Outland (1981) Review 

It is literally High Noon in space, but it's still a fun movie. Sci-fi aesthetics peaked in the 80's in my opinion.

Underrated classic. Always liked this one.

It's a great, simple, straightforward space western. Very satisfying. Not everything has to be "The Expanse," my dude.

A Connery classic. Remember renting a VCR and watching it with my father along with "a bridge too far" and " and the infamous "zardoz". One of the few sci-fi movies he approved of. The realistic approach to space was so refreshing and the problems we'll face as mankind takes its first steps into the outer solar system were fascinating to me as a youngling. I still watch it at least once a year. I'd watch it more often but nobody likes a divorce....

Outland is a very underrated film. Sure it doesn’t have laser beams and alien invasions but it’s a very realistic look at what us colonising space may well look like. It’s perfectly for a space movie to have that western feel. If Humans do ever colonise space their habitats will be the new ”West” in many elements. The 2 go hand in glove really.

Such a hidden gem. Just a good simple sci-fi story with Sean Connery and a stellar supporting cast. Plus eye balls xplode out and other shenanigans. Dad took me to the drive in for this one. Edit: I get your take, but as an older sci-fi fan I was very satisfied. Sometimes it’s the short and simple ones I can just sit back and enjoy and as long as it’s “in space”, well I’m good.

the film might not of been the most exciting sci fi film around but loved its gritty down beat blue collar approach it took , mixed in with the shady corporate side of things, in many ways it could of been set in the same universe's as the films Alien and Blade Runner .

It's still 1000 times better than the junk coming out of Hollywood now.

I like to believe this Alien, Aliens, and Blade Runner all exist in the same universe together…. Even 2010 to a much lesser extent. I like it a lot. There’s a lot of behind the scenes carry over on the production team from Alien. Also parts of the spacesuits in this film get partially used by the salvage team in Aliens. Incidentally the game Alien Isolation incorporates the “Marshal” service for its game. That’s a clear nod to this film.

Nice to hear someone talk about this. I own it on Bluray. It needs some love.

Great to see you return to reviewing great movies. Connery a little more subdued than usual but still commanding - great aesthetic, really makes you believe its in outer space. Cheers Dave.

Saw this in the theater and remember it as a very good, solid movie. In the 1980s, on any given weekend, you could see a top quality movie like this with excellent actors, many who'd been 60s movie and or tv stars. (People like Michael Caine and Gregory Peck, Roger Moore and Paul Newman were still working). Even though it's High Noon, it's a good adaptation of the story.

Very good film. Rewatched it just a couple of months ago. The gritty look makes it feel like it could be set in the same universe as Alien.

Really loving your old Sci fi movie reviews. One movie that seems to be forgotten in the annals of time was Rollerball. I think you'd do an amazing job in reviewing it.

Outland is a favorite film of mine and I'm happy you did this review. I've always felt it's a terribly underrated film. Connery is terrific here. Love the chemistry he has here with Frances Sternhagen (Lazarus). It is very much a "western" film like High Noon that happens to take place on one of Jupiter's moons. It's OK that it's "simple". It's entertaining. Though I don't think the film not as simple as you make it out to be.

What I find astonishing in movies like Alien and Outland is that you can see every pearl of sweat on their foreheads. The movie isn't color graded to look "orange and teal" but the skin tones are natural. It's as if you could smell the smokey and stuffy atmosphere they're in and almost taste the sweat.

Great movie. Loved watching it as a kid. It has a great late night 80s sci-fi feel to it.

I love this film. I didn’t need a complex story. The stand the sheriff takes is inspiring, and there’s a great monologue where the sheriff says he stayed to fight the corruption after his family left him because he wanted to know what kind of man he really was. The world was completely believable, so I love the production design too.

This is a sleeper hit. I remember watching it on VHS. I love 80s aesthetic and sean connery in space.

I watched this film last Christmas day, funnily enough. It was a truly enjoyable experience - especially considering it was my first time viewing. Gritty, engaging, and quite satisfying.

Outstanding choices of late. Can I suggest Rollerball 1975. An overlooked gem.

I disagree. I feel like it's simplicity and striped down nature makes it more endearing. I adore that it's such a mundane situation in such extremes. I love this film

Dave, I am super sci-fi addict from child to adult. My library of science fiction books spans from HG Wells, Asimov, Clarke, Norse, Cook, Wolfe, Sturgeon, Herbert, Baxter, Dick... the list goes on. And I have always loved Outland as a sci-fi film. Modern sci-fi is more techno-fantasy than science-fiction. Outland the film recalls what good sci-fi is.

Love this movie. Definitely influenced by Alien and definitely High Noon in space. As for the abrupt end, I always felt like it concluded well. O’Neill would hang it up and join his family. I always felt that Shepherd’s fate would be another set of assassins coming to take him out as punishment for failure.

Space Westerns are a pretty fun idea to explore hell some of the best anime Trigun, Cowboy Bebop and Outlaw Star explore this concept in different ways with Trigun focusing on the Western part, Outlaw Star the Sci-Fi angle and Cowboy Bebop being a bit of a balance of the two.

God rest Sean Connery. In a way I wish he could have played Gandalf in LOTR as he was a shoe in to take it. "And what about very old friends?" delivered by Connery - 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

I'm a huge Peter Hyams fan. I appreciate that he is the DP on his films and the look of his films have a nice, now vintage 35mm look. Outland has a wonderful set of story layers that I never get tired of exploring. High Noon in space, yes, but you have this "everyman" guy going through a family issues, lack of support from those who are supposed to be supportive, trying to survive and stay alive and of course, dealing with the kingpin of it all. It's always a good rewatch 👍.

Arrow or Shout needs to release a good 4K Steelbook with the plastic and rainbow cassette-futurism art design. Great Blu-Ray, underrated Jerry Goldsmith score, and who doesn't love those romanticized space vacuum deaths? Plus the ships' doctor is the only female protagonist i've seen in a while with BALLS.

While it isn't going to win any awards for storytelling I love the aesthetics and feel of this underrated 80's Sci Fi classic. It fits right in there with Alien and Bladerunner and you would be forgiven for expecting to see Ridley Scott's Xenomorph lurking down a corridor in this film.

I really enjoyed it for the gritty look, it had something that was missing from other movies of the time.

Love this one! Only watched it recently for the first time. Keep up the good work.

I'm going to make this comment before watching your full review, because I don't want to be influenced by your analysis before saying it. This movie has a very special place in my heart, for no logical reason whatsoever. *S P O I L E R A L E R T* I love this movie because Marshall O'Neill makes me think of my father. Now, Sean Connery only vaguely looks like my father, but it's his portrayal of his character that reminds me of my father. His quiet strength. The scene that evokes my father the most is the self-reflection scene where he's trying to explain to Lazarus why he's doing what he's doing. I could _very very much_ attribute his motivation to my father. More than once I'd seen my father put his ears back like a Saxon* (we do have Welsh in us, after all) and refuse to cooperate because it just wasn't right. It often cost him; sometimes a lot. And seeing Connery sitting there, despondent, reluctantly, almost embarrassed, explaining to Lazarus that everything works because he's supposed to be something he doesn't want to be, and he wants to find out if they're right about him. I could _so_ see my dad having that conversation with my mom. *ears back like a Saxon* - Kipling has a poem called "Norman and Saxon", with this line in it: ""The Saxon is not like us Normans. His manners are not so polite. But he never means anything serious till he talks about justice and right. When he stands like an ox in the furrow - with his sullen set eyes on your own, And grumbles, 'This isn't fair dealing,' my son, leave the Saxon alone." Shepherd f*ed with the wrong Saxon.

“I find that when you are in shpash, and someone is acting up, you gotta give ‘em a little smack.”

I just watched this movie within the last 2 years and I loved it. I expected to find several movies like it from the same time period but I couldn't. I especially loved the set design.

I remember this from the time. Hard to overstate how much I loved it for its gritty reality. After Star Wars and all the mysticism and magic technology, it was refreshing and interesting to see a very plausible depiction of what life in space would be like.

An underrated film. Peter Boyle is a great villain.

saw Outland in the theatre as a kid on a Friday night. when the first worker blew up in his suit my jaw dropped. the next week at school us boys couldn't stop talking about it. we were trying to draw scenes of outland in class. still one of my favorite movies. watch it about once a year

Outland, another fave that probably spurred the imagination of a lot of impressionable teens back in the day, me being one of them. Sometimes a simple story can be immensely satisfying if done well. Connery portrays O'Neill as a man of conviction and moral principle who's only real fault maybe taking his job too seriously at the cost of his family. The sci-fi backdrop and used-universe look of the film is great. The chemistry and dialogue between O'Neill and Lazarus is terrific. A sci-fi classic to be sure and has not been forgotten, even inspiring the director of Moon in aesthetics and plot beats.

This movie is a hidden gem. Connery plays it to perfection. He's a good man in a bad situation. Yes it does have the tropes of a western. But it works well within the context of the story. And it has something you don't see very often in movies these days. A main character with the courage of his convictions. A straight shooter if you will.

Awesome movie... High noon in space.

"The science is really grounded and realistic"... yeah, that's what we old-timers (people who remember when science fiction and fantasy were two distinct genres) called "hard science fiction". It's the kind of science fiction I liked and grew up reading; Heinlein and Asimov and Pournelle and Niven and George O Smith, and John W. Campbell (he wrote the original "Who Goes There?" as Don A. Stuart from which "The Thingy" movies derived). "2010" was also hard science fiction, for that matter. Space Operas like Star Trek and Star Wars (and to a certain extent, Babylon 5, even) cross that line; IMO due to the incompetence of the writers, or their lack of interest in the science compared to telling a story in which science happens to be necessary). If a story violates Clarke's Third Law, it's not hard science fiction. (Yes, I know Harlan Ellison wrote "City on the Edge of Forever"... there's a reason it stands out as an exceptional Star Trek story, too).

Loved this one as a kid when I watched in theaters, still do today

The fact that this is the Blade runner and Alien universe, I loved it. And I loved its simplicity tbh.

A real masterpiece.

This film needed a strong actor like Connery to make it work - his character was doing the heavy lifting of the film as he was focal point of the story. Outland is a western in space , and it works very well. i don't see what is wrong with being of simplicity , i find that to be one of the great points of beauty. If you ever watched the channel , Alien Theory , he asked the question "is Outland in the world of Alien ?" he seems to think so , and i would agree. i find this film keeps coming back to want to be played again and again. i would suggest coming back to it in 6 months to a year and reevaluate it again , you might see what i see.

I remember watching this not that long ago. It struck me that once Sean Connery got away from 'being Bond' he was more willing to do off kilter things, like this and his star turn as Agamemnon in Time Bandits. Also Peter Boyle could play a really good bad guy.

I actually liked this movie when I was younger. It's been a long time since I've watched it. Definitely a lot of its appeal is Sean Connery.

When I learned Hellen Mirren's full name was Ilynea Lydia Mironoff, it finally dawned on me what she was doing playing a Russian cosmonaut in 2010: The Year We Make Contact. Another great film.

Thanks for doing reviews on these old movies.

I watched this film a few years ago after my dad recommended it. Sean Connery was indeed awesome as O'Niel. Good setting, good score, good atmosphere. Didn't mind the fairly simple straight forward story, but the last third of the movie felt too rushed. Despite that, it's well worth a watch.

Dave, thank you for all the retro movie reviews. In the vacuous, vacant space known as movie theaters and the general lack of new movies to talk about now, It's nice to hear you fill it with comments about the staples of sci-fi and action. Thanks for filling that media vacuum with product worthy of viewing.

Bear in mind, Outland was made in 1981. Some of the reason it doesn't seem particularly sci-fi -ish is because state-of-the-art back then wasn't what it is today, and, as I explained in a previous comment, hard science fiction tries to stick to what is known. The golf game Shepherd was playing was a real "rich man's toy" that was created in that era; much like the "space wars" game in Soylent Green. The computer technology, the email and video calls were just being suggested at the time. The same with the fiber optic cabling. As was the body analysis used on the hooker. Analyzing a new molecule? You can do that? Even the squash court (raquet ball?) was futuristic. So, the technological trappings are quite dated today, but at the time, they felt very futuristic.

Outland is a brilliantly subtle detective sci-fi ... well paced directing and acting with great spfx and amazing visual fx model work ...

Oh man, haven't seen this movie in ages. Sean Connery from back in the day. I always found it weird that they were using shotguns in space. xD

One of my favourite movies. It's one of those films you go back to the BluRay/DVD every so often. Once in a few months kinda thing.

Really good movie. Remember when it first came out. Great soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith. Connery plays a man that Hollywood doesn't do anymore. Strong,moral,good. The exact opposite of characters that woke writing makes today. True the story is simple but as you said the acting is great. I would also add that the direction is very good and I think there is just enough depth and action to make it an enjoyable watch. Good Blu Ray as well. Oliver Harper did a good review of it awhile ago. Still better than most of the crap that comes out now.

I'm old enough, Dave, to remember seeing this on Film '81 back in the day and as one of the only Sci-fy movies around at the time I looked forward to seeing it - unfortunately I wasn't old enough at the time to see it at the cinema. Getting to see it on VHS later on was definitely worth the wait. Cracking film in a similar style to Alien - little actual sci-fy - but who cared... it was set in space 🙂

THANK YOU! Someone finally reviewed this classic.

I liked it. An intelligent thriller with some great acting and characters And a good story too with a few shock moments. For example. I liked the chemistry between Connery and the female Dr. They start off prickly but them become great and vital friends.

As a kid I recall my first James Bond movie, "Hey, its the guy from 'Outland!'"

High noon in space! Great movie

Its all about the mood in this one

@Dave Cullen Please review a film called Night Breed ,it’s very underrated.

bond in space.

This is one of my favorite movies. Yes, the story may be simple, but I thought that was okay. What I liked about this film is that it kind of had the message of "the more things change, the more they stay the same" in regards to principles vs. lawlessness, regardless of time or setting.

I've never before heard of this film, I'll have to check it out.

I have always enjoyed Outland. I watch it every once in a while. Good movie. (simple, perhaps, but its the kind of simple we need nowadays.)

I liked it well enough when it released, and had been following its production in Starlog. It seemed a cut above the standard sci-fi fare of the time, though a bit below the high-gloss production levels of Star Wars and Star Trek. Fun fact: Lazarus was originally written to be played by a male actor, but Francis Sternhagen fit the role very well.

love this film - especially as it seems it could almost be set in the Alien universe. there's even a bit at the start where the miners talk about rumours of giant spiders getting in your spacesuit... now excuse me I'm off for some polydichloric euthimal & a game of space golf.

Was on gate guard at RAF Leeming in 1990 and this was the only film in the guard hut. For a week, we watched it on a loop. We never got bored of it.

I love this movie because there's no environmental catastrophe it's just people being jerks in the future because of drug laws. Plus it makes a great prequel to Alien.

Connery is the man's man who has hope even in the most dire situations and he will face it with his willpower and his fists.

An underestimated classic.

This slipped under my radar, gonna have to give it a watch. Thanks.

It's a basic story told pretty well. My recollection is that the failure of the company assassins meant Peter Boyle's death on the next ship, but it's been a while since I've seen it. I consider it a highlight of Peter Hyam's filmography, just because it's simple and direct.

Thanks, it’s great to get a fresh review of older material like this. I watched Outland recently so this is quite timely!

I got to see this in theaters and it was fantastic on the big screen.

real question. how was it perceived during it's time? not 30 years later.

A nice aspect of this movie is O'Neill's relationship with Lazarus. Nowadays there'd be a graphic sex scene between them. Or between him and Shepherd.

I saw this in the cinema here in England in 1981,as you say its High Noon in space,some pretty good effects and Peter Hyams made some great films......when I sat down in the cinema to watch it on a Saturday afternoon,I found a huge tub of popcorn under the seat which someone had forgotten about,which was nice.

I’ve been meaning to watch this for years! Had forgotten to put it on my list though. Thank you for this review. Definitely looking forward to tracking it down.

This is one of my favorite 80s films. I first saw it as child of 11 or 12 and the story was linear and simple enough for me to follow it along very well which allowed me to get "pulled-in" to the bleak and compartmentalized world of a not too distant future off world mining colony. While I agree with Dave's summary, I wish to add that this film came to America at the peak of the drug culture which was sweeping across the nation turning once clean urban cities and neighborhoods into gang turfs and graffiti covered hellscapes. This film asks Is a far off mining colony, a last stop for the desperate, worth saving? Connery's character illustrated the strength and difficulty it took for the good people to stand up to the violence of the gangs and try to drive out the drug dealers from their communities. From a law enforcement angle, it sends the message that as a cop you're the last line of defense but you face a choice. You can play along, and become a part of the problem, or you can choose to stand on the integrity of your oath and the honor to uphold the law. If you don't sell out or look the other way, the good guys can win in the end.

GREAT movie with a GREAT soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith. Outland was directed by Peter Hyams, who also directed Capricorn One (which has another amazing Goldsmith soundtrack).

I still remember seeing that for the first time. The look on the black mercenary's face in the space suit made me laugh uncontrollably. It looked like he was taking a shit in the suit and was interrupted by the cameraman. I don't know why I remember that 40 years later.

I am your typical TV and film sci-fi nerd, particularly of the 60's to 80's (I am nearing 60 myself). I remember seeing Outland in the cinema, and it is also in my Blu-ray collection. So okay, it's not a masterpiece, but it's a fun movie. I actually re-watch it at least once a year. In context some, but not all, other films and shows in my collection are Alien, Blade Runner, Star Trek: TOS, The Prisoner - original, 2001, 2010, Space: 1999, Blake's 7, classic Who, Sapphire and Steel, HHG2G, Logan's Run, Scanners. Escape From New York. I think you know where I am coming from. I am still pleased to have Outland in my collection.

It was a gloriously simple movie with true atmosphere, it feel s like from the Alien universe. BTW there is the notion given that if the hitmen given to Sheppard fail, the next ones will come for Sheppard, so after O´Neil leaves alive, he is done.

Love this film , always thought Peter Hyams is seriously underrated as a director/film maker. Connery is excellent in this space western and I've always thought ( along with many) that Outland fits into the Blade runner/ Alien universe . I know some of the visual effects crew worked on all three movies. I have to disagree with your summary Dave- Outland's simple premise doesn't make it lacking in tension, enjoyment and satisfaction. It has enough elements of sci-fi/ western and drama to work well. Sometimes you don't have to redesign the wheel- just put a new tyre on it ;)

Note to Hollywood, drop of pressure from 1atm to 0atm explosively doesn't make your head explode... Drop from 9atm to 1atm explosively does (see Byford Dolphin for real world example)

I recall it fondly. Haven’t seen it since the VHS days, so I want to see it in HD. It was slow and weird, but I dug it. SC was funny and charismatic as usual. Thanks for the review!

One of my favorite science fiction films. Thank you.

1. Titanium ore is common. Why not noble metals? Platinum? Palladium? Niobiom? Ruthenium. 2. Vacuum is just 1 less bar of pressure than Earth. Vacuum takes minutes to kill, by asphyxiation.

One of my favourites from the 1980's, which is - essentially - a reboot of my favourite western of all time: High Noon. Great stuff Dave. Keep it up!

We didn’t have a lot of good science fiction in 1981. We appreciated what we had. I personally loved the show when it came out.

There's nothing more fun than watching vintage Sci-Fi which features monochrome monitors with a green character set. Even though we ditched that tech decades ago, it still gives the "future" a more gritty, realistic look.

I really like this movie's setting, I rewatch it every now and then.

Thanks for reviewing, I thought I was the only one who remembered this gem.

I remember watching this as a kid through an “ON TV” decoder box.

Peter Hyams may not've been a great writer, but he was an exceptional director and cinematographer.

One of my favorite quotes: "I'm unpleasant; I'm not stupid." From the grumpy doctor.

Also check out Terminator 2, the explosive used at Cyberdyne... Polydichloric Euthimol... James Cameron obviously a fan of Outland...