Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14793 in DVD
• Released on: 1998-09-25
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Arabic
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Outland is another in a long line of Westerns retooled for science fiction. Writer-director Peter Hyams (Capricorn One, 2010, Timecop) re-stages High Noon in outer space, with Sean Connery as O'Neil, the marshal for a settlement on one of Jupiter's moons. While investigating the deaths of some miners, O'Neil discovers that mine boss Peter Boyle has been giving his workers an amphetamine-like, work-enhancing drug that keeps them productive for months--until they finally snap and go berserk. When Boyle sends killer henchmen to neutralize the lawman, O'Neil is unable to get the miners to back him up. Outland is no classic but it offers solid suspense in an otherworldly atmosphere. It also stars Frances Sternhagen, James B. Sikking (Howard on television's Hill Street Blues) and John Ratzenberger (later to become famous as Cliff on the sitcom Cheers). --Jim Emerson

Special Features
Wide Screen
English
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Dolby Digital 5.1
Interactive Menus
Production Notes
Scene Access
Trailer
Arabic
English

Synopsis
A federal marshal on an outer-space mining colony uncovers a hideous secret that threatens the sanity of miners working in the depths of an outer planet. Academy Award Nominations: Best Sound.

Customer Reviews

Great entertainment
As many previous reviewers have said this is a remake of High Noon the classic western from the 1950's. So if you know the plot to that film you'll know the plot to this. The excellent Sean Connery is a Marshall sent to Io, one of Jupiters moons, which has a mining colony. He realises that too many workers are dying in odd circumstances and decides to find out why.

The main reasons to watch this are Connery, and the superb Frances Sternhagen as a colony medical advisor. Both give compelling performances, which compensate for the sometimes average script.

In an era when numerous classic Sci-fi and Horror films were released (Alien, American Werewolf in London and Escape from New York to name a few) this film tends to be forgotten, maybe because it is less original but I think it still holds up really well.

OK these days the special effects are a bit ropey, but some of the sets are superb and overall this is fine film to get hold of at the right price.

Worth it for Connery alone.
*WARNING: SPOILERS!*

'OUTland' (as it is spelt) is an interesting film: a take on High Noon and quite a few other Westerns but set in the future 'wild west' of Io - one of Jupiter's moons.

Sean Connery plays O'Niel, a marshall trying to prove his worth and claw back some self respect by taking on a drug ring operating in a mining colony. His family have abandoned him (understandably so, it has to be said) on Io and the big man has decided to start making a difference. On this level it really is about a man alone trying to prove his worth to nobody but himself. O'Niel is a loner - not by choice - but has one friend in the grumpy medical officer (brilliantly played without an ounce of pity by Frances Sternhagen). And when the drug ring hire killers to take O'Niel out, the marshall and the doctor team up to bring down the operating corruption of the mining colony.

The film is quite slow paced but looks and feels terrific. Sean Connery gives a brilliant performance - no twinkly eyed tricks and sleepwalking through the role here. Connery is a strong presence and the film is worth seeing for him alone.

Another plus is Jerry Goldsmith's score. It's a thrilling piece of scoring that sits well with the on-screen action without ever detracting from it. Along with some excellent production design, the film very nearly hits all the right notes.

Sadly, it falls to pieces in the climax where Connery - somehow - becomes the ultimate action hero and dispatches the assassins with ease (in earlier scenes, his character appears more natural and fallible in the fight sequences). And how many death's by exploding head can you have in a movie outside of Cronenberg's 'Scanners'?

Another annoyance is Peter Hyam's use of captions that seem to last an age (especially the tiresome opening crawl - it's really unnecessary) and at times you can look at 'OUTland' as a more violent template for '2010'.

Those expecting a fast, action-packed thrill ride might also be wearied of the rather languid pace the film. Personally, I think it works in favour of the film, also keeping in tone with the Western build up to the big showdown.

These minor gripes aside, 'OUTland' is well worth checking out. It holds the tension throughout the film, is paying a clever homage to the Western and contains one of Sean Connery's strongest performances.

One of Connery's finest.
You may think that 5 stars is a little excessive for a fairly low key, low budget early 80s sci fi movie. But 5 stars is what it deserves - because of Connery's performance. His acting is subdued and this brings a realism to the film that lifts it higher than the routine sci fi thriller - the quiet determination of Connery's character is pitched perfectly. The movie falls into two halves - the first follows Connery's investigations into the corporate conspiracy involving dangerous performance-enhancing drugs. A tremendously exciting scene sees him chasing the main drug dealer through the metal labyrinth of the Io mining station. The second half is a modern adaptation of High Noon - and it works brilliantly. Connery's growing isolation in the face of impossible odds is very well realised. His stoical determination to face his assassins is very engaging. The cat and mouse fight between the assassins and connery is tense and exciting. This DVD has been criticised for lack of visual quality but let me assure you that the digital transfer is as good as most pre-1985 movies. It is a great film that deserves more recognition.