Outlander is a 2008 science fiction action film directed by Howard McCain and written by McCain and Dirk Blackman. The film stars Jim Caviezel as Kainan, a humanoid soldier from another world who crash-lands in Viking-era Scandinavia while being pursued by a dangerous alien creature known as the Moorwen. The cast also includes Sophia Myles, Jack Huston, John Hurt, and Ron Perlman.
The film combines elements of science fiction, action, adventure, and Viking-era fantasy. Although Outlander was released in 2008 in several markets, its limited theatrical release in the United States took place in January 2009.
TRAILER
Plot
In 709 AD, during the Viking era, a spacecraft crashes into a lake in Scandinavia. The only surviving occupant is Kainan, a humanoid soldier from a distant world. After emerging from the wreckage, Kainan discovers that his ship has crashed on Earth, a planet that had previously been colonized and later abandoned by his people.
Kainan retrieves a computer from the wreckage and uses it to determine his location and surroundings. The computer downloads information about the local language and culture directly into his mind, allowing him to communicate with the people of the region. He also activates a distress beacon in an attempt to summon a rescue ship.
Kainan soon discovers that he is not the only survivor of the crash. A dangerous creature called the Moorwen was aboard his spacecraft. The creature escaped after the crash and began hunting humans and animals in the surrounding area.
While searching for the Moorwen, Kainan comes across a Viking settlement that has been completely destroyed. Before he can continue his search, he is captured by Wulfric, a Viking warrior who believes that the mysterious stranger may be responsible for the massacre.
Wulfric takes Kainan to the fortified settlement ruled by King Rothgar. Kainan is interrogated and claims that he comes from the north and is hunting a dragon. Rothgar and his warriors remain suspicious of him, particularly because the destruction of the neighboring settlement threatens to reignite a conflict between the two Viking communities.
Rothgar's daughter, Freya, is expected to marry Wulfric, who is positioned to become the next king. Freya, however, has reservations about Wulfric and fears that he could become a harsh ruler.
That night, the settlement is attacked by an unseen creature. Several warriors are killed before the creature disappears into the darkness. Kainan recognizes the attack and finally explains that the creature is a Moorwen, a highly dangerous predator from his own world.
Kainan joins a group of warriors searching for the creature. During the expedition, the group encounters a gigantic bear that attacks them. Kainan kills the animal, demonstrating his strength and combat abilities and gradually gaining the respect of the Vikings.
Meanwhile, Gunnar, the chieftain of the destroyed settlement, arrives with his warriors. Believing that Wulfric's people may be responsible for the destruction of his home, Gunnar attacks Rothgar's settlement. The two groups fight until both sides suffer casualties.
Gunnar and his surviving warriors retreat into the surrounding wilderness. However, the Moorwen begins hunting them. Forced to flee the creature, Gunnar and his men return to the settlement they had just attacked and seek refuge among their former enemies.
Kainan realizes that the Vikings cannot defeat the Moorwen using ordinary weapons. He therefore develops a plan using their resources and his knowledge of the creature. The warriors construct a large pit near the entrance to the settlement and fill it with whale oil. When the Moorwen is lured toward the settlement, Kainan and Wulfric attempt to trap it.
The plan succeeds temporarily. The Moorwen falls into the pit and the oil is ignited. Although badly injured, the creature survives and escapes. During its attack, several warriors are killed, including Gunnar.
At the same time, the Moorwen has produced an offspring. The young creature enters the settlement through an underground passage and attacks the people hiding inside. Erik, an orphaned boy whom Kainan has begun protecting, discovers the danger and alerts King Rothgar.
Rothgar attempts to protect the women and children but is killed during the attack. The survivors escape, while the destruction of the settlement leaves the Viking warriors demoralized. Many of them decide to leave in search of a safer place.
Kainan, Freya, Wulfric, and the remaining warriors decide that the Moorwen must be destroyed before it can kill more people.
Kainan explains the truth about the creature to Freya. His people had previously encountered the Moorwen on its home world. They invaded the planet, killed enormous numbers of the creatures, and established a colony there. The Moorwen that followed Kainan to Earth is believed to be the last of its species.
Kainan also reveals that the Moorwen was responsible for the deaths of his own family. His wife and child were killed during the creature's attack on the colony. The Moorwen later infiltrated Kainan's spacecraft, causing the crash on Earth.
Freya gives Kainan a family sword that had been passed down to her. Their relationship becomes increasingly close as they prepare for the final confrontation.
Realizing that ordinary Viking weapons are insufficient, Kainan returns to the lake where his spacecraft crashed. He retrieves fragments of advanced metal from the wreckage. The material is brought back to the settlement, where Boromir, the village smith, uses it to forge new weapons capable of penetrating the Moorwen's hide.
Before the weapons can be used, the young Moorwen attacks the group. It captures Freya and carries her into its underground lair.
Kainan and Wulfric organize a small group of warriors and enter the underground tunnels in search of Freya. They eventually discover the Moorwen's lair, where Freya awakens among the remains of the creature's previous victims.
The young Moorwen attacks the rescuers. Several warriors are killed during the battle. Boromir manages to injure and blind the creature before he is mortally wounded.
Kainan and Wulfric reach Freya and give her one of the newly forged weapons. Freya uses the weapon to kill the young Moorwen.
The survivors then emerge from the underground tunnels near a high waterfall, where the adult Moorwen attacks them. The creature seriously wounds Wulfric, leaving Kainan to face it alone.
Kainan fights the Moorwen while Freya joins the battle. Working together, they manage to overpower the creature. Kainan finally knocks the Moorwen over the edge of the waterfall, killing it.
Kainan and Freya return to the wounded Wulfric. Before dying, Wulfric passes the kingship to Kainan.
With the Moorwen defeated, Kainan prepares to leave the Viking settlement. His distress beacon is still active, and a spacecraft from his civilization eventually arrives in Earth's atmosphere to retrieve him.
Kainan, however, has changed his mind. Rather than return to his own people, he chooses to remain on Earth. He returns to the wreckage of his spacecraft, retrieves several personal belongings, and says farewell to the memory of his deceased wife.
Kainan then destroys his distress beacon, preventing the rescue ship from locating him. Freya sees the spacecraft departing and believes that Kainan was sent by the gods.
Kainan remains with the Vikings. He marries Freya, becomes their new king, and adopts Erik as his son. Having arrived on Earth as an outsider from another world, Kainan ultimately chooses to make the Viking settlement his home.
Cast
Jim Caviezel as Kainan
Sophia Myles as Freya
Jack Huston as Wulfric
John Hurt as King Rothgar
Ron Perlman as Gunnar
Cliff Saunders as Boromir
Patrick Stevenson as Unferth
Aidan Devine as Einar
Bailey Maughan as Erik
Rating: 10 Stars
