Summary

• Outland was Sean Connery's attempt at High Noon in outer space, but it failed to meet the high standard set by the classic Western film.
• Initially a box office failure, Outland has gained a cult classic status years later, known for its impressive visual effects.
• Despite mixed critical reception, Sean Connery's role as Marshal William T. O'Niel in Outland remains memorable to fans of the sci-fi thriller.

The cult classic Sean Connery movie greatest Western films ever made. Released in 1981, Outland is a science fiction thriller film written and directed by Peter Hyams, who's also known for his other sci-fi works such as Timecop (1994), 2010 (1984), and The Relic (1997). Connery stars in Outland alongside Peter Boyle (Everybody Loves Raymond, Taxi Driver), s Sternhagen (Misery, The Mist), and Clarke Peters (The Wire, John Wick).

Connery is best known for portraying James Bond in several films such as Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), and Goldfinger (1964). Although Outland isn't often considered one of Sean Connery's best movies, the film is ed much more fondly nowadays than it was upon its 1981 release. Outland earned a Rotten Tomatoes critic and audience score of just 54%, resulting in an overall mixed critical reception. Many have reduced the film to simply being High Noon in outer space.

Outland Was Sean Connery's Attempt At High Noon

Outland failed to meet the high standard set before it

While High Noon is celebrated for its gripping story and palpable tension, Outland failed to meet the high standard set before it.

Although Outland does not credit High Noon as a direct inspiration for its premise, the general consensus of Sean Connery's outer space thriller is that it essentially follows the narrative of the Western classic with a major change in setting. Released in 1952, High Noon is often considered one of the most significant Western movies ever made. The film stars Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, and Lloyd Bridges and was directed by Fred Zinnemann. It won 4 Oscars including Best Actor for Cooper.

Connery plays Marshal William T. O'Niel in Outland, who is stationed at a mining colony on the Jupiter moon of Io when he uncovers a drug-smuggling conspiracy. He becomes a target of hired assassins who plan to silence him as he goes on an elaborate mission to find the suppliers of an illegal amphetamine. While High Noon is celebrated for its gripping story and palpable tension, Outland failed to meet the high standard set before it, lacking in plot development but also generating innovative special effects for its time.

Outland Wasn't Well-Received - But Is Now A Cult Classic

It was also a box office failure in 1981

Outland divided critics and audiences when it was released more than four decades ago but it has gained a new status as a cult classic. The film was also a box office dud, earning an estimated $17-20 million against a production budget of $18 million. Even with the star power of Connery and the intriguing premise of "High Noon in space", Outland was mostly forgotten about outside of its impressive visual effects that in retrospect were largely ahead of their time. Outland is not currently streaming on any major platforms but is available to rent on Amazon.