Outlander (2008) R - 3½ Stars

I'm adding an extra half point to the movie because of the pretty cool alien monster. Though the movie is a lower budget version, trying to be a great Viking epic, it lacks the acting needed. Myles and Hurt give decent performances making it still worthy of the rental costs, as a tale of romance, courage and adventure.

Kainan (James Caviezel), a soldier from another world, crashes into earth in the Iron age time of the Vikings, unknowingly carrying a very dangerous passenger. Tiny small villages are being ripped apart and Kainan is blamed, taken prisoner and brought to the fenced grounds of King Rothgar (John Hurt). The King rules this over this large Norwegian habitat of Viking warriors, along with his daughter Freya (Sophia Myles), and Prince Wulfric (Jack Huston). Even as they hold Kainan hostage, the outside villagers continue to be slaughtered by a creature known as the Moorwen

Gunnar (Ron Perlman), the leader of another group on the outside, blames the attacks on the warriors of the King, and vows to make the people of the city pay. But when the Morrwen makes his appearance, even Gunnar quickly joins forces to destroy this monster before it destroys them.

The Weinstein Company, Third Rail Releasing
Director: Howard McCain
Writers: Dirk Blackman, Howard McCain
Producers: Christopher Roberts, Barrie M. Osborne, John Schimmel

I viewed 5/09