Outland
On Jupiter’s volcanic moon, a principled marshal confronts a lethal corporate drug conspiracy in a hard-edged space western.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- gritty
- tense
- claustrophobic
- classic science fiction night
- space western marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly recognized the film's strong science-fiction western premise, brisk suspense, and production craft, while finding its High Noon-derived story familiar and sometimes trite.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Marshal O'Niel enforces order in a mining colony on Io, while the plot echoes the lone marshal structure of a frontier western.
The mining colony's illegal amphetamine scheme exploits workers and treats their deaths as an operational cost.
The action takes place within a remote titanium mining colony on Io, whose tunnels, facilities, and transport systems create physical confinement.
O'Niel becomes the target of the conspiracy while attempting to protect miners despite opposition and compromised authority figures.
Films like Outland, and why
High Noon
shared space western setting, lone lawman protagonist, corporate exploitation, and high-stakes confrontation
Alien
shared industrial science fiction atmosphere, claustrophobic frontier environment, and corporate systems threatening human lives
Blade Runner
shared gritty blue-collar science fiction, institutional corruption, and a protagonist pursuing justice inside a hostile system
Movie Details
- Director
- Peter Hyams
- Release Date
- 1981-05-22
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (731)
Cast
- Sean Connery
- Peter Boyle
- Frances Sternhagen
- James B. Sikking
- Kika Markham
- Clarke Peters
- Steven Berkoff
- John Ratzenberger
- Nicholas Barnes
- Manning Redwood
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Outland about?
- On Jupiter’s volcanic moon, a principled marshal confronts a lethal corporate drug conspiracy in a hard-edged space western.
- What is Outland like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Outland as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Outland violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Outland as moderate.
- What did critics think of Outland?
- Critics broadly recognized the film's strong science-fiction western premise, brisk suspense, and production craft, while finding its High Noon-derived story familiar and sometimes trite.
- Which films are like Outland?
- Films with a similar feel include High Noon, Alien, and Blade Runner.
- How long is Outland?
- Outland runs 110 minutes.
- Where can I watch Outland?
- In United States, Outland is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
