Movie Review # 131 Outerworld (1987)

Release:
Director: Phillip J. Cook
Writer: Phillip J. Cook
Cast: Tracy Davis, Hans Bachmann, Michael Mack


Ratings:
Rotten Tomatoes: #1 0% Audience Rotten Tomatoes: #2 50% Audience
IMDb: 4.6/10
Netflix: 2.4 Stars


Review:
As a gamer it is rare to see a movie that closely resembles a video game. But this movie does as it takes a course of action scene in the video game series Mass Effect. Where humanity made huge leaps forward by discovering and backwards engineering alien technology. But when a new piece shows up the race to claim it takes place and they send in their best man/woman for the job.

That plot goes in with both of them. You can literally sub in Pentan for Sheppard and nearly have the same person in either role. Now outside of that they could not be more vastly different. As the acting, writing, effects and story in Mass Effect are far more engaging and less cliched and filled with silliness. What can I say though other than they are also nearly twenty years apart in their makings. Even then this gap shows the vast technology difference of then and now.

But and this a definitive but here. Outerworld changed its name when it was re-released with better graphics and cgi! Phillip Cook pulled a George Lucas and redid scenes and animations! Why yes he did and damn do they stick out like a sore thumb. Just like George he was not happy with his original work and got some money and did it all again changing the movie from Star-Quest that originally showed on Sci-Fi to what is known as today Outerworld or is it what is called on IMDb Beyond the Rising Moon? Uh I have no clue let's move on the the next part.

That being a scene about a third into the movie where Pentan and Brickman are standing Brickman's space ship. Looking at a computer screen. When they are panned out you see the outdated and fun graphics. But when they pan in the graphics change to the more modern version. It is this type of movie failure that made me love this movie. As it was a piece of crap that now has bows on it. Which still makes it a piece of crap.

But now it has a little bit of flair and maybe some turn nail polish and lipstick. Because that is exactly how the graphics look in this movie. They are not terrible but they stick out terribly. As the rest of the movie is grainy and pooly lit. Only to see amazing bright space ships pop up on screen. Now I do have some kudos to give out and that being the stages. Not only where they good they where done on a budget.

Which is even more amazing as this film in total was shot for less than $200k when it first came out. With the special effects I have no clue. Maybe it was paid with the royalties he got from Sci-Fi? I honestly do not care as this movie has moments of grandeur and fun. Enough so that any moderate Sci-Fi fan will find this movie enjoyable for an afternoon. Maybe even enough to call their friends and say "Hey come over and see this B-Film." Which is all you can ask for a movie of this nature.

My Rating: 2.25 out of 5 Stars