Highlander (1986)

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

disgusting, overrated, pointless

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

I seem to recall a lot of hype surrounding this movie when it came out, enough to spawn a number of sequels and a television series. I was never intrigued enough to see it until the other day and I can't say that it struck me as anything special. The film's back and forth between different historical eras is a little confusing at first until you get into the rhythm of the story, and then it's not too difficult to follow. As the principal character, Christopher Lambert doesn't project a very heroic persona, even less so as a civilian in the present day. I just didn't see any charisma in his portrayal of Highlander Connor MacLeod. In some ways I think he was outdone by his mentor Ramirez (Sean Connery) and the story's principal villain Kurgan (Clancy Brown). Even the romantic involvements with Heather (Beatie Edney) in the past and Brenda Wyatt (Roxanne Hart) in modern New York City seemed bland given the epic pretensions of the story. I don't know, maybe I saw this on a bad day, but given the picture's reputation, I found it nothing to lose your head over.

Although a feast for the eyes with its flamboyant cinematographic technique and high level of innovation and imagination, it's a bit too dazzling to be convincing. The plot in itself is totally absurd: a highlander suffers from immortality, which makes him afraid of living (and loving), while there are other immortals as well who seem to be fighting about being the last immortal alive, since all these immortals are not immortal at all if their heads are cut off, and they all actually (except one) ultimately get their heads cut off, while the one remaining seems to be settling for quite a normal life after all. This is all ridiculous of course, but the cinematographic dashing eloquence blinds you to the lack of any reason in the film.The best scenes are those with Sean Connery, when he trains Christopher Lambert to fight properly. Only here there is great inspiration and even some humour. The worst scenes are all those with the dreadful Kurgan villain, and if you have seen him as a monster in other films you know what to expect. It's advisable to turn the volume down every time he appears, since the noisy rock music makes it even worse.The most impressing fighting scene (among far too many and lengthy ones) is the very first one in the garage. You haven't got used to the exaggerated pyrotechnical effects yet, they will eventually repeat themselves, but in the first beheading scene it's all new to you and must appear awesome indeed.Apart from the yelling noisy rock music, the rest of the music is good, and there are even some poetical highlights as well. All the scenes from Scotland are highly enjoyable, and fortunately it's these that will remain in your mind after the show, while you hopefully will forget all the New York rumbling atrocities in darkness.

Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) is an immortal Scottish swordsman who must do battle with others of his kind in modern day America. The battle will leave only one immortal left alive. Because as we're told repeatedly, "There can be only one!"I doubt I've actually watched all of Highlander since I saw it in the theater back in 1986. Overall, it's a pretty fun experience with plenty of fights, mystical mumbo-jumbo, and a wonderfully over-the-top performance form scene chewing Sean Connery. I love the scene where Lambert calls Connery a "Spanish peacock". Good stuff. But the highlight for me has to be Clancy Brown as the evil Krugan. He's amazing. The voice, the menacing size, and the pure delight in his eyes during his fight scenes really make Highlander special. It's a really enjoyable performance. I also enjoy all the mixed-up accents in Highlander. Clancy Brown is from a supposed ancient race of fighters, yet sounds like he's from modern day America. Lambert, despite his French accent, is a Scotsman. And the decidedly Scottish Connery is Spainish in the film. How bizarre.Other than reeking of the worst of the 80s, my biggest complaint with the movie is with the sound. The looping and dubbing are horrible. It gets very distracting every once in a while. I think every line Lambert utters was dropped in in post. Ugh.

So I do not really know why this is a cult movie. The cinematography is pretty good and the music is fun me and the actors do what they can but on the whole the movie is boring and a 08/15 "immortality is a curse" story is nothing special unfortunately. However, I was always interested in finding out how Highlander could become such a huge franchise, even though there is nothing special in it and none of the films is really good. I've seen the long version or the Director's Cut after what I've heard the better version of the movie, with the added instruction sinews and passages in World War II. So I can only say if that was the better version I'm not interested in the rest of the franchise. I mean, I only saw the first movie but both the fans and the haters say that the first movie is the best and if what I've seen is the best thing Highlander has to offer then I'm worried. I have recognized many scenes from parodies of other films, South Park or the Simpsons and I am glad that I finally came to see a movie that has meant so many people something and has drawn some circles but unfortunately no circles in which I want to be. The love story is uninteresting the dear aspect was too much for me, the fights are not so exciting and the film was not sufficiently brutal for my taste. The whole movie also did not look so nice visually all the sets and props were so unaesthetic that it was really hard for me to get involved. The ideas of an immortal who hunts you all over the world is awesome, that's why I love Terminator, but this villain sucks so hard. He is not scary at all and if he was not so annoying Kurgan/Victor Kruger would be worthy of forgetting. But I'd like to call the review a bit positive. I can only say the actors are great, maybe it's because of this weird combination but they all really do their best and even those who do not make it right, like a lid on a glass, in this scenario to fit in that I could imagine no other actor in this role. I'm curious if there really will be a remake of it and I would even work on it because I have some ideas on how to expand this concept I would not mind a complete reboot with Black people and Chinese.But I think there can only be one.