Outcast (2014 film)
Outcast | |
---|---|
![]() Chinese theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Nick Powell |
Written by | James Dormer |
Produced by |
|
Starring |
|
Cinematography | Joel Ransom |
Edited by |
|
Music by | Guillaume Roussel |
Distributed by |
|
Release dates |
|
Running time | 99 minutes[1] |
Countries |
|
Language | English |
Budget | $25 million |
Box office | $4.8 million[2] |
Outcast is a 2014 American-Chinese-Canadian[3][4] action film, directed by Nick Powell in his directorial debut and written by James Dormer.[5] It stars Nicolas Cage, Hayden Christensen, Liu Yifei, Ji Ke Jun Yi, and Andy On.
The film was slated for release on September 26, 2014 in China, but was postponed to April 3, 2015.[6][7][4][8] The film received negative reviews from critics.[9]
Plot
In dynastic China, a dying king chooses his young son, Prince Zhao to be his successor, giving him the imperial seal and sending him away in the care of his older sister, Princess Lian. Shortly thereafter, their sadistic older brother, Prince Shing, murders the King in a fit of rage after having been passed over as heir. Shing assumes command of the Emperor's Black Guard, ordering the deaths of his siblings in order to obtain the seal and the legitimacy of the throne.
Zhao and Lian only travel a short time before they are apprehended, but then saved by Jacob, a disillusioned and opioid-addicted crusader who, initially war-weary, is reluctant to become involved in the conflict. Though upon remembering the deaths of women and children in one of his last battles, he relents, escorting them to the find the generals and win the support of the military. Traveling through a village destroyed by the Black Guard, they rescue a girl, Xiaolei. They attempt to take refuge in the desert city Jingshao. They are betrayed by their hosts, who summon the Black Guard, hoping to win the price on their heads. This forces them to fight their way out.
Retreating to the mountains, they are saved by Gallain, a former commrade of Jacob's, who also became disillusioned with war and is now a bandit leader known in China as The White Ghost. At the hideout, Jacob is healed of his wounds and the two reconcile from the things they did during the crusades. Gallain and his bandits are tracked by Shing and his Black Guard, who then attack the hideout. In the ensuing battle, Gallain and his bandits kill a large number of guards but he is ultimately killed when Shing arrives. Jacob fights Shing but is gravely wounded, at which time Lian intervenes and tries to kill Shing. However he stabs her instead. Jacob, in a rage, overwhelms and kills Shing. Captain Peng, who had witnessed Shing's treachery, pledges the allegiance of the rest of the Black Guard to Zhao.
Jacob and Lian survive their injuries and they, Zhao and Xiaolei are escorted by the Black Guard to the city, where they Zhao is recognized as the new Emperor. When Lian looks back, she discovers that Jacob has snuck away, having left his sword on a grave next to where Gallain was buried before departing out into the unknown.
Cast
- Hayden Christensen as Jacob
- Nicolas Cage as Gallain
- Liu Yifei as Lian
- Ji Ke Jun Yi as Mei
- Andy On as Shing
- Anoja Dias Bolt as Anika
- Byron Lawson as Captain Peng
Production
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2015) |
In 2013, the film was officially announced on the Arclight films website.
Filming
Principal photography started in April 2014 in the Yunnan province of China.
Release
Marketing
In July, the official poster was released on the Arclight films website and Hayden Christensen Fan site.
Box office
The film did not receive a theatrical release in the United States, but earned $3,860,000 in China and $979,761 in other territories for a worldwide total of $4,839,761.[2]
Critical reception
Outcast received unfavorable reviews from most critics. Rotten Tomatoes reports that 5% of 18 reviews were positive, with an average rating of 3.3/10.[10] On Metacritic, the film has a 33 out of 100 rating based on 7 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[11] Glenn Kenny of RogerEbert.com centered his review on the performances, primarily that of Nicolas Cage. Of it, he said it marked a career shift from Cage's "entertainingly eccentric phase" into his "genuinely befuddling and perhaps sad phase", and noted his "peculiar (of course)", "near-British accent"; he also criticized Hayden Christensen's performance as "lifeless". Jeanette Catsoulis of The New York Times called the movie a "loony", "wannabe epic rattling with swords and clichés". She chiefly criticized the "barnacle-encrusted plot" as being "dumbed down to the studs", along with the performance of Christensen, while praising photography and "surprisingly classy" battle scenes.[12] Gary Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times had kinder words to say, calling the movie "visually arresting, smartly paced, well-edited", but otherwise "unremarkable". He said the film may best be remembered for Cage's "warrior coif", saying it was "perhaps his most unflattering movie hairdo yet — and that's saying a lot" and that Cage could "pinch-hit for Gene Simmons at a KISS concert".[13]
Sequel
On April 15, 2014, producer Jeremy Bolt announced plans for a sequel.[14]
References
- ^ "OUTCAST (15)". British Board of Film Classification. October 19, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
- ^ a b "Outcast (2014)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. October 12, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
- ^ "What's Key to Better China-US Film Co-production". China Radio International. June 18, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
- ^ a b "Outcast pulled from China screens". Film Business Asia. September 26, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
- ^ "Nicolas Cage, Hayden Christensen to Begin 'Outcast' Chinese Shoot in April". hollywoodreporter.com. November 17, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
- ^ 《白幽灵传奇之绝命逃亡》定档4月3日 去年9月26日曾在影院上演“一日游”. mtime.com (in Chinese). March 6, 2015. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ^ 《绝命逃亡》或明年1月16日公映 影院播放预告 改名《白幽灵传奇之绝命逃亡》. mtime.com (in Chinese). December 4, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
- ^ 《绝命逃亡》定档9月26日 刘亦菲花裙造型甜美 凯奇将来华宣传. mtime.com (in Chinese). June 16, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
- ^ http://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/06/05/15/review-bland-acting-overacting-outcast
- ^ "Outcast (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
- ^ "Outcast Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/06/movies/outcast-with-nicolas-cage-and-hayden-christensen.html?partner=rss&emc=rss NYTimes review
- ^ LATimes review
- ^ Frater, Patrick (April 16, 2014). "Nicolas Cage's China-Set 'Outcast' Gets Plans for a Sequel". variety.com. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
External links
- Outcast at IMDb
- Outcast at Rotten Tomatoes
- Outcast at Metacritic
- 2014 films
- 2010s action drama films
- Action drama films
- American action films
- American films
- Canadian action films
- Canadian films
- Chinese action adventure films
- Chinese films
- Directorial debut films
- English-language films
- Entertainment One films
- Films set in the Middle Ages
- Films set in 12th-century Song dynasty
- Films shot in Beijing
- Films shot in China
- Films shot in Yunnan
- Murder in films
- Patricide in fiction
- Fiction about regicide