Outlander
by Howard McCain
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DVD details
Actor: Jack Huston, Jim Caviezel, John Hurt, Ron Perlman, Sophia MylesDirector: Howard McCain
Brand: BlockBuster Exclusive
Writer: Howard McCain
Producer: Andreas Grosch
Producer: Barrie M. Osborne
Producer: Brendan Deneen
Producer: Chris Roberts
Producer: Christopher Eberts
Writer: Dirk Blackman
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Running Time: 115 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-05-19
Audience Rating: Unrated
Model: 81696
Studio: Weinstein Company
Product features:
- OUTLANDER (DVD MOVIE)
DVD Reviews of Outlander
DVD Review: NORSE Adventure Collides with SCI-FI Monster Feature!
Summary: 4 Stars
It would be easy to dismiss "OUTLANDER" as another direct-to-dvd popcorn snooze, but surprisingly, director Howard McCain effectively mixes in elements of a Norse-based adventure, science fiction and even an effective monster feature. It also has the cool elements that the male audience would be interested in; swordplay, macho posturing while using the backdrop of a period where superstition and myth reigns supreme. Oh, did I already mention that the film features a blood-thirsty monster from another planet?
Norway, 709 A.D. A spaceship crashes down to Earth, its lone survivor, an alien male called Kainan (Jim Caviezel, The Passion of the Christ) is left with very limited means in his quest to destroy a creature that has stowed away on board. Kainan follows a familiar pattern of destruction which leads him to be captured by a clan of Vikings who would like to get to the bottom of such destruction. Winning over the clan's king, Rothgar (John Hurt) and his daughter Freya (Sophie Myles), Kainan becomes poised to lead the charge against the Moorwen, an alien monster from another planet who had developed a taste for human flesh. Joining the charge is the head of a rival clan, Gunnar (Ron Perlman, Hellboy 2) as Kainan and Wulfric (Jack Huston) set out to vanquish the Moorwen, only to find that the primitive weapons of this time is no use against the ferociously, ravenous alien beast. Kainan had found something worth fighting for, but can courage and ingenuity truly win the day?
"Outlander" may not be exactly groundbreaking but it makes use of its good points to generate an entertaining experience. The film is a straight-to-your-gut monster movie, with mild staples of sci-fi elements nicely mixed in with its Norse backdrop. The film isn't trying to be overly ambitious but it does know its target audience--it manipulates the male testosterone all the while appealing with its B-Grade charisma. Director Howard McCain knows how to appeal to those with a fetish for monster mayhem; it is full of bloody action and swordplay. The direction takes an almost "comic book-like" tone, with a cinematography that displays incredible scenery for this amazing events.
Amid all the monster mayhem, the film does have some strong bits of characterization. Kainan is a man torn by guilt with his alien race being hinted as nomads who takes over any habitable planet, even if it belonged to someone else. The links between him and the creature may have vengeance as the common denominator; Kainan wishes to avenge his family's death and the creature for his own kind. Kainan finds that he has similarities to this tribe of Vikings, and much like "Dances with Wolves" learns to love and respect them. His developing friendship with Rothgar, a rivalry with Wulfric and a boy named Eric are brought into exposition, as he even begins to harbor feelings for Freya, despite his love for his dead wife. Despite the fact that Kainan is an alien, he acts very human with out sensibilities.
The Viking clan are also developed as we are privy to their customs and their entertainment. We see them eat, dance, and play; they do act like Vikings. They are unkempt, dirty, and very rough around the edges. McCain does give us an idea of the Viking lifestyle, these guys do love wild boar and mead. It was also an exercise in careful scripting that the Vikings have become aware of Christianity, although it was a little underdeveloped that the idea felt a little forced.
This film has adventure written all over it, as the direction takes the action to caves, forests, underground and even underwater at times. The screenplay does succeed to generate some thrills as the Vikings do more than fight, as they try to cope with this other worldly menace with swords, axes, arrows and wobbly shields. The script is clever enough to guide out protagonists through this problem, with a sense of trial and error. Yes, "Outlander" does have numerous "Man Versus Monster" match ups--if at first you don't succeed, try again. The creature designs are inventive enough to keep me interested, it is however, a little disappointing that the creature is mostly designed from CGI. The CGI rendering feels a little uneven, as some shots look better than others. The film does have a mix of old-fashioned blood and gore on some kill scenes which pleased me, and the den of the beast was freaky, as we see its feeding ground.
"Outlander" is a film with a nicely drawn-out plot and the script stays grounded enough to keep the flaws of the CGI effects from notice, as the creature is proven to have more personality than your usual eating machine. It is a refreshing approach to develop a monster that appears as a blood-thirsty beast at first look. The film does have some plot missteps as the third act requires a large suspension of disbelief. I find it hard to believe that any metal that can withstand re-entry in the atmosphere can be re-forged through the usual means. However, the film's script also manages to keep its energy as the film kept on moving.
I guess "Outlander" is worth a look. It is a great exercise in genre entertainment that has full-blooded adventure, action, sci-fi and a nice monster feature to get the job done in viewing entertainment. It is just responsive to genre needs; swords fashioned from a space craft, Viking fights, machismo, a glowing monster and even features a tattooed, hammer wielding Ron Perlman. The film is very easy to like and have fun with.
Recommended! [3 ½ + Stars]
Description of Outlander
In the year?s most action-packed sci-fi adventure, Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ) stars as a futuristic soldier who crash lands on Earth with a hellish, fire-breathing monster in a time of warring Viking tribes. Fusing advanced technology with Iron Age weaponry, he must unite the fierce Vikings and hunt the bloodthirsty beast before it kills them all. Featuring Ron Perlman (Hellboy films), Sophia Myles (Underworld films), and John Hurt (Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull), Outlander is ?visually spectacular? (Michael Wilmington, Chicago Daily Herald), combining stunning special effects, fast-paced action, and a fantastic story to explosive effect.Stills from Outlander (Click for larger image)
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