when the young people survive a massacre that kills their families way exceeded my tolerance. The young man, a city slicker who appears to have never walked further than from his TV to his skateboard, endures the ordeal in hiking boots without so much as a swollen foot. The bushman happily takes a month or two off from feeding his own family to escort the duo across the desert. Of course it goes without saying that everyone remains completely chaste, nobody smells bad, and coiffures get only minimally (and artfully) messed up. Ethan Embry and Reese Witherspoon, both of whom have have continued and advanced steadily as actors up to the present, do the best they can with an impossible script. With just a wee bit of realism, this could have been a worthwhile adventure.
Very original; not a 'knock-off' of "Walk-About"!
cbjslp28 April 2005
This movie about the struggles of these young people in a hostile environment, not knowing who to trust, and learning to know and trust themselves and each other, truly touched me. I have the tape and it is one that I enjoy watching again and again. Several observers have indicated that "A Far Off Place" is a poor re-make of the Australian-set "Walk-About". If they had paid attention to the writing credits, they would have found that "Walk-About" was based on the novel of the same name by James Vance Marshall. "A Far Off Place" is based on two novels by Laurens van der Post: "A Story of the Wind" and "A Far Off Place". Van der Post was by far the more acclaimed author. Several reviewers of both movies have commented on the animal death scenes. In this movie, in the Kalahari, the unanswered question I have wondered about is; what happened to Nonni's dog?
Reese Witherspoon at her finest
col_adam22 October 1998
A Far Off Place is indeed an excellent film. The main reason for this is the characters, the character of Nonnie Parker (Reese Witherspoon) in particular.
Reese's character of Vanessa Lutz in "Freeway" was, like the rest of the movie, one of Matthew Bright's bad acid-trips. The character of Nonnie Parker, however, is portrayed by Reese Witherspoon in such a way that Nonnie takes on a life of her own. She doesn't say much, we don't know much about her, yet for some reason, she seems as real as you and me. If you're really into the movie, you might even fall in love with her.
Reese Witherspoon has portrayed several different types of characters, so it's doubtful we'll ever know what she's like off-screen. I would hope, however, that she's just like Nonnie Parker.
Reese's character of Vanessa Lutz in "Freeway" was, like the rest of the movie, one of Matthew Bright's bad acid-trips. The character of Nonnie Parker, however, is portrayed by Reese Witherspoon in such a way that Nonnie takes on a life of her own. She doesn't say much, we don't know much about her, yet for some reason, she seems as real as you and me. If you're really into the movie, you might even fall in love with her.
Reese Witherspoon has portrayed several different types of characters, so it's doubtful we'll ever know what she's like off-screen. I would hope, however, that she's just like Nonnie Parker.
Read the book, DON'T watch the movie
smiller205111 August 2007
An awful, totally unrewarding film version of a beautiful, vivid and moving book. Read a 'A Far Off Place' and its prequel 'A Story Like the Wind' by Laurens Van der Post and you will understand.
LVP is a skilled story teller and uses language in a way that totally brings the characters and the world on the page alive. This film killed it dead. I know its not easy to translate a book to the screen because how you see the film is always governed by how your imagination brought the book to life. This 'effort' was SO disappointing. Made me want to go back and re-read the book to reassure myself of its brilliance.
This comment thing keeps asking me for another line - but I really don't know what to say, other than 'don't bother'.
LVP is a skilled story teller and uses language in a way that totally brings the characters and the world on the page alive. This film killed it dead. I know its not easy to translate a book to the screen because how you see the film is always governed by how your imagination brought the book to life. This 'effort' was SO disappointing. Made me want to go back and re-read the book to reassure myself of its brilliance.
This comment thing keeps asking me for another line - but I really don't know what to say, other than 'don't bother'.
A little known movie with a big impact.
crazygirl-918 September 2005
I saw this movie for the first time on the Disney channel about 6 years ago. This is one of my favorite movies. I love Reese Witherspoon and her portrayal of the young girl was superb. The beginning of the movie draws you in as you see how a young boy from the US trys to cope without modern technology and how Nonnie despised him. I followed her emotions throughout the story as she slowly warms up to him and was deeply satisfied with the conclusion. Both children had lost their parents and the tragedy had drawn them together. The love birds were a nice touch. The poor things had a wild ride when the children were hugging at the end. I recommend this film to my friends and their children. Even though I have heard it is a "copy" of another story called,"Walkabout" or something like this, having never seen that movie, this one stands on it's own as a very adventurous tale. I like to watch it at least twice a year and have recently purchased it on DVD.
Being part of the Movie was awesome
cliffman298 September 2005
I loved the movie and being there during takes Wow. I danced and danced and talk Reese some of my language and the music in the seen by the fire place while Ethan watching. By then the actress was 15 at that time if i still recall. It was in winter back then 12 hours on set but made it. This was in Zimbabwe . The bushmen is a local actor from Harare and had many people ask if he was from the God must be crazy. But just the resemble.I love the movie because it is good for children and everyone would see it and understand without worrying what going on and help with the geographical location of the Kalahari desert and how important the wildlife is for the future.That some people will kill for anything and not think of future of our children.Save the horns, Rhinos,elephants,and every wildlife
Another Winner For A Young Reese Witherspoon
plutus194726 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This was Reese Witherspoon's fourth movie and continued to show this young lady was extremely talented and destined for greatness, which she has duly succeeded in doing.
The film is from the Disney Studios and was up to the usual great Disney standards.
SPOILER BEGINS
The storyline is Nonnie (Witherspoon) lives on an animal reserve on the savanna with her father and mother. The family is fighting the ever increasing murder of elephants and poaching their ivory.
Harry Winslow (Ethan Embry), who is slightly older than Nonnie, is visiting on vacation with his father at the time. The Mom and dad, together with Harry's father and the staff are murdered by poachers and they have to trek across the Kalahari Desert in order to get to safety.
Luckily they have the help of a bushman Xhabbo (Sarel Bok). During the Trek they make use of the skills they already have together with developing many other lifesaving ones.
The rest of the storyline is about catching those responsible for the murders and discovering who the ringleader is.
One thing that surprised me was the extremely unusual violence in this 'Disney' film. The slaughter of elephants and the murder of several people.
I am sure that if Walt Disney was still alive he would never have allowed a film with this violence to be made in his studios. But I supposed this is a sign of the times.
SPOILER ENDS
Even though there is violence in the movie I still feel it has been well made and I would certainly recommend it.
The film is from the Disney Studios and was up to the usual great Disney standards.
SPOILER BEGINS
The storyline is Nonnie (Witherspoon) lives on an animal reserve on the savanna with her father and mother. The family is fighting the ever increasing murder of elephants and poaching their ivory.
Harry Winslow (Ethan Embry), who is slightly older than Nonnie, is visiting on vacation with his father at the time. The Mom and dad, together with Harry's father and the staff are murdered by poachers and they have to trek across the Kalahari Desert in order to get to safety.
Luckily they have the help of a bushman Xhabbo (Sarel Bok). During the Trek they make use of the skills they already have together with developing many other lifesaving ones.
The rest of the storyline is about catching those responsible for the murders and discovering who the ringleader is.
One thing that surprised me was the extremely unusual violence in this 'Disney' film. The slaughter of elephants and the murder of several people.
I am sure that if Walt Disney was still alive he would never have allowed a film with this violence to be made in his studios. But I supposed this is a sign of the times.
SPOILER ENDS
Even though there is violence in the movie I still feel it has been well made and I would certainly recommend it.
Hannah's comments on THE BEST MOVIE EVER
hpcandy8121 January 2003
A Far Off Place is by far the best movie i have ever seen! it has a lot of great actors at younger ages, and is such a good action/adventure/romance movie!! the ending is so good, and that is what really made this my favorite movie ever
Fears, tears, and laughter all in one.
ewolleben2 October 2002
A Far Off Place was a beautiful movie. While watching the movie, I laughed, cried, and got shivers up my spine due to the fears that the characters felt. A great movie. I recommend it for people ages twelve and up due to the subject matter.
Excellent!!!!!!
Roguexmn5524 March 2002
This is an excellent movie about love, friendship, adventure, and so many other things I can't name them all. I highly recommend this movie to any one that liked The Blue Lagoon. This one has a much better ending, however.
nice
Kirpianuscus20 August 2017
or comfortable .or classic children film , ignoring the expectations of the young public. because it is one of sweet stories about brave young people, generous bushiman, noble revenge and adventure in clean style. and the only good thing remains the cast and its effort to save a too generous script in idyllic perspective about the survive.
Super script and actors, uninteresting plot
patcat8828 April 2002
I saw this film on tv (WAM network on cable). Everything about this movie was good except the book they took this movie from is realllly boring. I have to say that this is the first movie I have seen which has no script gaps (like they constancy include a character but he doesn't do anything) and is easy to understand. Reese and Ethan and Sarel were perfect and charming. The film was real and you can almost see it in real life. The filming was perfect (I don't come to see a movie which is entirely black). Overall this is a overall abnormally good family movie which isn't for brain dead toddlers (like Barney), but that a whole family can watch (even the teenagers) together.You might want to know there are assault rifles in the movie but they kept it to a absolute minimum and put no emphasis on them (not like a bloody action movie). Also your kids should understand that people can die and never come back ("they went to Jesus" would be a good thing to explain). Ultimately they should have chosen another book to do the film on but the film crew did a exceptionally good job at it. And I have no problems with it except the plot is boring (3 kids running across a dessert) but still SEE THE MOVIE WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY!.
Exactly what you'd want from an adventure drama
r96sk26 September 2020
Starts off a little rocky, but once it gets going 'A Far Off Place' is very good.
It's exactly what you'd want from an adventure drama. The adventure is a grand one, while the drama is certainly in there from beginning to end. The stuff in the Kalahari Desert looks neat, with it being filmed across Namibia and Zimbabwe. James Horner's score, meanwhile, fits.
The main reason for the iffy start is the acting. Reese Witherspoon (Nonnie) and Ethan Embry (Harry) aren't great in the opening 15-25 minutes, especially Embry. However, thankfully, once they are left to go on into the 100 minute run time they become decent to watch. Sarel Bok (Xhabbo) and Maximilian Schell (Theron) are good too. The villains are forgettable and plain, but that doesn't hamper proceedings in my opinion.
It shows off the nastiness of ivory hunting well, especially with one scene nearer the start. The conclusion isn't anything astonishing, but I feel it works suitably enough. Overall, I can say I had an enjoyable experience watching this.
It's exactly what you'd want from an adventure drama. The adventure is a grand one, while the drama is certainly in there from beginning to end. The stuff in the Kalahari Desert looks neat, with it being filmed across Namibia and Zimbabwe. James Horner's score, meanwhile, fits.
The main reason for the iffy start is the acting. Reese Witherspoon (Nonnie) and Ethan Embry (Harry) aren't great in the opening 15-25 minutes, especially Embry. However, thankfully, once they are left to go on into the 100 minute run time they become decent to watch. Sarel Bok (Xhabbo) and Maximilian Schell (Theron) are good too. The villains are forgettable and plain, but that doesn't hamper proceedings in my opinion.
It shows off the nastiness of ivory hunting well, especially with one scene nearer the start. The conclusion isn't anything astonishing, but I feel it works suitably enough. Overall, I can say I had an enjoyable experience watching this.
Walkabout the remix
jak1526 April 2000
It's a credit to the actors and actresses of this film that they choose to work in a (intentional or unintentional) remake of the 1971 film Walkabout that takes place in Australia. Flattery is the best sort of compliment. Unfortunately, it doesn't lead to great movies. Far Off Place takes what was an amazing little-known film and moves it to Africa, adds a corny love interest, and of course includes some evil villains in an attempt to update the film for a wider audience. Gabo, the African guide, tells the characters "Don't look back" - well, Gabo "Don't look in the first place." Unless of course you promise to watch Walkabout, too.
Not bothered by the book or film at under 13 years old.
erasethered4 November 2006
I read the book when I was 12/13 years old, having seen the film quite some time before that. I loved the film and the book, so obviously it didn't bother me, and I'm a girl. The book is of course written for an adult readership, and it took me a long time, but I would not have deemed it inappropriate. The same year, I read Forrest Gump, which has plenty of sexual content in some parts and (the movie, which is toned down in that regard if I remember correctly) is rated PG-13. It's really all relative. Certain people can handle more than others, and ratings vary between countries. For example, in Canada, it seems our 14A is equivalent to 18A in the US. It's not up to a governing body to decide how old you have to be to watch something, unless one can't be admitted to a theatre or rent it oneself. Parts of the Wizard of Oz scared the crap out of me when I was a kid, but who do you think it's made for?
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