This splendid low budget feature is arguably one of the more intelligent dystopian lo-fi Sci-fi offerings from the frequently fruitful film-making partnership of the extra-terrestrially talented duo Robert Emenegger and Allan Sandler. Set doomily on a ruinous, post apocalyptic earth, the ecological tipping point has long been reached, the deleterious combination of global climate change, persistent, hyper-destructive natural disasters, dangerously depleted oxygen levels have fatefully led to the implementation of martial law, wherein the despotic ruling elite covertly expedite a cruel 'final solution' for the old and infirm, with only the rebelliously humane crew aboard the science vessel 'The Oracle' to heroically, and no less secretively formulate a more holistic remedy than the totalitarian government's mass euthanasia programme!
There's a pleasingly gnostic, Robert Silverberg quality to 'Beyond The Universe', and the fine cast effectively draws you into the increasingly desperate plight of genius altruistic scientist Dr David Troth (David Ladd), his equally humanitarian, exceptionally appealing lover Doctor Eve Adamson (Jacqueline Ray), affable Doctor Coblenz (Henry Darrow) with their epigrammatic leader, the kindly messianic figure of Hermes Anderson (Christopher Cary) inspiring them with his unshakable faith in the positive outcome of their esoteric plan. While the budgetary limitations are plainly obvious, it must be also said that 'Beyond The Universe' has an edifying, ecologically sound message, the likeable characters motivations are convincingly sympathetic, and no discussion of an Emenegger/Allan Sandler production is anywhere complete without a salutatory mention of the galactically groovy synth-tastic score! 'Beyond The Universe' has a courageously far-out concept, eschewing 'Star Bores' laser bombast for a more earnestly contemplative approach to science fiction.
