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Action drama

The Outpost (2020): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Outpost (2020) movie poster

The Outpost is a 2020 action drama directed by Rod Lurie, starring Scott Eastwood as SSG Clint Romesha, Orlando Bloom and Jack Kesy. It runs 2 hours 3 minutes and earned $2.3 million worldwide on a $18 million budget. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Song at the Critics' Choice 2021. Critics gave it 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and 71 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 4.6/10.

IMDb rating
4.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes
91%
worldwide gross
$2.3M
award nomination
1
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The Outpost (2020) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 3m (123 min)
Director
Rod Lurie
Genres
Action , Drama , History , War
Original language
English
Budget
$18M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Outpost About?

The premise of The Outpost without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

During a fierce battle in the remote valley of three mountains, a small U.S. military outpost comes under relentless attack by Taliban fighters. The soldiers of Bravo Troop 3-61 CAV find themselves in a desperate fight for survival, facing overwhelming numbers and enduring a brutal conflict that becomes known as the Battle of Kamdesh. Their courage and resilience are tested as they struggle to defend their position and withstand the intense fighting.

The Outpost Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • woman
  • gun
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  • rifle
  • murder
  • murderess
  • murder spree
  • murder by shooting
  • murdered with an axe
  • murder of a man
+38 more
  • woman murders a man
  • secluded
  • secluded area
  • secluded location
  • mental illness
  • struggle with mental illness
  • domestic violence
  • victim of domestic violence
  • female victim of domestic violence
  • ptsd
  • ptsd post traumatic stress disorder
  • post traumatic stress disorder
  • watchtower
  • fire tower
  • male nudity
  • male frontal nudity
  • exposed penis
  • indecent exposure
  • sexual assault by father
  • sexual assault victim
  • sexual assault survivor
  • incestuous sexual assault
  • sexual assault of young woman
  • male on female sexual assault
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  • rape of a child
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  • wildfire
  • wildfire smoke
  • dead animal
  • dead dog
  • maggot
  • maggot infested carcass
  • maggots in dead body
  • maggot infested corpse
  • fire axe
  • fire axe as weapon
  • woman fights a man
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Cast & crew

The Outpost Cast & Characters

Scott Eastwood leads the cast as SSG Clint Romesha, with Orlando Bloom as CPT Ben Keating and Jack Kesy as SGT Josh Kirk. Directed by Rod Lurie; 13 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Outpost

· 9 more
From the director

More from Rod Lurie

More films directed by Rod Lurie, best-rated first: The Senior, Nothing But the Truth, The Contender and Resurrecting the Champ.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Outpost Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Outpost 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and 71 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 4.6/10. Our Echo Score gives it 74/100, strongest in sensory experience (88) and weakest in story & flow (60).

74 /100

The Outpost Echo Score Breakdown

The Outpost delivers a technically assured depiction of frontline combat, marked by immersive visual and auditory elements, but occasionally struggles with uneven character development and narrative originality. Critics note the film’s measured pacing through episodic structuring and its capacity to convey visceral intensity, while some viewers find the plot familiar and dialogue at times corny. The sensory realism and competent performances contribute to a rewarding single viewing, though the lack of deeper emotional resonance may limit its lasting impact.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 83

    In terms of art and craft, The Outpost exhibits confident direction and disciplined editing that frame its battle sequences with visceral clarity. The restrained color palette and handheld camerawork lend an immersive cohesion, while production design convincingly conveys the austere Afghan outpost. Minor pacing inconsistencies in noncombat scenes slightly diminish the overall technical precision.

  • Character & Emotion 74

    When it comes to character and emotion, the film offers solid performances that lend authenticity to the soldiers’ camaraderie, though individual backstories remain underexplored. The ensemble cast delivers credible interactions, but limited screen time for personal moments reduces emotional depth. As a result, the connections forged on screen are appreciable but stop short of lasting resonance.

  • Story & Flow 60

    Regarding story and flow, the narrative unfolds in a segmented, episodic manner that maintains forward momentum toward its climactic battle, but it relies heavily on familiar war tropes. Pacing oscillates between brisk action and slower expository passages, and dialogue occasionally feels generic. While the plot remains coherent, its predictability constrains the film’s overall engagement.

  • Sensory Experience 88

    In terms of sensory experience, the film excels with a relentless sound design that amplifies each explosion and gunshot, backed by a muted but effective musical score. The visual style—marked by handheld camerawork and deliberate editing—immerses viewers in the chaos of combat. These elements combine to create a consistently intense and engaging atmospheric presence.

  • Rewatch Factor 64

    When evaluating rewatch value, The Outpost delivers a compelling single viewing through its visceral battle depiction, but the lack of narrative originality and deeper character arcs may limit its appeal on repeat viewings. Fans of the war genre may revisit for technical craftsmanship and intense action, yet the familiar storyline offers few new discoveries upon subsequent watches.

Plot

The Outpost Plot Summary

What happens in The Outpost from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In Afghanistan, at the Kamdesh outpost, SSG Clint Romesha and a fresh group of soldiers arrive under the tight, watchful eye of CPT Orlando Bloom Ben Keating. The small garrison sits in a precarious position, surrounded by rugged mountains and a thin line of supply routes, where small decisions can mean the difference between routine duty and sudden, life‑altering danger. From the moment the new unit settles in, the film threads together personal courage, tense improvisation, and the friction between strict rules of engagement and the urgent instinct to protect comrades.

Full summary

The whole story of The Outpost, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Outpost Box Office & Budget

The Outpost grossed $2.3 million worldwide on a $18 million budget, 13% of what it cost. $186,635 came from the US and Canada and $2.1 million (92%) from the rest of the world.

2020 box office

Worldwide gross

$2.3M

13% of its budget back

US & Canada
$186.6K
International
$2.1M
Budget
$18M
US & Canada 8% Rest of the world 92%
Awards

The Outpost Awards & Nominations

The Outpost earned 1 award nomination, including Best Song at the Critics' Choice 2021.

1 nomination1 ceremony

Videos

The Outpost Trailers & Videos

5 videos: 1 trailer, 3 clips and 1 featurette.

The Outpost - Official Trailer
  • Clip The Outpost - "Life On Camp Keating" Clip
  • Clip The Outpost - "I Can Get to Him" Clip
  • Clip The Outpost - "I Will Continue to Speak Softly" Clip
  • Featurette Rita Wilson – Everybody Cries (From “The Outpost”/Official Lyric Video)
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Outpost?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the name of the outpost where the events take place?

Cars

Cars in The Outpost

8 cars on screen, including the AM General HMMWV M1044 and the AM General HMMWV M1151.

All 8 cars
  • AM General HMMWV M1044 in The Outpost AM General HMMWV M1044 Important role
  • AM General HMMWV M1151 in The Outpost AM General HMMWV M1151 Important role
  • Stewart & Stevenson M1078 LMTV in The Outpost Stewart & Stevenson M1078 LMTV Important role
  • JCB 4CX in The Outpost JCB 4CX Background role
Details

The Outpost Also Known As

26 alternative titles, including “72小時前哨救援” and “The Outpost - Überleben ist alles”.

Also known as
  • 72小時前哨救援
  • The Outpost - Überleben ist alles
  • Assiégés
  • La batalla de Kamdesh
  • 前哨基地
  • アウトポスト:2020
  • Форпост
  • The Outpost: La batalla de Kamdesh
  • 前哨, ავანპოსტი
  • Posto de Combate
  • 아웃포스트
  • Το Τελευταίο Φυλάκιο
+14 more
  • Tiền Đồn
  • לכודים תחת אש
  • Základna
  • A Helyőrség
  • Kamdesh. Afgańskie piekło
  • Priekšpostenis
  • Základňa
  • ฝ่ายุทธภูมิ ล้อมตาย
  • Forpostas
  • アウトポスト
  • Avanpostul
  • Oporišče
  • Аванпостът
  • Bitka kod Kamdeša

Seen The Outpost?

FAQ

The Outpost FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Outpost, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Outpost?

The Outpost runs 2 hours 3 minutes (123 minutes).

When was The Outpost released?

The Outpost was released on July 2, 2020.

Who directed The Outpost?

The Outpost was directed by Rod Lurie.

More films by Rod Lurie

Who is in the cast of The Outpost?

The Outpost stars Scott Eastwood as SSG Clint Romesha, Orlando Bloom as CPT Ben Keating and Jack Kesy as SGT Josh Kirk, among 13 credited actors.

How much did The Outpost make at the box office?

The Outpost grossed $2.3 million worldwide ($186,635 domestic, $2.1 million international) on a budget of $18 million.

How is The Outpost rated?

The Outpost has 4.6/10 on IMDb, 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, 71 on Metacritic and 69% on TMDB.

Was The Outpost nominated for any awards?

The Outpost received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.

Does The Outpost have a post-credit scene?

No. The Outpost has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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