Outlander (2008)

Featured Audience Ratings

• John M

  
  This movie got little advertisement when it was released in 2009 and thus ended up heading to DVD in a hurry. The box office on this shouldnt scare you. I just watched the blu ray and I must say not a bad little film. John Hurt as always is awesome. I love me some Sophia Myles. Ron… More
  This movie got little advertisement when it was released in 2009 and thus ended up heading to DVD in a hurry. The box office on this shouldnt scare you. I just watched the blu ray and I must say not a bad little film. John Hurt as always is awesome. I love me some Sophia Myles. Ron Perlman gets a bit part. Just a nice little gem hidden away. Dont go in expecting too much and you will find yourself a good scifi show.

• moon r

  
  A technologically advanced race crash lands in Norway in the time of the Vikings and the survivor must make his way amongst that notoriously bloodthirsty lot, but that's not the big problem. The big problem was that the ship carried a voracious badass predator beastie from… More
  A technologically advanced race crash lands in Norway in the time of the Vikings and the survivor must make his way amongst that notoriously bloodthirsty lot, but that's not the big problem. The big problem was that the ship carried a voracious badass predator beastie from another world and now its loose. An interesting low tech sci-fi with Viking style blood and guts and viscera.

• Phil H

  
  Taking a strong lead from 'Alien 3' and 'The Relic' methinks with this one, quite a good action flick none the less but it starts out quite drab and lifeless with little on offer. The cast is lifted with the presence of Hurt and Caviezel is strong as the hero but… More
  Taking a strong lead from 'Alien 3' and 'The Relic' methinks with this one, quite a good action flick none the less but it starts out quite drab and lifeless with little on offer. The cast is lifted with the presence of Hurt and Caviezel is strong as the hero but the rest of the cast can't really compare and come across rather cliched and unoriginal. Perlman fits this perfectly of course with his unique features. Its an odd plot really as it appears to be set way back in time as the hero from another planet crash lands on earth in the year 709AD amongst viking warriors!. Once you overcome that subplot you get a kind of 'Pathfinder' meets 'Highlander' romp which slowly melts into 'The Relic' with a large beastie that moves and see's much like a Giger Alien from 'Alien 3'. One such scene in the caves towards the finale is pretty much a dead ringer for the corridor sequences in Alien 3. Quite abit of blood n gore as viking males get torn apart by a reasonable looking alien creature, kinda like a large neon lion with more teeth. Effects are standard cgi fare and nothing special but the flashback sequence to Caviezels home world is a nice looking animation. Not bad, good fun with a few flaws and odderties like why the viking folk don't seem too surprised by the strangely dressed, short haired stranger in their midst and why Caviezels alien species appears to be completely identical to the human race, I guess it could happen perhaps, but its a decent sci-fi/period/monster flick which is worthy of a viewing.

• xGary X

  
  An alien spaceship crash lands in 8th century Norway where the surviving passenger Jim Caviezel must join forces with the local inhabitants to destroy a vicious monster he unwittingly brought with him. Alien 3 gets medieval on our asses in this deeply silly variation on Beowulf. The… More
  An alien spaceship crash lands in 8th century Norway where the surviving passenger Jim Caviezel must join forces with the local inhabitants to destroy a vicious monster he unwittingly brought with him. Alien 3 gets medieval on our asses in this deeply silly variation on Beowulf. The idea of Vikings vs aliens seems pretty irresistable (hey, I liked Reign Of Fire...) and these kind of daft sci-fi B movies can be great fun if done with self awareness and a sense of humour. Unfortunately Outlander has neither. Caviezel's so-called character is sketched purely in the form of clumsy flashbacks to the ubiquitous murdered family, and in the land of the Vikings he finds a fiery princess to impress, an orphaned boy to adopt and a local warrior to butt heads and bond with while they hunt down the inevitably computer generated beast. The fact that he is from outer space is pretty much ignored and virtually irrelevant to the cliche riddled plot and the feeble attempt at providing depth and moralisation goes nowhere. Quite why Caviezel, Perlman and especially John Hurt got involved with this straight to DVD standard tosh is a mystery; if I ever meet him I will be torn between shaking his hand for a lifetime of cinematic achievement and demanding two hours of my life back for duping me into sitting through this steaming pile of Norse manure.

• Jens S

  
  This crazy genre mix of "Beowulf", "The 13th warrior" and "Predator" starts out rather trashy and seems to stay pretty shallow for a while, when a couple of surprises and the characters raise it way below average. John Hurt brings class into the mix as… More
  This crazy genre mix of "Beowulf", "The 13th warrior" and "Predator" starts out rather trashy and seems to stay pretty shallow for a while, when a couple of surprises and the characters raise it way below average. John Hurt brings class into the mix as Viking leader, Ron Perlman looks great as bald fighter, although his character remains underused. Even the often rather pale James Caviezel makes the best of his somewhat one-dimensional character of a space traveler crashing in medieval Norway, bringing an aggressive alien with him. Especially the second half is fast-paced, action packed and actually makes you care for the characters, something that doesn't always happen in this genre. The special effects range from really good (the Sci-Fi scenes) to average (parts of the alien monster), but the showdown is pretty rewarding, even though a tad predictable. I assume the creators knew very well what an insane mix they were putting together. Still, a fun guilty pleasure film.

• Dean M

  
  Jim Caviezel is fine as the bereaved guy who finds himself on a strange planet where he has to pass all sorts of tests to win the trust of the locals before leading them in battle. John Hurt is reliable as the king whose appealing daughter Sophia Myles is betrothed to a surly warrior… More
  Jim Caviezel is fine as the bereaved guy who finds himself on a strange planet where he has to pass all sorts of tests to win the trust of the locals before leading them in battle. John Hurt is reliable as the king whose appealing daughter Sophia Myles is betrothed to a surly warrior who... <i>Hang on a sec!</i> There's also interplanetary genocide with bulldozers! A waterfall chase! A hero who has to decide where he belongs! This shows that it's not just James Cameron who recycles the stranger-in-a-strange-land narrative. This is no <i>Avatar</i>, that's for sure, but it's low-key fun.

• Jason S

  
  I really dug this flick even though it was pretty by the book. I was expecting a cheaper straight to video type of flick but the production value of the movie was pretty good and the acting was as god as it should have been. The characters and the story kept me interested. I liked… More
  I really dug this flick even though it was pretty by the book. I was expecting a cheaper straight to video type of flick but the production value of the movie was pretty good and the acting was as god as it should have been. The characters and the story kept me interested. I liked this movie more than I like the recent Clash of the Titans.

• Dean !

  
  I wasn't expecting much from this, apparently straight to DVD film. So I was pleasantly surprised that the budget seemed to be quite grand, the effects were very good, especially for the creature design (Some cool art work of which can be seen in the special features!) and a… More
  I wasn't expecting much from this, apparently straight to DVD film. So I was pleasantly surprised that the budget seemed to be quite grand, the effects were very good, especially for the creature design (Some cool art work of which can be seen in the special features!) and a strong cast. A simple story yes, not too sure about the medieval setting but it works. Quite bloody during the battle scenes too. Deserves a wider audience and makes fine use of a surround sound system!!

• Al S

  
  An awesome and incredible mixture of terrific science fiction, mind-blowing fantasy and explosive action. It's The 13th Warrior meets Reign of fire with a wicked sci-fi twist that will definitely entertain you right till the end. A spectacular and heart-pounding action-packed… More
  An awesome and incredible mixture of terrific science fiction, mind-blowing fantasy and explosive action. It's The 13th Warrior meets Reign of fire with a wicked sci-fi twist that will definitely entertain you right till the end. A spectacular and heart-pounding action-packed extravaganza. It's loaded with amazing special effects, nail-biting suspense, non-stop action, great battle sequences and exhilarating adventure. A dazzling and thrilling adrenaline-rush. A great slice of relentless, pulse-pounding action movie entertainment that has not hit the screen in some time now. A great story with some rather great characters. James Caviezel is terrific, a stunning and great action hero performance.

• Bannan i

  
  I liked it! What's better...aliens or vikings? HOW ABOUT WE COMBINE THEM TOGETHER? <U>The Spiel</U>: So, I would never have heard about this movie if Jaco didn't kindly mention to me with exclaimation points after its title. When I read the synopsis...I saw… More
  I liked it! What's better...aliens or vikings? HOW ABOUT WE COMBINE THEM TOGETHER? <U>The Spiel</U>: So, I would never have heard about this movie if Jaco didn't kindly mention to me with exclaimation points after its title. When I read the synopsis...I saw vikings. Which, if you know me I have a huge affinity for...and then outer space? WHAT?! ALIENS TOO? That must be a gut time. <U>The Who/What/Why/Where/et al</u>: The story is as follows we have the this aforementioned 'outlander' named Kainan (Caviezel) who crashes with his spacecraft into Norway, 709AD. I know what you're thinking, how would this spaceman ever fit into such an ancient and fit in? Trick is, he has these nifty gadgets that fill him in on the language and all information he needs to know about Earth and Norway -unlike the Matrix?- is under his fingertips. He realizes his travelling companion has died and decides to explore the land and gauge his situation. What he finds is a village that looks like it's been razed to the ground...but by whom? By whom indeed? Something catches his attention, and without warning he's found and captured by a viking warrior named Wolfric (Huston). Who is only looking for survivors seeing as it is HIS village that he finds Kainan and jumps to conclusions that he is responsible for their deaths. Instead, he brings Kainan to the local village that is ruled over by King Rothgar (Hurt). While they question the prisoner and he fights against them...whether it be his captors or the King's daughter, Freya (Myles)...some unknown force is out and ravaging the lands where the rest of the vikings reside. Seeing no other explaination they seek vengeance upon Rothgar's village. However, they find no answers and only more questions. What things go bump in the night? Finally, it comes time for the vikings to go track and hunt down whatever is responsible for these vicious attacks. They encounter something else alright, something huge and brute-like...but it's nowhere near the reality. By saving the king's life, Kainan wins his freedom and makes a pact with the warriors. Together, they try to trap or outsmart whatever is responsible for leaving a wake in its path. <U>Ending Thoughts and Junk</U>: I seriously thought that this was a really cool idea, to mix to genres together in this style. Most times, when people attempt this it falls horribly short and becomes just another B or lesser grade movie that should be made for tv, if nothing else. But, amongst the majestic scenery of the Norwegian fjords and the story, itself...if you don't read the spoiler...you're in for something really interesting in regards to space-y movies. The acting was not bad, as I am a Caviezel, Hurt and Perlman fan I was not disappointed. Who did surprise me in fact, was this Huston character...whom I've only ever seen him act on television. He was quite the believable arrogant...but pretty badass viking! Especially the part when they're running around on the shields! Doing flips and junk? The CGI effects were pretty amazing, as well it really added to the whole aesthetic appeal of the entire movie. Definitely recommended to anyone who likes vikings, space-y stuff...or some intriguing combination of the genres. <img src='http://semanticdrift.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/outlander_caviezel.jpg'>

• Alexander W

  
  Watching this film was great ! Its good for adults and kids. I don't think girls of the family would enjoy it so much, Really cool CGI. Really fun and interesting. Not too serious. Blockbuster cool ! The set back has more potential and I can see there being an Outlander 2 if… More
  Watching this film was great ! Its good for adults and kids. I don't think girls of the family would enjoy it so much, Really cool CGI. Really fun and interesting. Not too serious. Blockbuster cool ! The set back has more potential and I can see there being an Outlander 2 if they get the funds. But don't hold your breath I think they need to explore releasing some books, graphic novels first.

• Jani H

  
  There is no destiny. There is no Gods. It was just me... And I failed them." When you combine two different genres, sci-fi and Iron age adventure, the first question that comes to your mind may be: "Will it work?". For me, this underrated film worked perfectly. I saw… More
  There is no destiny. There is no Gods. It was just me... And I failed them." When you combine two different genres, sci-fi and Iron age adventure, the first question that comes to your mind may be: "Will it work?". For me, this underrated film worked perfectly. I saw it with an open mind and was genuinely pleased with the outcome. The story combines two of my favourite genres, sci-fi and sword adventure. I do like other genres equally as much, but I'm trying to prove my point here... Jim Caviezel, my favourite Jesus, plays Kaidan, a man from another galaxy than the one we live in. He crashlands on 8th century Earth in Norway, the land of vikings. Onboard his ship is a terrifying beast that will unleash hell... Kaidan must win the trust of the vikings and join forces with them so that the beast, called Moorwen, can be destroyed. Jim Caviezel is an actor that I've liked very much. He has done several good performances in the past, but he's only remembered by his portrayal of the ancient carpenter. His performance is yet again a joy to look at and fits very well to the part of the warrior from another world. The supporting cast is also pretty decent with some known names as John Hurt and Ron Perlman and some new faces to me, like Jack Huston. There's nothing bad that I can say of the cast. There are touch-as-fuck and comedic characters so you never really get bored with 'em. The special effects aren't price winning material but when you combine the SFX's with the cinematography, all the lighting effects and so on, the outcome can be said to be very good. The creature looks amazing! Some imagination has been used... When the creature starts to glow with a neonblood color in the darkness... Wow. Simple as that. The cinematography was something worth mentioning. A lot of nice images are given to the big screen and especially the dark scenes are something to be remembered. A very nice job by Pierre Gill. The art department has also given a good effort on bringing the 8th century Norway to life. It's not like I've ever been there (time travel doesn't exist yet..) but the costumes and the buildings etc have nothing to lose to bigger budgeted productions. There's only one thing that bothers me... Why didn't this film succeed (in the theatres)? The budget, 50 million USD's, was big enough to be able to compete with bigger names but managed only to get ca 5 mil back. Did 'the failing of The 13th Warrior' remind the distributors that maybe the viewers don't have any interest of these kind of films? My opinion is that 'Outlander' never got the chance it deserved. Back in 2008 there were hundreds, maybe thousands, of far worse films out there that got a wider release. 'Outlander' was mainly shown at film festivals. 'Outlander' is a film that has an exciting, quickly developing story, that succesfully manages to combine different genres, has good actors and good looks, even amazing at times. I liked the film very much and I hope that it will get more fans when it hits the rental and home markets. I'll definitely buy a Blu-Ray copy when it arrives to Finland next month. Recommended to those who don't give a fuck what critics say. Just look at 'em! Old farts with suits on... What do they know about entertainment? ;)

• A.D. V

  
  What do you get when you cross sci-fi with Vikings with creatures? A kick-ass, rip roaring good time is what. The story's familiar and there are some moments of pure cheese but it has so much going for it that its easy to forgive and forget. The acting is solid, the set design… More
  What do you get when you cross sci-fi with Vikings with creatures? A kick-ass, rip roaring good time is what. The story's familiar and there are some moments of pure cheese but it has so much going for it that its easy to forgive and forget. The acting is solid, the set design and costumes are spectacular, there's a fair amount of blood and gore and while the creature is strictly CG it works more than not. One of the most enjoyable films I've seen this year and recommended to anyone who enjoys sci-fi/adventure.

• Drew S

  
  Woeful pacing issues and a visibly low budget really drag this potentially awesome idea into the mud. Outlander's taking itself far too seriously for a movie about Vikings fighting aliens, and no one involved really has the talent to take it in any direction other than… More
  Woeful pacing issues and a visibly low budget really drag this potentially awesome idea into the mud. Outlander's taking itself far too seriously for a movie about Vikings fighting aliens, and no one involved really has the talent to take it in any direction other than "crap." This is little more than a confused handful of miserable cliches that's not particularly fun or exciting. If you've ever seen a fantasy movie, don't waste your time - Outlander is nothing new.

• Steve K

  
  Silly pastiche of genres is never boring, and never believable. Caviezel often looks lost, and I don't blame him. Hurt and Perlman are under utilized. Some nice fights scenes. Worth a watch if you have nothing else to do.

• Mike S

  
  Cool story, good cast and an entertaining movie on the whole. You might think that a plot that mixes sci-fi elements with things like vikings and fantasy creatures, would instantly become something lame and unwatchable à la Uwe Boll, but this film actually managed to pull things off… More
  Cool story, good cast and an entertaining movie on the whole. You might think that a plot that mixes sci-fi elements with things like vikings and fantasy creatures, would instantly become something lame and unwatchable à la Uwe Boll, but this film actually managed to pull things off rather nicely, despite a pretty thin script and having a no-name director behind the camera. It's not a movie for everyone, but if you're an inveterate action lover (and have nothing against this sort of genre mix), then you're likely to find this as good of a watch as I did.

• Khris N

  
  A sci fi/adventure movie mash of Predator, Pathfinder, Brotherhood of the Wolf and Beowulf, and of course gruesome visuals, it was alright. Welcome to Norway, home of the Vikings and the period which the film is set in. So dont expect beautiful landscapes or scenery, obviously the… More
  A sci fi/adventure movie mash of Predator, Pathfinder, Brotherhood of the Wolf and Beowulf, and of course gruesome visuals, it was alright. Welcome to Norway, home of the Vikings and the period which the film is set in. So dont expect beautiful landscapes or scenery, obviously the majority of the low budget of this film wasnt spent on that. Neither was it spent on the cast. It was all spent on those cool CGI visuals... but come on!! it was all used before, and ugly half metal creature (Brotherhood of the Wolf), alien hunter (AVP) the Vikings and the legend of the Dragon (Beowulf), and the story of a man from another "world" (Pathfinder) - but literally, from another world. I guess the alien/dragon looked cool... and a touch of humanity comes through in those emotional moments and flashbacks... the girl is pretty hot I think. XD But basically, its a story of survival and a hunt for a predatory alien (tired plot) set back in 700AD, amongst the fiercest warrior population in history. Anyways, the freak looked very similar to one of Guillmero Del Toro's creations from Hellboy I think (and Ron Pearlman is in this flick!) and Jim Cavizel does look out of place in this film... I like his style but this movie wasnt for him. Some good action scenes, some fo the cast did have a presence and everyone loved the local drunk, but other than that, *shrugs. You will probably like it better than I did.

• Jeffrey M

  
  It's Cowboys and Aliens meets Predator in this strange, yet oddly enjoyable science fiction and fantasy film. Caviezel was perhaps a little too one-note, but still compelling, and it's always fun to watch John Hurt. While clearly not a James Cameron production, the CGI and… More
  It's Cowboys and Aliens meets Predator in this strange, yet oddly enjoyable science fiction and fantasy film. Caviezel was perhaps a little too one-note, but still compelling, and it's always fun to watch John Hurt. While clearly not a James Cameron production, the CGI and overall visuals of the film are pretty decent. The concept itself is both bizarre and interesting, with the world building done generally well, especially when considering the budget. The monsters themselves are never adequately explained, and the alien nature of Caviezel is not fleshed out enough. Still, it's enjoyable, well acted, and looks good.

• Sol C

  
  The film was so so. It has the style and look of some classic 1980's scifi films. The film reminded me of films like Road Warrior, Timeline, Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes, just to name a few. Caviezel was ok in the lead role but another actor could have brought more to the… More
  The film was so so. It has the style and look of some classic 1980's scifi films. The film reminded me of films like Road Warrior, Timeline, Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes, just to name a few. Caviezel was ok in the lead role but another actor could have brought more to the role. Myles was great as the female lead. Hurt and Perlman provide solid support. I thought the editing wasn't good. At times, it was hard to make out in the action scenes, what was happening. Also it was a little too dark making it hard to identify who gets killed or hurt. I also thought the special effects weren't that great. They should have been much better.

• Alec B

  
  There is some interesting tinkering with the Beowulf story, but its still full of boring characters and action cliches.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings