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Sean Connery stars in this middling conspiracy thriller set on one of Jupiter’s moons. Connery plays the new head policeman at a titanium mining facility where some of the workers have begun losing their minds and endangering lives. When his investigation indicates the mining company itself may be providing dangerous, mind-altering drugs to enhance worker performance, the powers that be send in assassins to keep Connery’s discovery from ever getting out.
Outland borrows stylistically from Star Wars and Alien so much that it should be ashamed. (It even shares Star Wars‘ costume designer and Alien‘s composer, Jerry Goldsmith.) Writer/director Peter Hyams (2010: The Year We Make Contact, The Relic) seems to be aiming for a version of High Noon set in space, with the last third of the movie building toward the impending arrival of the company’s secret assassins. The problem is that this movie doesn’t need to be set in space at all. After the success of Star Wars and Alien, Outland takes us into the stars for what? Not for an existential battle between good and evil. Not a showdown with a fierce predator. No, Outland is an anti-drug drama with a conspiracy twist that plods along predictably and yields few surprises. What a waste of space.
Sean Connery’s star power is certainly not in question here. He’s upstaged by a terrific supporting performance from Frances Sternhagen (Misery, The Mist). This may be one of Sternhagen’s best roles, playing a gruff doctor who goes from hating Connery to being his only trusted friend. James Sikking is solid as one of Connery’s fellow cops. And, as always, it’s always great to hear a Jerry Goldsmith score — even it’s aping Alien in some moments.
With Peter Boyle, Kika Markham, and Clarke Peters. Look for Cheers star John Ratzenberger as the first victim of the drug’s deadly effects.
Oscar Nomination: Best Sound