Rating: 
Summary: do yourself a favour and buy the video version
Review: Outland is a solid, if not outstanding, sci-fi film. Sean Connery is always great, it was nice to see some earlier work from Peter "2010" Hyams, and it's a good retelling of High Noon. But it has some unintentional laughs, because I can't think of that woman as anything other than "Cliff's mum" (from Cheers).However, word has it that the DVD version is damn near unwatchable, due to poor quality. Be warned.
Rating: 
Summary: Laws Of Gravity
Review: Outland is a solid, if somewhat predictable scifi film. Directed by Peter Hyams, the film takes the old fashion western and substitutes the frontier of space, for the open range. On one of Jupter's moons, a mining community is disrupted when several ore workers are killed. Marshal William T. O'Niel (Sean Connery starts an investiagation into what really happened. The Manager of the mining station, Mark Sheppard (Peter Boyle) and the station's Security Sgt. (James Sikking)soon make O'Niel realize that all is not as it seems. His one true ally throughout the investigation is Dr. Marian Lazarus (Frances Sternhagen). The mystery element of the movie is not all that hard to figure out here. Thanfully, Connery keeps it all together, ith another strong performace. The rest of the cast is fine too. These elements-along with some well staged action, and a memorable score from composer Jerry Goldsmith, help you to forget a cliched plot. The DVD lacks any substantial extras, save for the theatrical trailer, and few production notes. Viewers may watch Outland in either the widescreen or fullscreen format. The film may not be the best of its kind, thanks to Connery and the rest of the cast though, it's still an entertaining film that's recommended
Rating: 
Summary: Great story, the book is even better
Review: Outland is among my all time favorite movies because it interjects today's problems into a not-too distant world. Greed, corruption, courage, redemption. The story is intimately told, focusing on the characters and not on the technology.
Rating:
Summary: A flawed gem, worth examining ("Save this film!")
Review: Outland is not the greatest movie ever made, but it is a flawed gem, definitely worth viewing. Firstly, as many here have noted, the performances are all very watchable - Connery as the gruff lawman who pays for his ethical standards in his personal life, terrific as always. Other standouts (forgive me if I can't remember the names) include the cranky female doctor, the sadly flawed sergeant and the blandly corrupt chief administrator. Even the minor roles are well cast. Fortunately this film was made during a period when directors and actors were aiming for a super-real style of representation - compare the everydayness of the characters in Alien, for instance, with the stereotypes dominating science fiction film in recent years. This style, and the grungy, industrial set design, combine to emphasise the reality of the moral dilemma of the film - all the characters are faced with the problem of how to behave morally in an indifferent world. The drabness and functionality of the look of the film were influenced by Alien, of course, and really help give the feeling of a working mining station. I still remember, the first time I saw this film, being almost shocked by the use of a weapon as old-fashioned, dirty and real as a shotgun, in the context of a futuristic science fiction film. At every point, from the cigarette smoke hanging in the air to the chips deep-frying in boiling fat, we are grounded in the physical reality of the situation. It is this super-realism that answers the question we may ask: why set this story in the future? I think the answer the film gives is that, whatever the time and place, even in the distant future, these basic human problems will remain to be dealt with. Inevitably, unfortunately, we must acknowledge the flaws in this film. The great music, set design and acting somehow don't prevent the ending from being disappointing. It may sound superficial at first, but I think the blame must be laid at the feet of the special effects supervisors - it is when Connery's character puts on his spacesuit and goes outside that the film goes downhill (at least to the extent of not living up to the preceding high quality). In this last exterior sequence, some of the models are unconvincing, the characters occasionally look like puppets, and the pacing, previously one of the film's best qualities, starts to lurch. There is even a moment when Connery drops a metal panel, supposedly on a zero-atmosphere moon, and it glides like a paper aeroplane! The biggest problem here, though, is that Connery's stoic silence becomes less effective when his face is hidden by his space helmet, so that we lose contact with the central character. It is a shame that a potentially classic movie is let down in this way. This is my plea to any influential movie producers who may be reading this: in a time when so many movies are being unnecessarily updated with digital effects, here is one film that desperately deserves to be saved in exactly this way... Despite these problems, I must recommend this movie highly to cinema buffs, Connery fans, and lovers of quality science fiction films. Outland will definitely reward viewing, both as pure entertainment and as a dark future vision that will linger in your memory.
Rating:
Summary: In a word...Disappointed.
Review: Peter Hyams' 1981 release of Outland starring Sean Connery and Peter Boyle leaves the viewer a bit disappointed. The plot is not too deep and things move quickly without giving situations time to take root and develop. It's as if the movie doesn't know which path to follow. For example, subjects such as corporate greed and corruption, chemical abuse, O'Neil's relationship with family, and a good ol' good guy vs. bad guy scenario appears shallow having not been developed to a greater degree. The viewer is left with little to hang on to as the movie just rolls right along. The high point of the movie hits you before you feel as if much has happened, then is just not compelling enough. Another story of thugs coming after the little guy trying to do the right thing. On a personal note, this viewer had to wonder why the story even had to take place on Jupiter. The storyline could have occurred anywhere because it is mainly aa cop/detective show. Why must it take place on Jupiter? Does Hyams have a Jupiter fetish or was he just hungry to use some special effects (which were used pretty lightly, by the way)? He later got his chance to play with Jupiter in his 1984 release of Arthur C. Clarke's sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey. The characters in the movie are few, and one would expect that this would allow the movie to really delve into them, but again we are left short. The characters are also thin and we do not get a chance to really get a feel for them but only on the surface. The irony is that the character that we get to know the least is actually the main character, O'Niel, played by Connery. In fact, in those rare circumstances where he does show emotion, he appears out of character. The character that creates the greatest impression is the general manager of Con-Amalgamate, played by Boyle. He does a good job at showing us that he is not such a great person and functions out of personal profit to himself. The relationships in the movie are weak also. We fail to realize the true struggle between O'Niel and his wife, and it is hard to feel emotion over his family struggles. O'Neil's relationship with the doctor is also weak. They nearly pair for a battle against the stronger forces, but this too fizzles out. All in all, the characters are very two-dimensional and it is hard to bond with any of them. Hyams had a good idea to begin with, but for whatever reasons, he failed to follow through. What we are left with is a light movie that fails to really pull in the viewer. This viewer was left disappointed. Other than that, it was wasn't bad.
Rating:
Summary: Sean Connery Delivers The Goods
Review: Released In 1981 this often overlooked film is a great exercise
in suspense and Intrigue. Sean Connery plays a rough honest federal marshall newly assinged the task of being a watch commander to the new regime when he becomes determined to solve the bizzare murders of workers on a mining planet. Peter Boyle plays Connery's new boss who is in on a conspiracy to use the workers by injecting a dangerous substance in them to increase workers's produtivity ratios but the downside is that it eventuly makes the workers go beserk and go on a killing rampage. Connery is on to Boyle's scheme and sets out to stop him with a ruthless determination as the film goes on it plays like the classic western "High Noon" With the two leads playing oppiste sides of good and evil with great dramatic impact. This film deserved much better accaimed than it did when it was released. Connery was great and totally belvable in his portayal as a new man in a new world with a reputation of fighting the system his style and presence carried the film with great results. Outland is a great film that shocases a good storyline and proves That Sean Connery can act and go far beyond James Bond.
Rating:
Summary: Great Underrated Movie;
Review: Sci-fi fans searching for an overlooked gem should check this one out. Taking place at a mining town on Io (Jupiter's moon), the new marshall (Sean Connery) discovers that the station is rife with corruption and sets to clean things up. Yes, it's "High Noon" in space, but this isn't just another re-tooled western. (And don't forget, "High Noon" was a great western too!) There are great performances by Connery, Peter Doyle, and Frances Sternhagen. The pacing is set for suspence and the story keeps you interested. But the things that stick and make this worth checking out are the sets and special effects (by the late, great John Stears of Star Wars fame). Criticized at the time for being too grimy, the station seems both realistic and otherworldly--not an easy trick to pull off. The production values for the film (especially the model and matte work) were stellar and stand up very well 20 years later. Throw in a great score by Jerry "Star Trek" Goldsmith and you have a winner. Unfortunately, the transfer quality of the DVD is astoundingly atrocious. It's hard to believe that Time-Warner could allow their names to go on this jittery, grainy, shaky, fuzzy transfer--faults that are especially obvious on the DVD. I have to assume that quality control is something the Warners do only on a select few titles. Peter Hymes (2010, Timecop, Capricorn One) may not be Stanley Kubrick, but a movie that inspired Blade Runner and Frankie Goes To Hollywood deserves better treatment. Trivia: I believe this is the first recorded teaming of John Ratzenberger (as a miner) and Frances Sternhagen (chief medical officer); "Cliff Claven" and "Mom Claven" from TV's "Cheers"
Rating:
Summary: Underrated and overlooked...
Review: Thanks to "Star Wars", the majority of sci-fi movies in the last twenty-plus years has been annoyingly meshed with the action genre. In many cases (such as the aforementioned "Star Wars"), this adds to the fun. Unfortunately, it also makes more dramatic/intellegent fare ("2001", "Silent Running"), seem boring by comparison. "Outland" has suffered this kind of criticism, although there are action elements. I think this is unfair. "Outland" is a gritty, dark picture, more focused on characters and their situations than phaser blasts and starship attacks. The film has more in common with "Alien" than "Star Wars". There is genuine tension generated in several situations, darkness, and the sense that a deadly attack can come out of nowhere. The feeling of isolation on the Io moonbase is very well done, and several segments foreshadow Hyams' work on "2010". The style of the sets fit with the feel of the Io base (lots of metalwork, cargo containers, grills, bland flourecent lights, heavy pressure doors, etc.). True, some items are rather dated, such as the computer readouts, the security cameras, present day cargo containers, and shotguns on a futuristic space outpost. But I find the mark of a quality film is the ability to look past those elements to see and appreciate the picture anyway. There also are some glaring errors, such as bodies exploding when exposed to space (they don't), but again, I think this is minor and in step with popular thinking in 1981, the year "Outland" was made. "Outland" is really a character study dressed up as sci-fi, much like "High Noon" was a character study dressed up as a western. The trappings matter less than the acting, writing, and characters. Say what you will, but "Outland" delivers.
Rating:
Summary: A decent movie, but needed some help
Review: The best part of this movie is obviously Sean Connery, who does a fine job in a fairly routine role as the lone good guy fighting the many bad guys. I also liked the look, even though it is the grungy look perfected in Alien. The exterior visuals and special effects are not very good, looking very much like models. I take one star off for that alone. Overall, a good rental but not one I would buy. 3 and 1/2 stars in my book.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad transfer
Review: The movie itself gets four stars. The DVD gets two. The transfer is the worst I have ever seen. It shimmers, the colors are washed out, and the picture is softer than VHS. There are also few extras, which are becoming so common on DVD's these days. Again, the movie is wonderful, but wait for a better transfer, with more extras.
| 
