By 1981, audiences had been treated to pretty terrific sci-fi spins on archetypal fantasy heroes and blue-collar truckers, so we were due for space cowboys. Borrowing much of its plot from High Noon, Peter Hyams’ Outland scored Sean Connery as the stubbornly dutiful marshal of a bustling mining facility on Jupiter’s second moon of Io, hundreds of millions of miles from Earth. It’s a lousy assignment but it’s all he can get, although the stress is taking a terrible toll on his family. To make matters worse, he soon uncovers a sinister plot that’s costing the lives of a growing number of miners, and he’s staying put until justice is done, even if it kills him, which it very likely will.

Utilizing the talents of some Star Wars and Alien vets, Outland boasts a wonderfully realized world with the credibly lived-in, functional style of both of those predecessors. Much of the esthetic here is defined by bright lights piercing the darkness, and while the shadowy recesses of Io are passably reproduced, the worklights, flashlights and otherwise are formidable, owing much to the implementation of Dolby Vision HDR. The image is often deliberately smoky or dusty, so don’t expect it all to be crystalline, although many shots impress with their clarity. Arrow’s new 4K restoration from the camera negative does give us a new appreciation for the “Introvision” special effects process, a new-at-the-time way to combine the actors with miniature sets in a more convincing manner. Colors are well-saturated, bordering on pretty, but never betraying the intended working-man’s grit.

Another of the real strengths of the movie is the clever ways in which it conveys the sense of a real mining town of the future. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack (be sure to select it, the disc defaults to the original Oscar-nominated LPCM stereo) effectively moves the commotion into the surrounds, simulating locations that are teeming with activity. The night club scenes are a fine sonic example of the well-occupied spaciousness of this place. Jerry Goldsmith’s music is thoughtfully layered into the mix, lending that extra level of excitement during the frantic foot-chase sequence specifically.

Hyams’ archival director/writer audio commentary is joined by an energetic new track from Fangoria editor and Outland expert Chris Alexander, in addition to 2025 interviews with three of the original filmmakers and a pair of modern featurettes. Inside the slipcase there’s also a booklet, a two-sided poster and reversible classic/reimagined sleeve art.

I hadn’t watched Outland in years and I’d forgotten what an enthralling adventure it is. Thanks to Arrow for rescuing it from obscurity and reminding me.

Chris Chiarella