Outland (1981) User Reviews (182)

It's Not Exactly High Noon In Space

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 17 February 2007]

Both in the Citadel Film Series book The Films of Sean Connery and a quick survey of the user comments here, everyone seems to be conceding that Outland is simply High Noon transferred to outer space. It's not really, but there are certain plot similarities. Of course there were enough similarities that Fred Zinneman stated that Peter Hyams had ripped off his western classic.

For one thing Gary Cooper is a newlywed in High Noon, Sean Connery is a married man with a 12 year old son. His wife however wants him to give up the futuristic law enforcement business, but it's what he knows and because he's such an independent minded fellow who speaks his mind he gets one garbage assignment after another.

Here he's on a mining colony on the Jupiter satellite Io. It's a frontier town, not unlike some in the west. But Hadleyburg in High Noon is passed the wild and woolly frontier days and the impending gunfight is not wanted because it will bring those days back. Gary Cooper dealt with ingratitude, what Connery is dealing with on Io is systemic corruption.

The boss of the place is Peter Boyle the head of mining operations. One of the things he provides are illegal synthetic narcotics which make the men work like mules and increase his productivity. They also eventually fry your brain and you turn paranoid.

Connery notices several suspicious deaths have occurred in the past two years after he's had to deal with some miners who've gone haywire. The presence of narcotics is confirmed by station doctor Frances Sternhagen during an autopsy.

When Boyle's confronted with this, bribery doesn't work so he puts out a contract on Connery. His deputies are all on the pad and the miners won't help either. His one friend in the place is Sternhagen.

In fact acting honors in Outland go to Frances Sternhagen as the tough old bird of a doctor who's also in a kind of exile on Io.

Outland has good special effects and the mining colony on Io is marvelously created with the use of miniatures, much like the Himalayas were in Black Narcissus. But it is better known for a good story and some fine acting by all, especially Sternhagen. It's one of Sean Connery's better films and shouldn't be missed by science fiction fans or Sean Connery's many fans.

So what if it took a few bites out of High Noon.

Exploding people. Win.

[rooprect · 3 July 2013]

Let me say up front that any film with exploding people advances to the head of the class. "Scanners" ...awesome. "Robocop" ...grossalicious. "Spinal Tap" ...ahh, a moment of silence for Mick Shrimpton.

"Outland" shines (or should I say 'pops') with the best of them. And it's a great film to boot. More of a western than a scifi--its story has been compared to "High Noon"--it might be light on spaceships and laser battles, but it's definitely heavy on mood and atmosphere. If you like tense, dark, claustrophobic mood films like "Alien", "Das Boot" or even the recent "Pandorum", this is worth checking out.

Sean Connery plays a great character, not quite the perfect hero as James Bond whom he had played a few years prior, but instead he plays a very human, fallible and slightly vulnerable (if not scared) character reminiscent of the great Jimmy Stewart or Gregory Peck in their roles as reluctant heroes. So don't expect Sean to clean house the way Schwarzenegger might. Here he's clearly outnumbered and outgunned which adds to the chills of this suspenseful story.

Director Peter Hyams was at the peak of his game. Films like this, "Capricorn One" and "2010", all filmed within a 7-year stretch, exhibit the same dark, heavy vibe perfect for science fiction. Again let me repeat, you won't get a ton of flashy action scenes, but what you will get is a thick, suspenseful mood.

If you like old school scifi like the films I've mentioned, or if you like westerns, or if you like moody thrillers, I think you'll like this. You might like it so much your head will explode. And then you too will be awesome.

Sean Connery as a real hero is impressive , his sheer presence results to be attractive as well as breathtaking

[ma-cortes · 8/10 · 13 November 2017]

This thrilling picture tells the story of Marshall William T. O'Niel (Sean Connery as the ultimate and overwhelming hero figure) at a far planet standing against impossible odds , he is married to Carol (Kika Markham) and has a little boy promising to leave his risked job and settle down for a peaceful existence . In this distant future , the police marshal is stationed at the remote mining colony on the Jupiter moon of Io , there happens weird events when miners begin suffering from confuse visions and rare breakdowns , as well surprising outbreaks and spells of insanity . The marshal starts an investigation that threatens the colony's survival . Marshal William T. O'Niel uncovers a drug-smuggling conspiracy run by Mark Sheppard (Peter Boyle) , as the latter has sworn revenge against William . The security marshal gets no support from the populace when he later finds himself marked for killing and nobody is willing to help him . A team of bounty killers and will arrive in moon base at high noon . A doctor , Dr. Lazarus (Frances Sternhagen) , ultimately risks death to give him a hand .

A particular rendition of ¨High noon¨ set in outer space on a volcanic moon of Jupiter , stars Sean Connery alone versus a planet-wide drug ring . In fact , this one is no more or less than a Western in space , replacing Gary Cooper by Sean Connery . This enjoyable Sci-Fi is plenty of suspense as the dreaded noon hour approaches and the protagonist realizes he must stand alone , but asking his base fellows for help , nobody is willing to help him . An agreeable Science Fiction movie full of emotional thrills , action and suspense , though the science is rather poor . It is a highly mysterious thriller , filled with non-stop action , including a spectacular denouement in its final part . The narration is adjusted in real time , from the beginning to arrival of the enemy aircraft , at a final showdown and it is approximately developed in ninety minutes as the many on-screen ticks clocks will check . It might make a catching double feature along with ¨High noon¨ . Connery is perfect as the flawed hero who faces off professional killers . He gives first-rate acting as a tough agent who takes on vicious hired killers , facing alone after being abandoned to his fate by the gutless population . Suppport cast is pretty well , giving brief but decent acting , such as : James B. Sikking , Steven Berkoff , Clarke Peters , John Ratzenberger , Angus MacInnes , Eugene Lipinski and Peter Boyle is just right as a heinous villain . And special mention for Frances Sternhagen as the veteran doctor who helps Connery , she steals the show , thanks to her sympathetic and valiant performance .

The motion picture contains an excellent cinematography by cameraman Stephen Goldblatt . Rousing and suspenseful musical score by the great Jerry Goldsmith , performed by London symphony orchestra . The yarn was compellingly directed by Peter Hyams . Peter is an uneven filmmaker who has directed all kinds of genres with successes and flops , such as Adventure : ¨Musketeer¨ ; Terror : ¨The relic¨, ¨End of days¨ ; Action : ¨The Presidio¨, ¨Sudden death¨, ¨Timecop¨ , ¨Narrow margin¨ ; Sci-fi : ¨2010 , the year we make contact¨ , ¨Capricorn one¨, ¨Sound and thunder ¨; Drama : ¨The star chamber¨, ¨Our time¨ ; and Comedy : Running scared¨, ¨Stay tuned¨

under-estimated sci fi western,

[raegan_butcher · 9/10 · 31 July 2006]

After leaving the James Bond franchise in 1971, Sean Connery gave a number of notable performances in films such as The Offense and The Man Who Would Be King but Outland is really the film that started him on the comeback trail that culminated with his Oscar acceptance speech 6 yrs later for The Untouchables. No one seems to recall this but at the time of Outland's release, no one had seen or heard from Connery for a few years and most of the reviews, while not kind to the film for a variety of reasons--chief among them being the fact that most movie critics (at least back then) harbored serious prejudice against sci fi--the main comment was "It is good to see Sean Connery back in action again".

This film has one of the best production designs ever.Phillip Harrison did a superb job. Obviously the look was copped from Alien--blue collar workers in space--but it works remarkably well. I was often reminded of OUTLAND during my seven year prison term; the housing was remarkably similar--as was the company. But I digress...

Nothing special about the plot-- it's routine cop show or western movie stuff--but who cares? Sean Connery gives a splendid performance and the whole film moves at a nice clip. Very enjoyable.

A superbly gritty and exciting science fiction action thriller

[Woodyanders · 9/10 · 1 January 2007]

There's something sinister afoot on Jupitor's third moon of Io. The workers of a bleak mining colony are becoming crazy and killing themselves because they are being fed an amphetamine which not only increases their productivity, but also causes them to become psychotic. It's up to stalwart, morally sound and responsible Marshal William T. O'Niel (a characteristically strong and personable performance by the always dependable Sean Connery) to lay down the law and put a stop to things before they get any worse.

Writer/director Peter Hyams creates a plausibly grim'n'grimy future where greed and profit take precedent over morality and human lives, expertly generates plenty of tension from the absorbing premise, maintains a steady quick pace throughout, and deftly stages one cracking corker of a rousing last third with two assassins arriving at Io with the specific intent of killing O'Niel. Connery effortlessly carries the picture with his considerable charismatic presence, receiving terrific support from Frances Sternhagen as a cranky, sarcastic doctor, Kila Markham as his fed-up, long-suffering wife, Peter Boyle as the blithely corrupt general manager, James B. Sikking as a cynical, wisecracking on the take deputy, and Steven Berkoff as a crazed miner who flips out. Jerry Goldsmith's beautifully moody and stirring score, the first-rate special effects (the miniatures in particular are amazing), Stephen Goldblatt's rough, grainy cinematography, and the grungy set design are all likewise uniformly fantastic. Moreover, the film earns bonus accolades for neatly avoiding certain tiresome clichés. For example, the villains never threaten to either kidnap or murder Connery's wife and son. In addition, Sternhagen comes to Connery's aid instead of the other way around. Intelligent, engrossing and above all exciting, "Outland" sizes up as one of the best and most shamefully underrated adult science fiction movies made in the early 80's.

Worth a look...a different take on sci-fi

[medic249a2 · 7/10 · 6 August 2004]

I remember wanting to see this when it came out in '81, on the heels of sci-fi classics such as 'Star Wars', 'Alien', and 'The Empire Strikes Back'. Of course because of its 'R' rating I could never see it until it came out on video. I found it offered a different take on sci-fi films as it had no involvement with sinister aliens, and the only alien world explored is the Jupiter moon.

***WARNING! POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!***

'Outland' is set on Io, one of Jupiter's moons, in a mining colony. Marshal W.T. O'Niel (Connery) is assigned to the moon colony. Shortly after he arrives he discovers that several miners have been committing suicide in bizarre and ugly ways, such as walking into zero-atmosphere minus a pressure suit. When he investigates he finds that the dead men have been taking an amphetamine-like drug. According to Dr. Lazarus (Frances Sternhagen) the drug enables the miners to go for days without sleep and work at extended intervals, thereby increasing the mine's productivity. When O'Niel follows the dealers' trail he discovers that it leads to the head of the mining operation. These men have no intention of letting O'Niel stop their dirty work, and now the marshal has to watch his back at every turn, as a hit contract is put out on his head. O'Niel also finds that his own men are willing to turn on him...

***END SPOILER ALERT***

Like someone else mentioned, the production design does not show space as a shiny, clean environment - space is 'dirty' here. The mining colony looks like a real operation, in a similar way to the way the Nostromo appeared in 'Alien'. Jerry Goldsmith's music also sounds much like the low, sinister tones of 'Alien' which he had written only 2 years before. While it lacks most of the spectacular effects of the 'Star Wars' trilogy it gives a believable sense of the awesome size of space. The story is not unlike a western set in outer space, only that the crime the marshal is trying to stop is drug-dealing as opposed to train or stagecoach robbery. Not a bad movie, not on the scale of 'Star Wars' or 'Alien' but definitely worth looking into.

Yes, it's high noon in space. And what's wrong with that?

[ProfessorPeach · 28 August 2001]

Sean Connery. A man's man, a woman's sex symbol. Good start! Now let's put him on a remote moon of Jupiter. So how many other films have Io as their center of action? Absolutely excellent in combining the effects that were available at the time with a darn good plot. Well overshadowed by the likes of Alien, this is late 70's/ early 80's sci-fi at it's best. No more is the future in space a Utopia, it is a grimy, nasty everyday world where people carry on their sordid business as they ever did. Except there is always a hero; a flawed hero, as is Connery. A personal crusade, a battle almost against the odds (but not unbelievably so, at all) and the true hallmark of a good sci-fi story: That is, the story would work just as well anywhere, any place, any time, as it does in space in the future. What more do you want (Just check out the shuttle landing)? Essential viewing!

Outer space western is a suspenseful gem

[Leofwine_draca · 9/10 · 30 September 2016]

Eschewing the fantastic likes of sci-fi such as STAR WARS, OUTLAND goes for a grim and gritty approach to man's exploration of the universe – it has a similarly realistic look to it as ALIEN. OUTLAND goes one step further, actually, seeming more like the prison planet of ALIEN 3 in its depiction of a corrupt and all-too-real world, where everybody wants a quiet life, nobody's on your side, and turning a blind eye is a daily event. Into this world comes Sean Connery in one of his best, non-hammy roles as a tough marshal who begins investigating a series of suicides and soon discovers a sinister conspiracy of silence at work.

The film is regarded as a remake of HIGH NOON, with a few sci-fi updates; for instance, the hero awaits his killers who arrive by space shuttle rather than a train. Nevertheless it works very well as a western in outer space, as the story is universal and the location doesn't matter so much. Peter Hyams works hard as director, creating a convincing atmosphere of menace and really building the suspense well as the film leads up to the climax – this is light years ahead of the rubbish like THE RELIC that he ended up directing in the 1990s. The film also benefits from a spooky, outer-spacey score by ace composer Jerry Goldsmith.

However, this film isn't perfect by any means. The pacing is a little too slow and the running time a little too long. Also, after the huge build up to the climax, it's a bit of a let-down – not action packed by any means. Connery resorts to trickery to take down his foes, rather than any face-to-face confrontations, so it's more of an anticlimax than anything else. The miniature special effects of the space station are very good indeed for the time, although the cheesy exploding heads made me laugh rather than wince (SCANNERS this ain't). Still, with Connery at the top of his game – he's never been so darned likable as he is here – and with great support from Sternhagen, Boyle, Sikking, Berkoff and a nice cameo from P. H. Moriarty – OUTLAND is a good and unusual thriller.

Excellent

[dworldeater · 8/10 · 3 January 2017]

The much underrated Outland is a great sci fi thriller heavily influenced by westerns and Ridley Scott's Alien. The tone of the film is quite dark and is very realistic and gritty. Sean Connery is in top form here as leading man in pursuit of justice and he delivers one of his best performances in my opinion. The film is quite misanthropic actually. Even though humans have advanced technologically and have the means of space travel and mining colonies on Jupiter, people are still mostly rotten here. The film is a great subtext about corporate greed and capitalism and how it affects the populace at large. Even though this is in a futuristic sci fi setting, the message is still relevant in contemporary times. Jerry Goldsmith did the score and has a similar ambiance as Alien.(Jerry Goldsmith previously did the score on Alien as well) The special f/x are decent and the storytelling, performances and direction are excellent. Writer/director Peter Hyams made an excellent science fiction film, bravo!

High Noon In Space

[slightlymad22 · 7/10 · 22 May 2017]

Outland (1981)

Plot In A Paragraph: Marshall O'Neil (Connery) stationed at a remote mining colony on the Jupiter moon of Io uncovers a drug-smuggling conspiracy, and gets no help from the people there, when he finds himself marked for death.

I still vividly remember watching this with my dad, the night he rented it on video. It was the first Connery movie I had watched since Diamonds Are Forever. As nothing he made in between that time interested either of my parents for them to rent the video or watch it on TV.

Essentially this is High Noon in space. A heavily tanned Connery is the new Marshal who does what a man must do. There are a number of parallels. Killers are on their way to kill the Marshal, who is abandoned abandoned by his deputies, and with none of the residents willing to stand by his side. As the arrival time approaches, Connery enters the cafeteria/saloon and speaks to the townspeople, repeating the classic Cooper line, "I could use a little help," receiving none. He must decide between fleeing and joining his wife and son, or staying and facing almost certain death.

Away from the parallels of High Noon, the plot here is an intriguing one, The miners were being given an illegal drug, which increased their output for 11 months and then drove them insane. Connery actually delivers a good performance, that seems to have been forgotten about by the masses, which is a shame as it still holds up today, and Connery does some great acting in a scene where he doesn't utter a line of dialogue, as he watches a video of his wife. Connery was not happy at this movie going over schedule, as he lost a major extended cameo role in Chariots of Fire due to it.

All in all, I find Outland to be an enjoyable movie, with good pacing and a good atmosphere, that I usually watch every couple of years.

Outland did fair business for a Connery non Bond movie grossing $17 million at the domestic box office. Slightly more than its $16 million budget.

Very well crafted and entertaining film with a good Sean Connery

[tharsis-1 · 18 July 2003]

In the near-future, in a space mine set on the Jupiter satellite Io, the new Marshall O'Niel (Sean Connery) discovered a mortal drug trafic. This amphetamine-like drug drives the addicted miners mad and makes them committed suicide. O'Niel encovers the conspiracy, involving the director of the mine, but becomes the target of hitmen, with almost no body helping him. The film is a Science Fiction remake of "High Noon"("le train sifflera trois fois" in French). The train is here replaced by a shuttle from a space station and the Far West by the set on a deep space mining outpost (Not Deep Space Nine).

This a well paced film with a solid acting from Sean Connery. The pursuits, especialy the first in the corridors of the space habitat, are gripping. The film was made in 1981, when the CGI effects were not as prevalent as today. For exemple scenes where humans are dwarfed by huge metalic structures, were executed thanks to a then traditional play of mirrors. I have seen this film at the cinema when it played for the first time in 1981. I have recently watched it again on cable TV and I think it has not aged much. Because it is set on a makeshift sleazy outpost and not a shiny white place as too often in science fiction film, it remains realistic enough, twenty two years later. The themes,a bit overlooked, dangerous mind drugs, greedy multinational (or multi-planet, here) companies, the will and courage of one man against the cowardice of all the others, resonate still in our mind, nowadays. But make no mistake, it not a heavy political film but a good suspense and action film with a science fiction flavour.

Despite some scientific oddities like heads exploding and weightlessness in a zero pressure atmosphere, where as inside the habitat the gravity is normal (by Earth standards), the script remains coherent enough. The strong performance of Sean Connery is helped by those of a serious Peter Boyle and a pre-ER Frances Sternhagen. Rent this film on your local video store or watch it on TV, it is worth seeing it.

Outland

[Scarecrow-88 · 8/10 · 31 August 2006]

Often this is regarded as HIGH NOON in space, and to a point it is very western flavored not to mention has elements one might could possibly claim as lifted from that classic Zinnemann film. First, Connery as the marshal of this mining outpost is the only one with enough integrity to stand up against corruption in the name of general manager Peter Boyle on Io, a moon with precious resources near Jupiter. As Cooper was in HIGH NOON, Connery will seek help and find none. The only one willing to stick their neck out is a woman. Sternhagen is the woman here as Kelly was in HIGH NOON for Cooper. Sternhagen(a wonderfully underrated actress;has the best lines in the film and is a joy to watch..the perfect Howard Hawks' archetype)portrays a doctor who tends to everyone who gets hurt and knows how the entire outpost functions. She is there for Connery when no one else will stand up. Connery discovers that Boyle, through two drug suppliers, has been selling amphetamines to labor workers so that they can pull extra hours in order to break productivity records and make big dollars. Boyle is quite a shady character;his reputation is so notorious no one on the outpost dares cross him. Those who offer help are executed..such as one officer under Connery who was taking pay from Boyle to look the other way, but gained guilt and turned to the right side. This was a warning to Connery just how dangerous Boyle could be. When an attempt to kill Connery fails, the marshal discovers where the drugs are hidden and dumps them. Boyle, furious at the money he lost because of this, sends for bounty hunters to execute Connery. The final twenty or so harrowing minutes shows Connery having to find various ways to escape certain harm as the killers arrive and seek him out. The cat and mouse ensues but Connery will have assistance in Sternhagen. This film doesn't show off fancy effects but instead makes this outpost ugly, grimy, and very junk-metallic. I felt the film desires to show you a blue-collar future where workers look like people who actually operate oil-rigs and work in factories. The film utilizes Connery's abilities especially as he waits out the arrival of those killers, his dogged determination to take down corruption, his inner loneliness and longing to be back with his family, and especially his weariness of doing his job the right way with no one appreciating his efforts.

Underrated Dark British Science fiction near of high noon's plot!!

[elo-equipamentos · 8/10 · 11 February 2020]

Outland was one the first Science fiction that I ever saw in my youth time, impressed me deeply due the beautiful visual and special effects on Io Jupiter's moon, having Connery as leading character in mining complex of Titanium a rare and expensive metal on Earth, Connery plays a Marshall O'Niel, just arrived on Io to take care of the security, who is left by his wife and son, tired to living on outer space so long, in fews days some unusual deaths happening there, suspecting of the manager of the whole mining plant Sheppard (Peter Boyle) has been increased the production in high scale on past year, after a workmen had a nervous breakdown he realizes that something had a cause, helped by a female Doctor Lazarus he found in a blood test a synthetic drug, meanwhile Sheppard request two hired killer to kill O'Niel, something similar of High Noon, no one helps him, apart Dr. Lazarus a woman, no graphic computer, just small miniatures on those marvelous dark atmosphere, Outland is these movie which you not tire to watch, in my case sixth time only!!

Resume:

First watch: 1983 / How many: 6 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 8

A decent industrial sci-fi movie

[JamesMovieGuy_117 · 7/10 · 18 December 2017]

With the late 70's giving us Star Wars and Alien, these films inspired a barrage of filmmakers to have a more realistic edge with sci-fi. Outland is no exception and while the film is heavily flawed, it's a decent sci-fi movie with lots of twists and turns to keep you engaged.

The miniatures and models look fantastic and still hold up today in my opinion. It inhabits that Alien mining operation look throughout and Peter Hyams did a great job on an aesthetic point of view. It's not as detailed as Alien, but what is?

The story is also pretty well written and many have labelled it as High Noon in space. It definitely has that western feeling especially with the showdown climax and your typical western pistols have been replaced with shotguns.

Sean Connery delivers a great performance and I would say this is one of his best post Bond films along with The Name of the Rose.

Despite these positives there are quite a few negatives. The explosive decompression scenes are quite dated and are unintentionally hilarious with peoples heads inflating like balloons. The child actor who plays Marshall O Neill's son is quite possibly the worst child actor ever! It takes you out of the movie for a while but thankfully it's only a brief scene.

If you haven't seen this I would recommend Outland, especially if you're a fan of Alien or any other industrial sci-fi movie from that era. It's quite overlooked so definitely give it a look.

Recommended

[auriferous · 9/10 · 9 July 2006]

What an entertaining movie this is. The plot is believable; the acting, from the minor characters right up to and including the leads, is excellent; the dialogue is natural and realistic (and intelligible); and the special effects have aged well and are quite good, as good as today's CGI stuff. But unlike today's sf movies, it's not the f/x that play the central role here but rather plot, character, and acting.

I can understand some of the comments about some of the movie's science, particularly in the way earth gravity suddenly appears inside buildings and the way people's cranial cavities literally expand like balloons when exposed to near zero pressure, but none of that is central. I'm pleased when I see real science in movies (maybe surprised would be a better term), but if I want science I can read a textbook. Anyway, this shortfall is more than made up for by having a doctor in the movie named Lazarus - over scientific accuracy I'll take a little humor. Or good dialogue, such as when O'Neil, having just chased a perp through half the installation, finally corners him in a kitchen, gets the drop on him, and leveling his shotgun at his desperate kitchen knife-wielding opponent says to him, 'Think it over'.

Comparisons have been made to other movies like High Noon and sf classics like Alien and 2001. I'll leave 2001 go at least until I can figure out how that giant fetus got out there in outer space, but as to Alien, well, in my view Outland compares quite well despite Alien's iconic status. Alien conveys all the niceness of a vat of sulfuric acid. What a bunch of dismal characters inhabited that movie. Outland has a different feel to it and portrays more than a few positive human characteristics (the interaction between O'Neil and his wife is quite affecting although, or maybe because, it takes place via a video screen). And as to this being a 'remake' of High Noon set in outer space, well, it really isn't. In fact there's only one aspect of the plot that is similar (the first half of Outland is a whodunit), though the device of periodically showing a clock to countdown when the bad guys will arrive is of course an obvious imitation. Someone else said that this movie is actually a 'western', and that's true if you mean a movie with a real hero who stands virtually alone despite the odds on the side of right vs. wrong (though he does get a little help especially from one particular rather brave woman). Basically though, this is just a very good movie that makes good use of and occasionally even exceeds the limits of its genre. It's got plenty of action and suspense and not a single dead spot. It's worth seeing.

Fun movie.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 14 November 2012]

Yes, it can accurately be described as a Western in disguise, as "High Noon" in space, basically, but that doesn't mean that it isn't well executed and consistently entertaining. Written, directed, and photographed by Peter Hyams, it stars Sean Connery, as commanding a presence as he's ever been, as W.T. O'Niel, a federal marshal stationed on Io, the third moon of Jupiter, where a mining operation has been established. O'Niel discovers that the workers are being given a drug which greatly increases their productivity but also eventually drives them insane. He becomes determined to nail the person(s) responsible for this corruption, but discovers that he'll be mostly alone in his fight - even after his nemesis has two hired guns sent after him.

"Outland" may be predictable, standard stuff script wise, but it's also a very good looking film, with impressive production design (by Philip Harrison) and sets, all built at Englands' famed Pinewood Studios. Commendably, O'Niel, despite his Dudley Do Right attitude, isn't portrayed as some infallible hero; rather, it's his tendency to make waves that has gotten him transferred from one depressing environment to another. Still, you do root for him all the way, and you also come to like Dr. Lazarus, winningly played by top character actress Frances Sternhagen. She's got plenty of sass, and actually comes to O'Niels' aid for the suspenseful finale instead of it being the other way around. Hyams, too, refrains from trying to create any sort of romantic or sexual tension between the two, keeping both characters professional. The back-and-forth chemistry between Connery and Sternhagen is a delight. Peter Boyle is excellent, too, as the company manager who only wants to see results. Other pros include James B. Sikking, a regular in Hyams' films, as the slightly shady Montone, Steven Berkoff, as the unhinged worker Sagan, and John Ratzenberger, in a memorable bit as another miner who goes off the deep end. Jerry Goldsmith supplies the atmospheric score, and the editing is courtesy of the talented veteran Stuart Baird.

All in all, this sizes up as solid entertainment, moving along nicely towards its final showdown. Any fan of the genre or of Connery should be quite satisfied.

Seven out of 10.

Realistic space mining movie

[lightfeather · 10/10 · 24 May 2005]

The movie is amazingly realistic in regard to the technology used and in regard to the human characters.

I totally agree with OP Voutilainen, who wrote a very good comment on this movie on 24 October 2001.

The movie is never superficial if you look at its characters: The bad are not simply bad but realistically brutal. The good are not simply heroic, they rather strive to survive and struggle to keep what's left of their personal dignity and values after the school of life.

People of the future will possibly wonder why anyone ever liked such a "normal life"-movie. The answer is: Simply because of the everyday life dignity that people emanate in the movie.

Really a great positive movie !

not quite as good but still good

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 17 February 2015]

Marshal W.T. O'Niel (Sean Connery) is newly assigned to a mining colony on Jupiter's moon Io. His wife isn't happy and leaves with their son to Earth. Sgt. Montone (James Sikking) is his second in command. Mark Sheppard (Peter Boyle) is the head of the operation who wants him to let the men operate smoothly without interference. However miners are acting weird and getting killed. Dr. Lazarus (Frances Sternhagen) discovers that the last dead miner has taken an amphetamine drug which lets people work day and night until they have a psychotic breakdown. Sheppard provides the drugs with Montone looking the other way.

I like the design of the camp which reminds me of 'Alien'. I like the gritty underbelly feel of this realistic future world. It moves a bit slow at times which is its biggest problem. This is a sci-fi western compared most notably to 'High Noon'. This keeps getting compared to other movies but always comes up a little shorter. It's still a good movie.

not underrated, but rather ignored

[smartfash · 10/10 · 10 August 2004]

I first watched this movie not expecting much as i had never really heard much about it and it didn't seem to be particularly acclaimed, but I was pleasantly surprised by it, Connery's performance is solid and the rest of the cast do a good job, there are some exciting scenes in this movie and the settings (outer space,mining colony) are convincing enough to keep you emersed in the story, the story is like a western in space, (which is about all I heard of this before I saw it),though its not particularly original and doesn't try to be spectacular, it is an entertaining way to spend a couple of hours and good fun for Connery fans to see him kicking arse back in the days.

Almost a great movie...it settles for being an entertaining near-miss

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 2 May 2008]

Writer-director Peter Hyams has always shown a love not just for science-fiction stories but an understanding of what makes science-fiction fun. He's not interested in exasperating details or mechanical jargon, he just wants to have a good time. This is both pro and con for his "Outland", a fairly gripping movie set in the 21st Century which has enjoyable ingredients but is too routine overall. Sean Connery plays a cop investigating a mysterious rash of suicides among mining workers on one of Jupiter's moons; Frances Sternhagen is terrific as a cynical doctor who aides in his research. Film begins very well, but Hyams gets bogged down in plot-externals and good guys-vs.-bad guys shtick. Not a bad thriller. It just isn't very special, and that's a shame because Connery is solid (as usual) and the production is highly adept. **1/2 from ****

Not bad but not great

[barnabyrudge · 14 January 2003]

Outland has a very good central idea and might have been a great film if handled differently. As it is, it comes across as a simple space retelling of High Noon, with slightly too many darkly lit scenes and a slow burning pace that never quite kicks into a satisfactory gear.

Sean Connery toplines as a federal marshall on a distant mining moon. The miners are working flat out to meet their demands, and some are using a work-enhancing drug to push themselves faster than harder than they could perform under normal circumstances. Unfortunately, after a while the drug sends them into a psychotic rage. Connery decides to track down the drug suppliers, but finds himself up against the mine boss. In the end, some hired killers turn up to silence him and he finds that no-one on the entire moon wants to help him.

The set design is fabulous. This really does look and sound like a working colony in the far reaches of space. Connery is tough and uncompromising in one of his strongest characterisations. But the film doesn't deliver as much as it could have. For a start, the final shootout is seriously under-developed. The villainous characters don't do much in the film and its hard for the audience to hate them, which undermines Connery's quest to bring them to justice. There are also far too many chunks of meaningless dialogue which don't do much to move the film forward. This must go down as a missed opportunity.

Outland is outstanding!

[OP Voutilainen · 10/10 · 24 October 2001]

What a great movie! Outland is without a doubt one of the best sci-fi movies ever made.Or perhaps sci-fi is the wrong term for this one, because where's the fiction? Everything is so realistic.No monsters,no gizmos-just space and man.

Mood is just right,nothing looks too good.Mining community is dirty and dangerous,people are deceitful. Models and sets haven't really aged at all.They were once accurately made,and beat computer effects 6-0.

Connery acts well and Peter Boyle's role as a twisted manager fits him. All in this movie could well occur in the future,and this is the fact which makes it so enjoyable.I'll give 9/10

Spend Some Quality Time In Space

[Intermissionman_ · 8/10 · 12 January 2020]

Like many of you, I enjoy a little Sci-Fi action some of the time and the classic movie "Outland" fills the bill.

Sean Connery stars, as Marshall William O'Neil, a Federal Marshall on a fictional mining colony located on IO, which is Jupiter's inner most moon. Connery's character is like a Wyatt Earp in space. He and his family are assigned to Con-Am 27 a mining colony known for its high production levels, but also a series of mysterious deaths. Something is causing the miners to freak out and commit suicide, so O'Niel decides to get to the bottom of the mystery. This does not go over well with Sheppard, the mining colonies manager played with kind of a diabolical smirkness by the late Peter Boyle.

Sheppard is only concerned with the mines Productivity numbers and manages with the philosophy " Work Hard and Play Hard", so a few casualties every so often does not bother him, so long as everyone gets PAID.

However, O'Neil won't play along at any price $$, so a good guy (Connery), bad guy (Boyle) battle ensues. Marshall O'Neil discovers with the help of the colony doctor Lazarus, played by Frances Sternhagen (Cliff's Mom from Cheers) that the reason the miners work so hard, is because they are being drugged with an illegal Amphetamine? O'Niel manages to cut off the source of the drugs and put the drug dealers in jail. Sheppard with the endorsement of the home office, so to speak, arranges for a couple of assassins to come to the colony to Kill Marshall O'Niel. All hell breaks loose from here, with O'Niel using the colonies surveillance system to plan his escape and to get the bad guys.

This movie has some neat special effects, and the movie set created effectively creates what it must be like on a dreary moon breathing manufactured Air all the time. Sean Connery was the perfect choice for his role. He seems to enjoy the character and I'll bet they had fun making this movie. James B Sikking is good as a Deputy who befriends O'Niel, even though he has looked the other way in past. Another coal is thrown into O'Niel's fire, when his wife and son decide to head back to earth, leaving him alone on the colony.

There are a few gruesome death scenes, so you may not want the younger members of the family to view this film, but I give the rest of you:

8 Stars

Peter Hyams, you are brilliant.

[DanTheMan2150AD · 8/10 · 9 September 2023]

Is it too soon to call Peter Hyams one of the most underappreciated directors of all time yet? He really doesn't screw around with Outland, a space western with Sean Connery as the lead, it takes Ridley Scott's Alien's dirty, grungy, well-used set design and inner blue-collar workings, then adds in the former James Bond as a lonely space sheriff on a one-man war on drugs, how could one not love this movie? It's got all those elements that made Alien work and just repurposes them into something so radically different, complete with a haunting Jerry Goldsmith score and awesome use of miniatures. In many ways, Hyams has made a film that is more frightening than Alien, because he surmises that space will change us very little and the real monsters we are liable to encounter will be in the next space suit. Of all the Hyams films I've seen, it's a tough call as to whether this or 2010 is his best but both are brilliant for vastly distinct reasons, 2010 had Roy Scheider try and untie humanity over the perils of the vast unknown while Outland sees Sean Connery engage in tension cat and mouse shootouts while staring down the barrel of a shotgun with that signature smile, I love them both. Outland is just so much fun and the fact it's so brilliantly made as well is the icing on the top of this beautiful cake.

A collage of genres put into one good movie

[coverme6 · 21 December 2001]

The genres of science fiction, western, and even film noir (if you notice the moody atmposphere the movie sometimes displays) are

presented in a good fashion in OUTLAND. Sean Connery stars as a

marshal (where the western category fits in) assigned to solve

mysterious deaths on a galactic mining company (sci-fi), along with meeting different and unique characters, some of which have sullen and suspicious dispostitions (the film-noir part). Connery is fine

as usual as the marshal who has his hands full trying to make sense of the whole situation, at the same time entertaining the audience with his typical great thespian skills.