Highlander Review

MPAA Rating: R
Released: 1986

Highlander tells the story of immortals that secretly live amongst us, waging a silent war with each other to become the last immortal standing, for "there can be only one." With an all-star cast including B-movie master Christopher Lambert and the gifted Sean Connery, this exciting fantasy-action flick quickly became a sensation that spawned numerous sequels as well as a popular, long-lived televisions series.

Highlander straddles the line between an intelligent film with an absorbing premise and a cheesy B-movie out to satisfy viewers with its assortment of sword fights and larger than life characters. Ultimately it falls somewhere in between, but remains a very entertaining 80's fantasy flick.

The movie tells the story of the immortals, a race of warriors that can only die by being beheaded at the hands of one of their own. While the thought of being immortal may initially sound appealing, it is actually a harsh life full of sacrifice and grief. Immortals should not marry, for while they will not age their wives will eventually grow old and die. Immortals may not rest, for just around the corner another immortal may be waiting to claim their head. Their entire existence is full of loneliness, paranoia and violence.

Oh… and there's one other little fact that should be know. Each time an immortal successfully slays another, he inherits his foe's experience and powers. This lends urgency to the silent war, for if an immortal slays enough foes he may accrue enough power such that he becomes virtually unbeatable.

Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) is one of the last of the immortals living in a modern-day New York. Kurgan (Clancy Brown) is another immortal responsible for nearly killing Connor over 500 years ago, and is dead set on finishing where he started. Both immortals, as well as the few others that still remain, move forward towards the inevitable showdown where only one can survive and claim the power afforded to the last of the warriors.

From this basic premise a story is laid out depicting the final battle in modern times spliced full of flashbacks that serve to better illustrate the tale of the immortals. During these flashbacks we are introduced to MacLeod's mentor, Ramirez (Sean Connery), who taught his charge the ways of the immortals, as well as his former wife and family. These flashbacks lend Highlander some added depth and help us identify with MacLeod and the tortured life he leads.

Since Highlander was released in 1986, some of the effects are dated when compared to today's standards, but not so terribly that it distracts from the film. The story is intriguing, the swordplay is exciting and the overall acting doesn't disappoint. Christopher Lambert may not be one of acting's best, and his Scottish accent may falter in this movie from time to time, but he does possess an undeniable screen chemistry that makes him entertaining to watch.

It's hard to know whether to classify this film as a success or failure, for it's actually a bit of both. I can't help but feel that the deep and intriguing premise could have created an actual epic rather than an entertaining action flick, so on that level Highlander disappoints a little. But at the same time, this was also a B-movie begging to happen, so the fact it rose above most such movies says much for all those involved with the film.

In the end Highlander has earned its part of cinematic history, even if it's not quite good enough to be considered a legitimate classic. If your only exposure to Highlander is the television series don't let that fool you, since this original film was far better than the series and resulting sequels (as is so often the case). Fans of fantasy or action flicks should very much enjoy this 80's gem, so if you haven't already seen it I highly recommend doing so.

Movie rating: 8 stars

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