Highlander

In 1986, a young unknown director named Russell Mulcahy released Highlander, to really poor fanfare in the United States, but widely accepted and praised in Europe and other territories. Theatrically, it's performance in the States was a disaster, but it quickly developed a cult following on home video that would launch it's main star, Christopher Lambert to superstar status. Highlander eventually spawned three spin-off series, including one that starred Adrian Paul who would go on to star in two Highlander film sequels, as a member of the Clan MacLeod. It also spawned four sequels, one of them was straight-to-video, and one Anime film.

Connor MacLeod(Christopher Lambert) was born in 1518 in the village of Glen Finnen on the shores of Loch Shiel. Mortally wounded in battle against a rival clan, by the Kurgan(Clancy Brown), Connor returns to life only to be driven away by those he loved. In exile, he is discovered and trained by Jaun-Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez(Sean Connery), a 3,000 year old immortal. Turns out that Connor MacLeod is also an immortal. Fast-forward to 1986 in modern-day New York City, Connor is living under a different name, Russell Nash. He is being hunted by The Kurgan, also immortal. Turns out that through time immortals have been fighting each other to be the last one standing. The only way an immortal can die is by decapitation. As an immortal dies, his power and his knowledge flow into the victor and makes them stronger, and blowing shit up in the process. In the end, only one immortal is supposed to survive. Should that last immortal be someone like the Kurgan, mankind will suffer eternal damnation.

For a modern-day fantasy film, Highlander has a fairly complex story. There's a bunch of subplots that are integral to the main plot. It's actually very well written and intelligent. This movie got ripped to shreds when it was released in the States in 1986. I guess people that it was very strange to have sword-fights in New York city, coupled with the fact that you have immortals that can only die by decapitation, which made it a fairly violent movie. Not only that, there were flashbacks to Connor's earlier life as a member of the Clan MacLeod, which seemed to confuse people, but I thought it made sense, and worked in context with the overall story. It helped to explain where Connor came from and how he ended up where he is. The acting in this film is really good, especially from the three main leads. Christopher Lambert shines as Connor MacLeod, a man who can't seem to escape his past. Sean Connery is splendid as Ramirez, the immortal who takes Connor under his and teaches him to survive. Connery, best known as James Bond, brings and elegant and commanding presence as the 3,000 year old Egyptian metallurgist to King Charles V of Spain. His introduction is awesome. But the one actor who really steals the show in Highlander is Clancy Brown as the Kurgan. This guy knows how to really amp up the villain factor, he plays it very over-the-top, and it works, as the Kurgan is frightening AND funny at the same time. He also wields a broadsword that would make Conan the Barbarian jealous. It's very clear that Brown is having a lot of fun with his character, and it really helps sell the character as one of the most memorable villains in movie history.

The fight scenes, for the time back in '86, were fairly well done, from the opening sword fight beneath Madison Square Garden to the climactic battle between the Kurgan and Connor MacLeod. It doesn't stand up as well today, as today's sword fights are faster, better choreographed, and sometimes far more brutal, but there's a fun time to be had watching those sword fights. The other thing that really stands out about this film is the soundtrack. It's not just the fantastic score by the late Michael Kamen, but also the fact that the legendary rock band, Queen had a direct hand in the making of the music of the film. The opening song, Princes of the Universe, is incredible powerful and helps set the tone for the film. Some of the other songs are more somber and really amp up the moods in those scenes.

As I said before, this film was a disaster, critically in the United States, when it was released, but over time when it hit home video, it took on a life of its own, and became really popular and accepted. So much so, that four sequels were spawned: Highlander II, The Final Dimension, Endgame, and The Source. An anime film was also released several years back, The Search for Vengeance. There were three series, that spun off on the mythology of the film. One series starred Adrian Paul, and lasted for six seasons, that series had it's own spin-off, The Raven, which didn't even last a full season, and a cartoon, The Animated Series, which was pretty horrendous. There was actually supposed to be a game released a few years back, and it never did, and most likely never will. The series with Adrian Paul, as well as the anime film, were close to achieving the magic that the original Highlander had. The rest of them didn't even come close. Highlander: Endgame I felt was the only live action film, that was worthy of being a true sequel to Highlander, but even then it had it's problems. But that's another film for another day.

Coming back to the original film, I have to give it a solid 9/10. Some of it doesn't stand up nearly as well after such a long period of time, but the performances of Clancy Brown, Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert, as well as a complex story with unique characters, more than makes up for it. If you must own a Highlander film, it has to be the original, because in the end, there can be only one.