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Sci-fi thriller

The Outwaters (2023): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Outwaters (2023) movie poster

The Outwaters is a 2023 sci-fi thriller starring Robbie Banfitch as Robbie Zagorac, Angela Basolis and Scott Schamell. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes and earned $204,496 worldwide. Critics gave it 75% on Rotten Tomatoes and 72 on Metacritic.

Rotten Tomatoes
75%
worldwide gross
$204.5K
Echo Score
39
Metascore
72
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The Outwaters (2023) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 40m (100 min)
Genres
Sci-Fi , Thriller , Horror
Original language
English
Studio
Cinedigm
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Outwaters About?

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

Four friends on a remote desert recording trip find themselves facing a terrifying and inexplicable ordeal. Isolated in the Mojave, they experience a relentless wave of horror that tests their sanity and forces them to confront their deepest fears. The unsettling events challenge their perception of reality as they struggle to survive the escalating nightmare.

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Cast & crew

The Outwaters Cast & Characters

Robbie Banfitch leads the cast as Robbie Zagorac, with Angela Basolis as Ange Bocuzzi and Scott Schamell as Scott Zagorac.

Also Starring in The Outwaters

· 6 more
Ratings

The Outwaters Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Outwaters 75% on Rotten Tomatoes and 72 on Metacritic. Our Echo Score gives it 39/100, strongest in art & craft (45) and weakest in rewatch factor (30).

39 /100

The Outwaters Echo Score Breakdown

The Outwaters presents an experimental horror experience that divides opinion through its stark aesthetics and unorthodox narrative. Critics acknowledge a daring vision and moments of visceral impact, yet many note an absence of narrative cohesion and uneven execution. User feedback overwhelmingly describes the film as confusing, visually obscure, and lacking engaging character moments, resulting in a viewing experience that feels more tedious than thrilling. Consequently, the film’s overall reception skews toward the negative side of the spectrum.

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

  • Art & Craft 45

    In terms of art and craft, the film displays a distinctive visual approach but suffers from inconsistent execution. Critics highlight occasional striking cinematography and purposeful found-footage style, while also noting a decorative emptiness and editing choices that undermine clarity. User comments frequently mention poor lighting, indistinct images, and a chaotic visual presentation that hampers comprehension. The mixed feedback results in a modest appraisal of the film’s technical artistry.

  • Character & Emotion 35

    When evaluating character and emotion, the movie offers limited depth and often alienates viewers. Reviewers point out a lack of dialogue and opaque motivations that render the protagonists difficult to connect with. Some critics observe occasional atmospheric resonance, yet most user reactions describe the characters as irritating, underdeveloped, and emotionally disengaging. This prevailing sense of detachment leads to a low assessment of the film’s character work.

  • Story & Flow 45

    The story and flow receive mixed reactions, balancing novel premises with confusing structure. Positive critiques cite an ambitious premise and an unsettling atmosphere that sustains tension, whereas negative feedback emphasizes a meandering plot, excessive exposition, and an unfocused pacing that drags. Audience members repeatedly mention a nonexistent or incoherent narrative, contributing to a perception of the film as more experimental than coherent. Overall, the storytelling is judged as uneven but not entirely without merit.

  • Sensory Experience 40

    Sensory experience in the film is characterized by stark sound design and a dreamlike visual tone that polarizes viewers. Critics commend the unsettling soundtrack and atmospheric soundscape, yet also note moments of abrasive noise and visual obscurity. User commentary frequently describes the darkness, inaudible dialogue, and overwhelming auditory chaos as detracting from immersion. This blend of commendable ambition and practical shortcomings yields a middling sensory rating.

  • Rewatch Factor 30

    Rewatch factor appears limited, as the film’s dense opacity and repetitive dread reduce its appeal on subsequent viewings. While some critics acknowledge an “urgent pleasure” that might entice repeat exploration, the majority of user feedback labels the experience as exhausting, monotonous, and lacking replay value. The combination of divisive opinions and a prevailing sense of fatigue results in a low score for lasting enjoyment.

Plot

The Outwaters Plot Summary

What happens in The Outwaters from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The film commences with the chilling audio of a distressed 9-1-1 call paired with visuals that indicate a troubling fact: a group of friends, consisting of Robbie Banfitch, Angela Basolis, Scott Schamell, and Michelle May, has been unaccounted for since 2017. A title card cryptically reveals that the footage we are about to witness was meticulously recovered from three memory cards found within the desolate expanses of the Mojave Desert.

Full summary

The whole story of The Outwaters, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Outwaters Box Office

The Outwaters grossed $204,496 worldwide. $120,497 came from the US and Canada and $83,999 (41%) from the rest of the world.

2023 box office

Worldwide gross

$204.5K

US & Canada
$120.5K
International
$84K
US & Canada 59% Rest of the world 41%
Videos

The Outwaters Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 clip.

Official Trailer
  • Clip The Outwaters | Exclusive Clip | The Thunder - In Theaters Beginning Feb 9
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Outwaters?

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 year did the group of friends go missing?

Details

The Outwaters Also Known As

5 alternative titles, including “Odludzie” and “Todos morimos en la oscuridad”.

Also known as
  • Odludzie
  • Todos morimos en la oscuridad
  • 异水
  • Адская пасть Мохаве
  • 아웃워터

Seen The Outwaters?

FAQ

The Outwaters FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

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

How long is The Outwaters?

The Outwaters runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).

When was The Outwaters released?

The Outwaters was released on February 10, 2023.

Who is in the cast of The Outwaters?

The Outwaters stars Robbie Banfitch as Robbie Zagorac, Angela Basolis as Ange Bocuzzi and Scott Schamell as Scott Zagorac, among 10 credited actors.

How much did The Outwaters make at the box office?

The Outwaters grossed $204,496 worldwide ($120,497 domestic, $83,999 international).

How is The Outwaters rated?

The Outwaters has 75% on Rotten Tomatoes, 72 on Metacritic, 44% on TMDB and 2.3/5 on Letterboxd.

Does The Outwaters have a post-credit scene?

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

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