OUTLANDER

US, 2008, 115 minutes, Colour.
James Caviezel, Sophia Myles, Jack Huston, John Hurt, Cliff Saunders, Ron Perlman.
Directed by Howard Mc Cain.

'Outlandish' is the word that springs to mind for a cynical review before seeing the film. However, within minutes of the opening of Outlander, 'outlandish' does spring to mind. There aren't too many films which begin with a spacecraft hurtling to earth and crashing and burning while the scene changes to a shepherd and the caption states, 'Norway, 799'.

Fortunately for Viking communities (despite Franciscan looking friars centuries before their founding), their Norse gods beliefs could ready them for myths of heroes being sent out of the skies. For Kainan (an iron-jawed Jim Caviezel whose first word in the film might surprise fans of The Passion of the Christ), it is not so easy. Like many of the aliens in the movies (The Day the Earth Stood Still, War of the Worlds), he comes from a planet that needs to send its people elsewhere to survive. This time they take a planet inhabited by monstrous creatures called Moorwens. As Kainan lands, a Moorwen is terrorising the local villages in the snowy north. And, so a set up for Kainan to become the hero who will lead the Vikings to destroy the Moorwen. It does sound outlandish, doesn't it!

Years ago there was a sword and sorcery genre that was very popular. This one is in that vein with lots of swordplay and some special effects for a burning monster that is full of teeth, ooze, goo and scales.

The Vikings do their best and adopt Kainan as a co-leader (in this film, Wolfranc, the potential rival for king and for Freya, becomes an ally and friend, so no nasty competitiveness here). It's a bit of a reminder of Kevin Costner coming among the Indians in Dances with Wolves.

The Vikings are led by John Hurt who brings a great deal of gravitas and clear rhetoric to the action. Jack Huston is the potential king. Sophia Myles is a tough-minded heroine looking like Catherine Mc Cormack in Braveheart.

It is really old Saturday matinee stuff with expensive production values and some gory bits.

1.The combination of space adventure – futuristic with Viking era – past? How well did they mesh? Credibly?

2.The location photography for Norway, the Viking lands, the rivers and lakes, the forests? The re-creation of the forts? The contrast with the spacecraft, hurtling through space and crash-landing? The special effects for the Morwen monster? The battles with the monster? The musical score?

3.The title, the reference to Kainan? The Norse god beliefs? Messengers and heroes sent by the gods? From the outlands? In this case, from space?

4.The opening credits: the spacecraft, in space, the landing, the crash, the burning, the deaths? Kainan’s survival? The sudden caption of 799AD? Norway? The shepherd with his sheep?

5.The character of Kainan, the strong and silent hero? His survival? The contact with other spacecraft? His being taken? Wulfric and the confrontation? His being brought into the fort? The discussions with Rothgar? The encounter with Freya, her looking after him, his burning his ropes, escaping, hitting her – and her later hitting him back? The suspicion of the Vikings about who he was, the raid on Gunnar’s village, the destruction, their fears of retaliation?

6.The Viking village? Rothgar as king, leadership, dignity, articulate? His wisdom? His caution about Wulfric and his impetuosity? The story of his father, Gunnar and the betrayal? Freya as the daughter of the king? The Vikings, the kind of Mediaeval court, the banquet scenes? The Franciscan-type friar? The fort, life in the fort, in the woods? The attack by Gunnar’s people? The siege? Battles? The weapons, the oil, swords?

7.Kainan and his heroism with the confrontation with the bear, saving Rothgar’s life? Given his freedom? The initial rivalry with Wulfric? Their becoming friends, companions, fighting together? Freya and her not wanting to marry Wulfric? The attraction towards Kainan?

8.Gunnar, his village, leading his warriors in the attack? The encounter with the Morwen? Fleeing into the Viking village? The various tribes working together?

9.The visualising of the Morwen, Kainan’s story about the planet, terrorising the aliens? Landing on Earth? The young Morwen? Appearing, burning? Devouring? The threat to the people in the fort? The fight, the injuries, Rothgar and his injuries? His death?

10.Kainan and his leadership, building the trap, Boromea and the others working? Digging, the posts, the oil? The attack by the Morwen, its being captured?

11.The young Morwen, the attack on the group foraging? The capture of Freya? Her being in the cave with the bodies of the dead? Trying to escape?

12.Kainan and Wulfric, the group, the exploration, searching for the Morwen in the cave? Finding the young and destroying it? The large Morwen and the attack on Freya?

13.The build-up to the final confrontation? Wulfric and his being injured, his death? Freya and her joining with Kainan, hanging on the cliff? The fight, the Morwen’s attack, hurtling into the ravine?

14.The rescue of Freya? Kainan and his farewell, going back to the ship, finding the radio contact, ultimately destroying it, deciding to stay?

15.The voice-over by Freya, the Norse legends, the hero from Outland, remaining to be king? His wise rule?

16.The use of familiar stories from the Viking Age, Beowulf and the heroics? The combination with space exploration, aliens trying to find a planet to live, the clash with the monsters?