North Star (1996): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1996, North Star is an action, drama, adventure and western film directed by Nils Gaup, running about 90 minutes. “Where land is power and revenge is obsession.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Set during the Alaskan gold rush of the late 1800s. In his efforts to gain control of a small mining town, Sean McLennon is buying up every claim that becomes available, usually after the deaths of the previous owners at the hands of McLennon's 'assistants'. One of the miners targeted by McLennon, a half-Indian hunter named Hudson Saanteek, manages to escape his hired thugs and comes back into town looking to re-establish his claim and get revenge. McLennon and his men have the advantage of numbers and weapons, but Saanteek has his survival skills and knowledge of the Alaskan wilderness.

Who’s in it. North Star stars James Caan as Sean McLennon, Christophe Lambert as Hudson Saanteek, Catherine McCormack as Sarah and Burt Young as Reno, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.0/10, North Star has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch North Star page.

If you liked it. Fans of North Star tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.