Film Review: Reviewed By Damon Wise; 2 out of 5

Though it ultimately ends up looking more like a cheap and cheerful monster movie than the artfully ambitious low-budget sci-fi thriller it would like to be, there's a refreshing charm to this hokey tale. A spaceman named Kainan (Jim Caviezel) crash-lands in Norway during the Viking age, but has unwittingly brought an unwanted guest - a vicious alien predator called the Moorwen. The creature proceeds to terrorise the locals, so Kainan joins forces with the warrior community to stalk and kill it. References to a host of science-fiction classics abound, including some less-than-subtle steals from Alien and Planet of the Apes, but Outlander's key influence is the epic poem Beowulf, and the muddy period setting gives the basic plot an interesting twist. Sadly, the film's limited purse doesn't stretch far enough to create a wholly satisfying fantasy world, but the vibrant young cast, and a grizzled, hammy John Hurt, have a lot of fun, nevertheless.

Plot Summary

Science-fiction action adventure starring Jim Caviezel. In the 8th century AD, a spaceship crashes in a Viking kingdom. The pilot, Kainan, survives but it soon becomes apparent that the vicious predator Moorwen has escaped from the vessel. However, before he can apprehend the beast, Kainan is captured and taken to a local village as a prisoner.