Outland

Dir: Peter Hyams, 1981, (7.7*)

This "space western" was based on the classis western High Noon, and may even be more appealing to some, due to the SciFi theme and terrific special effects. Sean Connery is the marshall of a despicable mining colony somewhere near Saturn, and it turns out that the company who owns it is selling a dangerous speed type drug to miners so they can work more. Peter Boyle is perfect as the company's bad guy on the scene. It becomes a "showdown at high noon" as the company sends assassins to take out Connery. Well-made and tense throughout, not a bad updating of a classic, but down a star for the same reason (unoriginality).