Outlander …

You know, I’ve got to say, I think Adrian picked a blinder, for tonight’s movie, I really do …

Says I, as “Animal House”, complete with the late John Belushi at his eyebrow waggling best, plays in the background!

But “Animal House” isn’t the film that myself, Allison, Adrian and Steve watched, tonight.

Oh, no …

It’s a Saturday, which my regular readers will know means that — every so often — means a film. And tonight’s was the 2008, Howard McCain directed, “Outlander”.

And, while I know Steve wasn’t stunned, I know know me, Adrian and Allison enjoyed it.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I certainly found the cross-genre plot rather interesting.

“Outlander” stars Jim Caviezal as Kainan, the outlander of the title, an apparently human space traveller whose ship crashes on Earth.

Inevitably!

But not in 20th or 21st century America, as you’d possibly expect.

Oh no …

In 8th century Norway …

In the middle of a rather bloody feud between two local chieftains; one, Rothgàr, played by John Hurt, the other, Gunnàr, played by an almost unrecognisable Ron Perlman.

And of course, there’s a fair maiden, Freyà, played by the Girl in the Fireplace, herself, Sophia Myles.

But there is a complication …

You wouldn’t have a story, without a complication …

This one is simply the fact that Kainan has been followed by a dragon.

Well, ok, an alien, called a Moorwen*.

Which is where the excitement starts, possibly.

Okay, debatable excitement.

But this is a film that does make an effort to be an action packed fight-fest, a movie with an emotional journey to show us, and one that has an interesting concept.

Whether it does so well, is another matter; we were talking heavily tonight, about whether “Outlander” compares favourably with “The Thirteenth Warrior”, the John McTiernan film that also features a fish out of water in Viking territory; something I know Steve wasn’t convinced, although I know Adrian and I both felt it did.

Mostly because “The Thirteenth Warrior” was a faux-historical retelling of the Beowülf story; “Outlander”, I’m thinking, is a little more removed from the territory, by introducing those science fiction elements I mentioned, earlier.

It’s different, in other words.

And all the better for that, I think.

* Can I make a confession, here? I don’t know where I’ve picked up the idea that a ‘Moorwen’ is some sort of demon or dragon, but I’m blowed if I can find a reference for that. If you do, feel free to post a comment, and leave a link!