DVD Review: Outpost

March 15, 2008

Writer: Rae Brunton
Director: Steve Barker
Cast: Ray Stevenson, Julian Wadham, Richard Brake, Paul Blair, Brett Fancy, Enoch Frost, Julian Rivett, Michael Smiley
Rating: R
Studio: Sony Pictures
Release Date: March 11, 2008

I’ve liked Ray Stevenson since I first saw him on the now defunct HBO epic series, Rome. This means that I was looking forward to watching Outpost. I knew it was about a Nazi bunker, had parallel elements to the story and the events were happening in war-torn Eastern Europe. Overall, I probably would have wanted to see the film even if Stevenson wasn’t in it though his presence was a definite plus.

Outpost has used some recycled themes, especially when looking to other, similar films in the horror genre. However, the events of history coupled with the paranormal elements are what make Outpost at least watchable. No one wants to think about the possibility of this film happening. It’d be one heck of a reality if it were truth. Still, some may look to other horror flicks and think this story isn’t folded as neatly together as it could have been and I do have to agree in some aspects. While the tension level was high throughout the entire second half of the film, there could have been some things done to more quickly establish the purpose of the film prior to the entrance to the bunker. Until then, I just wasn’t sure what this story was about.

Release Information:
Outpost never really had an official theatrical release in the United States. It premiered at the American Film Market on October 31, 2008. The film was leaked through the internet in February and there are plans for a theatrical run throughout Europe. However, as far the United States goes, this is pretty much a direct to DVD release with no plans of appearing in theaters.

Outpost was released on DVD by Sony Pictures on March 11, 2008. The DVD is available at most major retailers. It can also be found online at Amazon and various other DVD retailers. As of now, you can purchase Outpost at Amazon for $19.99.

The Outpost Plot
Outpost is centered in Easter Europe. The exact location isn’t exactly known, but what is known is that there is a war going on and the work for some is incredibly dangerous. At a seedy bar, the clean cut, Hunt (Julian Wadham) is meeting with an ex-military man/mercenary by the name of DC (Ray Stevenson). Hunt is a businessman and he wants to hire DC to get together a group of ex-military to protect him on a mission. They need to go check out an old military bunker somewhere in Eastern Europe. It shouldn’t take more than a day or two and they will be paid an insane amount of green for their trouble.

After DC manages to get together a rag tag group of hard edge yet reliable men, they accompany Hunt to a bunker in the middle of pretty much nowhere. Upon entry into the bunker, they discover the horrifying truth about the bunker. It was the site of unorthodox and harmful Nazi experimentation during World War II. While they find a pile of dead bodies, naked yet somehow freshly preserved, they discover a survivor amongst the bunch. He’s pale, bald, and he doesn’t speak a word. In the meantime, there is enemy fire above ground, though it’s hard to make out who and where the enemy is. It is up to DC and his men to find out the real reason Hunt brought him to the bunker, who is the real enemy out there, what really happened in the bunker, and how to survive and get out of the situation they are while they are still alive.

It’s really hard to say anymore about the plot of Outpost without giving away what happens and answering the questions DC and his man have. I didn’t really know enough about the movie before watching it to have those answers so I think that is the reason I was more entertained by this movie than other reviewers. Outpost isn’t an award winner by any stretch of the imagination, but it is good enough to watch at least a few times. That is, if you like the horror and paranormal genre and you like stories that feature faction (fiction mixed with historical fact).

The best part of the Outpost is the acting. Sure, the story isn’t developed in terms of characterization, but you do get an idea (somewhat) of who the characters are, especially DC. You care the most about him. I don’t know if it’s because he’s played by Ray Stevenson or just because he seems to be the main protagonist. Either way, Stevenson made the movie memorable, with help from the supporting characters, including the ghastly, survivor whose face is as haunting as his actions.

Storyline/Plot:
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:

Audio/Visual:
The anamorphic widescreen for Outpost is decent though at times the picture appears to be grainy. I felt the gritty look was intentional, but it did provide some minor distractions. The colors were not as vibrant as some of the newer films out there, but again I believe this was intentional as it fit with the theme and tone of the movie. Overall, it was an okay transfer, but it really wasn’t anything special. Outpost is presented at a 2.40:1 aspect ratio.

The sound quality for Outpost is good. It is a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround English mix and everything comes through loud and clear. The moments of tension are as tense as possible and a part of that is created by the sound (or lack thereof). While this isn’t an involved mix, with a lot of music mixed in with the dialogue, what is there is good. Closed Captioning is available with this mix, for the hearing impaired and you can choose from English or French subtitles.

Visual:
Audio:

Bonus Features:
Outpost is almost a barebones release, but not quite. It contains just one bonus feature. The feature is a set of seven deleted scenes. The scenes are okay, but it’s pretty obvious why the scenes were deleted in the first place. It was interesting to see what was cut and what other material was kept in the film. While it’s not much, I do have to say this bonus was better than nothing.

Bonus Features:

Bottom Line:
Outpost is a movie that has a plotline that has been done before in other incarnations. While this isn’t the best horror movie you’re going to see, it is fun to watch at least once, especially if you’re a fan of Ray Stevenson. While I am sure I’ll watch my DVD again, Outpost might not be for you. This is one you’ll want to rent first.

Overall Rating:

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