This forgotten Sean Connery space Western is now streaming for free ‣ Diverse Daily

Westerns come in all flavors and there’s something for everyone. You watch traditional Westerns, like A Fistful of Dollars if you’re looking for gritty action or try something lighter, like Blazing Saddles if you’re looking for laughs. I love modern interpretations, like Normal and Serenity which take the typical Western tropes and give them a unique twist.

I was looking for a space Western to watch and came across Outland. I’d never heard of it before and was shocked to discover that it stars the legendary Sean Connery as the Sheriff of a space mining colony. The film was made back in 1981 and flew under the radar, raking in an estimated $20 million on around a $14 million budget. It still holds up and is worth checking out to see Sean Connery taking down baddies in space.

Sean Connery plays Federal Marshal William O’Niel, who’s assigned to work at a titanium mining outpost on Io, one of Jupiter’s moons. His wife refuses to live in such tough conditions and returns to Earth with their son..

Miners on the space station start having fatal accidents and the Marshal suspects foul play. The bodies begin to pile up, and he discovers that many of the deaths are due to a powerful narcotic. It gives workers the ability to work harder for days at a time before driving them insane. The investigation takes him up the chain of command, and he starts having issues with the outpost’s general manager, who he suspects could be in on it.

O’Niel must uncover the secrets of the drug distribution ring and take down the dealers. His actions have consequences and hitmen eventually arrive to take him out. It’s up to him to clean up the outpost and take down the drug syndicate, which is bigger than he thought.

All this takes place in a secluded mining outpost which gives off an Alien-like vibe with its tense atmosphere and industrial aesthetic. The real sets and practical affects have a genuine, live-in vibe and are a welcome change from the cartoonish green screen we see today.

That said, Outlands isn’t a visual effects extravaganza with huge space battles or spectacular set pieces. It’s more of a slow-burn detective story that gradually increases in tension as it progresses. The sporadic action scenes are brief and brutal, making them more impactful.

Sean Connery clocks in an impressive performance as an unflinching lawman who won’t back down when the odds are stacked against him. He’s incorruptible and won’t let anyone or anything stand in the way of him delivering justice.

Like all good Westerns, Outlands culminates in an epic showdown between the lone lawman and the gang of rogues he needs to take down. O’Niel must use all his wits and skills to overpower the enemies, so he can reunite with his family and ride off into the sunset.

Outland is now available on YouTube

You can now stream this forgotten space Western for free with ads

YouTube might not be the most popular streaming service, but it is worth checking out its catalog of free titles. You can watch Outlands here on YouTube without requiring a subscription.

You can also see it on Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV if you prefer an ad-free experience.

If you’re a collector or prefer physical media, you can get the Outlands DVD here on Amazon.

More free movies on Youtube

You can see other iconic movies for free on YouTube

If you like Outlands, you can watch other classic movies on YouTube. The Final Cut of Ridley Scott’s cyberpunk masterpiece, Blade Runner, is also free to stream. It’s set in a future Los Angeles and stars Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard, a man who hunts down rogue cyborgs on the run from the law.

You can also see David Lynch’s Dune for free on YouTube. It’s the first movie adaptation of Frank Herbert’s epic novel and is more faithful to the source material than Jacques Villneuve’s recent blockbusters. The movie follows a young Paul Atreides who must battle against House Harkonnen for the desert planet of Arrakis and fulfill his destiny as the messiah.