Outland (1981)

Outland is a Science Fiction film starring Sean Connery as a family man and a Marshal who tries to investigate a series of violent incidents and suicides at a mining facility on IO, one of Jupiter's many moons. He soon finds himself outnumbered and stuck in the middle of a corporate-led organized crime wave that leaves him sorting out who his allies and enemies are there. Fans of 80s Science Fiction and Westerns will undoubtedly recognize some elements common to films like Alien and High Noon here, and anachronisms such as using familiar shotguns still in this future, corded phones and early computers might grate on some or lend the film a grim and broken feel to others, as if this dystopian future never progressed, or is stuck recycling old technologies. Peter Boyle appears as the selfish boss at the mining colony, disconnected and happy to see his company make profits at all costs while slave-driving the employees. Some interesting moments and ideas for a Space Western.

Erik M.