Peter Hyams
Atmosfera Zero

Dismissed at the time of its release as a “High Noon in space,” “Outland” (1981) wasn’t the box office hit its creators had hoped for, earning just slightly more than it had cost (source IMDB). That there were great expectations is evidenced by the quality of the forces in play. First and foremost, the choice of the lead actor, none other than Sean Connery, who at that time, after the glory of 007, hadn’t been hitting the mark with films and was counting on the then-hip genre of science fiction to attempt a career revival. But, while his star may have been a bit tarnished, Connery was still Connery, and his name on the poster didn’t go unnoticed. The artistic reputation of the supporting cast was absolutely respectable, featuring Peter Boyle, Frances Sternhagen, and even a young Steve Berkoff, now one of the most esteemed English theater actors. The technical team was no less impressive, with costumes by John Mollo, sets by Philip Harrison, and music by the great Jerry Goldsmith. At the helm was American director Peter Hyams, who had demonstrated his skills in 1977 with Capricorn One, leading an almost entirely British crew.

Yet something didn’t work; from the opening credits, it’s clear that the intent was to replicate the success achieved just two years earlier by Ridley Scott’s “Alien,” another Anglo-American production, but when "Outland" hit theaters, it was merely talked about as a “space western,” thereby condemning it to a hurried programming before fading into oblivion, only resurfacing with some sporadic late-night television airings. Yes, because, moreover, the film contains some rather gruesome scenes (at least for the time).

The film is curiously set on a moon of Jupiter, “Io,” where titanium deposits are laboriously mined by workers housed in the local Con-Am 27 colony, as seen from the very first scene. Trying to avoid too many spoilers, the plot is rather straightforward, consisting of newly appointed Marshal William O’Niel (Connery) discovering a trafficking of doping substances meant to enhance miners’ productivity, which over time, however, cause severe psycho-physical repercussions. Conducting an investigation leading straight to the top of the administration (Boyle), the sheriff suddenly finds himself isolated in the conspiracy of silence if not open hostility from those around him, relying solely on the help of the colony’s doctor (Sternhagen) to face well-equipped killers en route for him aboard a shuttle, disguised among the shift-change miners.

If put this way, the storyline itself might not immediately recall “High Noon” (1952), it is the atmosphere of isolation and anticipation surrounding O’Niel at a certain point that brings to mind the renowned western, of a genre “other” like science fiction. Hyams, also the scriptwriter (and cinematographer, with young Stephen Goldblatt essentially hired as a nominal presence), does nothing to hide the allusions to Zinneman’s classic: the protagonist is a “marshal,” the use of regular rifles (not laser beams), the tone of the dialogues between villain and hero, frequent shots of large clocks (naturally, here in display style), even a set piece calling back to typical saloon doors. Furthermore, in press conferences, Hyams made no secret of his source of inspiration. Thus, the game was intentional, overt from the start, justifying little the irritation shown then by critics, who also described Connery’s performance as “wooden,” the characters as lacking depth, the plot as flawed and stretched, and the science underlying the film as inaccurate. Opinions don’t seem to have shifted much, as the film only maintains a 56% rating on “Rotten Tomatoes” (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/outland).

While some of these criticisms may be agreeable, seen today, “Outland” still stands as a good thriller, where tension gradually builds to a spectacular climax, also thanks to the pre-digital special effects by veteran John Stears that have “held” up over time, with external colony views that suffer on TV, appearing dizzying on the big screen due to a then-pioneering technique called IntroVision (yes, I am among the few who saw it in theaters at its hasty release, which doesn’t make me a sprout). True, it’s not Connery’s best performance, as he perhaps subtracts too much in an attempt to add credibility to his marshal role, but the Scottish actor still manages to bring the audience to his side in this gut-wrenching fight against corporate greed, and his single, brief monologue is well delivered. He is not helped, as mentioned, by the scant depth in the character writing, but Sternhagen’s verve gives Dr. Lazarus credibility, carving out delightful exchanges with the protagonist. Perhaps where the film really trips, where its components clash, is precisely in its scientific credibility. If doing science fiction, you must clearly set the field you're playing on, either in free-rein fantasy (e.g., Star Wars, which some aptly define as “fantasy”) or in scientific credibility. In “Outland,” the sets and costumes, still appreciated today, play in the latter, but the situations, in seeking spectacle, often belong to the former. Depressurization puffing bodies up like balloons, Io’s intense volcanic activity, known even then, absent from the film, gravity inexplicably changing between inside and outside the colony (this is an ailment afflicting many productions, such as Jerry Anderson’s, so much so that as a boy, I was convinced gravity depended on the presence of oxygen, a conviction my science teacher corrected one day not without trauma), there’s even a corpse dripping blood upward (!). I could go on.

Is it worth spending 1 hour and 49 minutes on this putrid moon of Jupiter? For this reviewer, ultimately yes, the tension is there, the actors do their best with what they have, and it’s enough; the design and most special effects endure the test of time. It’s not a masterpiece, but the effort in its making is evident, and I even dare say “Outland” might be a bit underrated. As long as you remember it’s a western. Enjoy the show.