Directed by:
Russell MulcahyCinematography:
Gerry FisherComposer:
Michael KamenCast:
Christopher Lambert, Roxanne Hart, Clancy Brown, Sean Connery, Beatie Edney, Alan North, Jon Polito, Sheila Gish, Hugh Quarshie, James Cosmo, Celia Imrie (more)VOD (2)
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Russell Mulcahy's original saga of immortal Scotsman Connor Macleod, one of a race of immortals who can only be killed when beheaded with a sword. After living in peace for four centuries, he is challenged by an old enemy named Kurgan. During a fierce sword battle in the 1500s, Connor MacLeod, a simple Scotsman known as a poor fighter, is mortally wounded - but he does not die. MacLeod learns from the mysterious Ramirez that he is of a race of immortals. These rare knights never age and never reproduce, they can only meet death by the blade of another of their kind. Leaping back and forth through the centuries, MacLeod once again meets the evil Kurgan who nearly killed him 500 years ago. (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (11)
To be honest, 2 stars are perhaps too luxurious a gift for a B-movie with a terrible screenplay and clumsy acting performances, but I will be accommodating today and will appreciate primarily the atmospheric music of my favorite Queen, led by Mercury, and a few impressive flashbacks to medieval Scotland. Nothing else holds up today, even though it is evident that this title greatly elevates the nostalgia of older users and the conformism of younger ones. Overall impression: 40%.
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This film has one great thing: the beautiful Scottish landscape and the mysticism of the flashbacks. The story taking place in the present is predicable and boring, and it’s not even helped by the B-movie like performances, which in this case I found incredibly annoying. To be fair, though, I’ve never liked fantasy in any form, not only in film.
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An interesting and original plot plus solid technical execution, those are the main strengths of Highlander. The story is well presented and full of mystery, the flashbacks to the past are very intriguing, the music is captivating and, oddly enough, Queen's famous song fit perfectly here. And that's what the viewer needs and expects from a film of this type. At least that's how it was for me. It's also worth mentioning Sean Connery and the demonic Kurgan portrayed by Clancy Brown.
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The band Queen playing in the background tells you everything you need to know about this movie. Highlander is the cinematic equivalent of 80s stadium rock, where monumentality is the alpha and effect is the omega. Almost all of the scenes here are subservient to that mindset and therefore for the most part make no sense, are ridiculously bloated, but impossible to take your eyes off of. Mulcahy's visual creativity here is incredible; indeed, some of the special effects and camerawork in Highlander were even patented. The cinematographer probably only took the steadycam off when he went to bed at night, yet he couldn't be allowed much in the way of freedom of movement due to the harsh close-up lighting of so many of the scenes. Mulcahy's magnum opus deceives you from the beginning with its focus and presentation of cinematic mythology, which creates the illusion of an elaborate inner world. But the second half thankfully makes clear why it was filmed in the first place – so a sleazy biker with a folding sword and a neck sewn up with safety pins can roam New York City while the hero sits in an abandoned bar with such harsh light coming through the blinds that there must have been at minimum a nuclear explosion outside. After that, the most surprising thing about the defining cult film of the 80s was how much of a showcase camp it was. With a group of people with beers in hand, you're in for a truly amazingly awful experience, which still doesn’t stop you from genuinely enjoying the film. Every, truly every scene contains some element that has you out of your seat laughing at it. Good-naturedly and enthusiastically. Everyone gets to pick their favorite. My favorite is unquestionably the one where one of the characters invites the protagonist home, tells him to tend bar for the time being, and he expertly opens a bottle of 1783 Hennessy for her. Lmao.
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Two star actors, Queen’s music and beautiful Scottish scenery make for a dated – from today’s point of view – but still nice adventure. The datedness is caused mainly by the trashy script, which works only with hints and symbols, but doesn’t use the subject matter in depth. Highlander is very attractively made brainless entertainment for the 1980s mainstream audience.
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