| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Sean Connery | ... | ||
| Peter Boyle | ... |
Mark Sheppard
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| Frances Sternhagen | ... |
Dr. Lazarus
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| James Sikking | ... |
Sgt. Montone
(as James B. Sikking)
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| Kika Markham | ... |
Carol O'Niel
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| Clarke Peters | ... |
Ballard
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| Steven Berkoff | ... |
Sagan
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| John Ratzenberger | ... |
Tarlow
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Nicholas Barnes | ... |
Paul O'Niel
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Manning Redwood | ... |
Lowell
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Pat Starr | ... |
Flo Spector
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Hal Galili | ... |
Nelson
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| Angus MacInnes | ... |
Hughes
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| Stuart Milligan | ... |
Walters
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| Eugene Lipinski | ... |
Cane
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Marshal W.T. O'Niel is assigned to a mining colony on Io, one of Jupiter's moons. During his tenure miners are dying - usually violently. When the marshal investigates he discovers the one thing all the deaths have in common is a lethal amphetamine-type drug, which allows the miners to work continuously for days at a time until they become "burned out" and expire. O'Niel follows the trail of the dealers, which leads to the man overseeing the colony. Now O'Niel must watch his back at every turn, as those who seek to protect their income begin targeting him... Written by Derek O'Cain
Sean Connery. A man's man, a woman's sex symbol. Good start! Now let's put him on a remote moon of Jupiter. So how many other films have Io as their center of action? Absolutely excellent in combining the effects that were available at the time with a darn good plot. Well overshadowed by the likes of Alien, this is late 70's/ early 80's sci-fi at it's best. No more is the future in space a Utopia, it is a grimy, nasty everyday world where people carry on their sordid business as they ever did. Except there is always a hero; a flawed hero, as is Connery. A personal crusade, a battle almost against the odds (but not unbelievably so, at all) and the true hallmark of a good sci-fi story: That is, the story would work just as well anywhere, any place, any time, as it does in space in the future. What more do you want (Just check out the shuttle landing)? Essential viewing!