Outland

Is it a great and timeless space epic? No, it's not. It is surprisingly good though and definitely has a space-western feel, though not to the degree of say Firefly or Cowboy Bebop. The sets and costumes are great and the soundtrack is very good as well. Sean Connery is quite impressive in the title role. Frances Sternhagen plays Lazarus to perfection: that is exactly how you play a tough but rightous asshole. Aside from that the supporting cast isn't too stellar. It's worth seeing.

You'd have to "get your ass to Mars" to experience more depressurized head explosions than you can in Outland. Found it strangely awesome that they chose an actress who, for the past 50 years, has been known for roles such "crotchety old woman," "mean-spirited old woman," and "finger-wagging old woman" to play the sexy female lead (and by 'sexy,' I mean 'crotchety').

What's most striking about this is how superfluous the sci-fi is. The setting adds a lot of atmosphere, it looks quite good and hasn't dated that poorly at all. But it's largely unnecessary. Instead, what you get is a lot of familiar noir and especially western tropes, right down to the swinging saloon doors. The whole thing is basically High Noon on a Moon. Connery carries the film with a steely but vulnerable performance. The rest of the cast pretty much blows. But it's a reasonably good time.

we need more movies like this

I did not find this as incredible as I did when I was a kid; the depressurization deaths that horrified me then are now laughable. And the choices of what technologies live on seem a bit odd. The acting IS excellent in this film, and I particularly enjoyed Connery, who has a warmth here in the family scenes that you don't typically get to see from him. It's definitely a space western, though, and unfortunately it's as glacially-paced and light on character development as most westerns.

It's fun enough I suppose. Connery is worth watching, the futuristic mining station as backdrop is worth watching, but everyone else blows in an Ionian depressurisation kinda way.

Sean Connery runs around and fights not only for justice but also for making this film not a stinker despite the rest of the crew putting in a solid effort to make it so. He fares pretty well, but no one can hold up a film like this on their own.. Low points include the excruciating performances in the roles of the doctor and of Connery's son. High points include a good chase sequence, a golf video game way ahead of it's time and a good Connery monologue; "Do I belong here?" No, Sean. You don't.

I’m feeling generous towards this. The setting worked well, although as others have noted this isn’t really a science fiction film. They say it’s like High Noon apparently. I’m not sure if I’ve seen that, but I’ll check it out. Connery is good, a mix of his usual brusqueness but tempered with some vulnerability. I also liked the cranky doctor. There are some nice splattery moments to add colour. It’s maybe a bit dry but it’s worth checking out for fans of Connery and fake westerns.

The production design is great to look at, if highly derivative of Alien - both films also share a score from Goldsmith (the opening piece and indeed the entire presentation of the titles is bordering on rip-off). Unfortunately, the stronger elements in Outland do more to irritate than act as any kind of balm for the pain induced, simply because they’re such a frustrating reminder of just how much potential there was.

Pretty intense outpost drama with some good acting but ill-thought out set design. A gem within the genre.

It's a bit predictable but hey ho, everybody loves Connery.

A pretty good space western.

A decent sci-fi western that has good production design,decent score and Sean Connery that makes this otherwise medicore plot rise above and be fairly entertaining stuff. Very much influenced by the aesthetic of Alien, which helps make everything feel grimy,dirty and lived in. worth checking out.

The visual set up is well done but it's more a distraction for the fact that everyone other than Connery sucks and that the story is rather simple and drawn out. Even so it's a reasonably enjoyable film that blends different tropes together.

Viewed August 8, 2021. I'm not sure if Peter Hyams is really even a great action director, since he seems to be a lot more interested in atmosphere than action. Every image in Outland is unusually gorgeous and expressive, doing a great job of capturing the feeling inside these airless cabins. But the narrative moves at a snail's pace, the exposition is clunky, and there just seems to be a mismatch between the pulpy script and Hyams' highbrow aspirations.

Decent sci-fi film held up mostly by Connery. Everyone else seems sleepy or bored to be there.

A western made into a space epic, this film tackles (like "The Martian Chronicles") the likelihood that humans going to space will be like status quo humans on Earth: ruled by unstable democracy-bureaucracy, owned by corporate interests upon which government relies for income and lobbying, ridden with opportunistic and lazy characters, and blighted by the same vices and neuroses that make people in cities so pointless these days. Bleak but charming.

Boooooooooooooooooring! Why do you try to invent a SciFi world if you don t really do anything with it?

A ambientação do filme é muito boa. Mas o roteiro, diálogos e desenvolvimento de personagem deixam a desejar, criando uma série de situações incoerentes e previsíveis.

As others have noted, it's essentially High Noon (plot) meets Alien (style). Hyams' script is a bog standard righteous-man-takes-a-stand-against-wrongdoers narrative that holds zero surprises, but one gets the feeling that was by design. The emphasis here is on atmosphere and mood, as usual for Hyams, and he manages to create a few intense scenes from a judacious use of restricted space. Its limited by its lack of ambition, but Connery is predictably solid and it ends with a bang.

Very generic sci-fi, though it gets points for tension in the first couple of acts. It has an unpleasent puritanical streak (allowing people to do drugs and have casual sex will lead to murder and mayhem), and the action in the denouement is awful. It's also visually drab, which is shocking considering this guy did the 2001 sequel (like I needed another reason to not watch that.) It's not a bad movie (good pacing in the detective story, a tense ticking clock) but it barely scrapes above average.

A very uninspired look into the future, although the special effects are fairly well done. It's almost as if the entire space theme was completely irrelevant. The plot and story are very lack luster and could have been done better in a conventional setting.

For those that are in love with the old film asthetic of sci fi, specifically the 70s to early 80s era, the setting will be a plus for you, as it was for me. It has that industrial, dirty blue collar working factory feel too it, steamy pipes, dark dank halways with metal segmented floors and giant interlocking steel doors etc etc lots of hiss and clank, the sort of thing that sings to my heart. Other than that, story is not very complex, but i was kept entertained. not bad if your sort of thing.

This was a movie.

B+

Distant recollection is that this is a rather enjoyable space western.

I read a review that referred to this as "High Noon in Outer Space"....which is an accurate assessment. Recommended.

Not much happening plot wise but really pretty special effects and set design.

I know this is sacrilege, but I actually like this better than _High Noon_. At least Peter Hyams doesn't repeat "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling" until you want to scream

Underrated movie alert: all sources indicated that my feelings on this movie would be lukewarm, at best, but it turned out to be a campy delight. Visually speaking, it's possible it borrows a bit too much from Alien, but I was won over by the western-in-space plot, Sean Connery's irresistible charisma, and the hilariously crotchety old doctor who could give Dr. McCoy a run for his money in the snark department. It may not be a masterpiece of filmmaking, but it's entertaining as all hell.

strong performance from connery, nice concept, marred by poor writing. "My men? My men are shit."

62.000

Despite a very weak plot (a station half full of potential psycho's can't push one man over a railing or something?) the movie is saved from mediocrity by the awesomely gloomy mining station and the ol' Connery charm.

I loved this as a teen but "High Noon" remade for the sci fi set has dated badly.

I once took a space car ride to Io and Sean Connery rode shotgun.

Gritty space western which has dated surprisingly well. Top knotch set design and score, and a good performance from Connery. The pacing is a bit uneven but pretty tense until the climax, followed by a cheesy and weak wrap up.

Pretty good sci fi.

I was pleasantly surprised. Good score, excellent production design, decent action sequences (although the film kind of blows its load on an awesome foot chase halfway through the film), and Sean Connery.

Correct spatial western with Sean Connery.

Most of the movie is surprisingly full of suspence and desperation despite a story that seems to have been done to death the last 50 years. It could just as easy been a western starring John Wayne. The director manages to do a lot of good out of very little.

Cop...Space Cop! There can only be one!

worth watching, but what a horrible sci-fi.

Very atmospheric. Well made Sci-fiction movie.

Wow, just watched it (New Year's day 2012) and it holds surprisingly well. It's over 30 years old, but besides the dated special effects it can compete with quite the sci-fi out there now. Great start for 2012!

Unwatchable!

Yeah, it's High Noon IN SPACE, but that's not a bad idea, it has style and mood enough to pull it off. Sadly gets a little too fond of endless slow walks down dark hallways, especially towards the end.

Surprisingly good for the time. Some great background music here and there as well.

Okay, I'll admit it's been many many years since I last saw Outland, but it's High Noon set on a space station orbiting Jupiter and starring Sean Connery. So what's not to like....

Visually, one of the more plausible interpretations of the future. The plot, however, is sort of a greatest hits collection of ideas than an original concept.

Not terrible, just unoriginal, under developed, and it has a few awkward moments. The sets hold up well, even the tech being utilized isn't bad, but some of the effects are lackluster.

Sci-fi version of High Noon starring Sean Connery sounds great, but doesn't quite live up to its source material.