bowmanblue I haven't watched 'Highlander' since it was on TV in the eighties. I loved it as a kid and was a little apprehensive regarding how well it would stand around thirty years later. And, despite being quite surprised at how much I didn't really appreciate back then, I'm pleased to say that it's worth a watch before the inevitable remake that will doubtless come soon.It's (mainly) set in what was 'modern day,' but now is way back in the eighties, where Christopher Lambert plays one of the few last immortals left alive. He's been around since, er, whenever Scotland was filled with bagpiping, claymore-wielding warriors (about 400 years I think he says at one point) and he's lived his long life never being able to love properly due to the obvious complications involving watching all his loved ones age naturally and die. And, if that wasn't bad enough, we - the audience - are repeatedly reminded that 'There can be only one.' That basically means that all remaining immortals must fight each other to the death (apparently you can actually kill an immortal with a well-placed decapitation) in order to win whatever prize awaits them.I say 'mainly' set in the eighties, because there's a fair amount of screen-time dedicated to flashbacks of when Lambert was the titular 'Highlander' in his native time. There he's guided as to what he really is by one Obi-wan Kenobi mentor-like figure, played (as effortlessly as you'd expect) by Sean Connery. Here we learn about everyone's backstory and the villain who's been stalking the immortals throughout the ages. The main surprise I found while re-watching 'Highlander' after all this time is that I didn't remember so much of the film being set in the past (it's almost 50/50 between past and present. I remember Connery being in it (he was Bond, after all!), but that's about all I could recall of the flashback scenes.I would say that there's plenty of action, watching one immortal take swing after swing of their sword at another immortal's neck. However, by today's standards, the action is probably a little tame. There's hardly much exciting camerawork or major special effects (again, by today's scale), so you get the odd swordfight every so often. It was great for the time and the sound effects used when the swords clash is really cool. Plus you have Queen's epic and totally overblown soundtrack to accompany the film (written specifically for the film, I believe).Highlander' is all good fun, but then I'm biased as I'm viewing it through nostalgic eyes (and I'm a fan of Queen). It's definitely worth a watch, but it may seem a little dull and old-fashioned to the cinema-goers of today who expect epic battles where entire cities are destroyed by intergalactic CGI armies. Oh and in keeping with the 'There can be only one' theme, if you do decide to watch 'Highlander' - stick to the original. I tried the sequels and realised that that tagline was more true than it ever intended!

ManOfKino Connor MacLeod, a Scottish fighter in the 16th century, is killed in the battlefield, only to learn that he's unable to die. Banished from his village, he's taken under the wing of an Egyptian warrior, who's also immortal like him. Immortals can die only when they are decapitated, and are fated to be drawn to fight each other throughout the ages, until only one of them remains and inherits the mysterious "Prize"...Highlander is unique action-adventure film. It has a highly original concept conveyed through a simple story which it uses not just to provide an excuse to show sword battles in late 20th-century New York, but also to explore themes such as the how the passage of time affects people and how problematic eternal life would be. The action scenes are not spectacular for today's standards, but I think they work. The atmosphere, from medieval Scottish plains to dirty and dark New York back alleys, is impeccable. Although the side characters might not be very complex, the protagonist's personality does change throughout the film, making him enjoyable to watch. I also find that Christopher Lambert was a great choice for the lead. The British band Queen ended up writing a few songs for this film which, somehow blending perfectly with the story, are one of the main elements that make Highlander unique.Highlander keeps its mystery as far as the origins of the Immortals are concerned, and it concludes in what was, for me, an unpredictable fashion as we learn what the Prize is. Many attempts at following the story up with sequels have been made, but it's virtually agreed that they all fall short. In the end, as the famous line goes, "there can be only one!"

vesil_vesalier Generally speaking, soundtracks with songs written exclusively for movies that include the content of said movie don't usually work. Actors with thick accents and a serious lack of experience don't usually turn in performances that are actually believable. High-level actors with accolades of amazing performances don't usually lower themselves to do independent, low-budget movies with painted backgrounds and animated special effects.All that being said, every single one of those things happened with HIGHLANDER, and it is fantastic.I'll stick to my original rating of 8, because there's enough goofy material included into this film to bring it down to that number, but it's a HIGH 8, nonetheless. I've never seen any other movie with Christopher Lambert in it, who plays the lead character, Conner McCloud, but I know he's not exactly on the A-list, nor has he ever been. Clancy Brown, who plays the Kurgen, has been in more television shows and impressive films than I can easily count without references, and MAN did he have a ball in this role, playing the heavy. The supporting cast, including Roxanne Hart as the love interest, do very well in supporting the main conflict between Lambert and Brown, and Sean Connery does NOT steal the show from Lambert, although he certainly has the ability to. No, instead, like Johnny Depp in CHOCOLAT, he is there to strengthen the film, not take it over, and he does very well doing just that.The small problems with the film come in its over-the-top elements that we all just kind of accept, because we're left with little choice. The more times you watch films like this, the more you can see the tiny parts not really helping out the overall flow and plot of the movie, and sometimes that can be distracting from the main course of the film, hence the 8 rating I've given it. From painted backgrounds to animation drawn over the main filming, to police procedures and ridiculous side characters, this film has it all chocked full of silly, mixed in with semi-serious, in a way that somehow works, although looking at it from outside the film, there's no good reason why it should. There's a theme here, and it is stronger and more powerful than anything else in the film, and THAT is what makes it all come together.When I heard a few months ago that a remake is in the works, my stomach turned, as it always does when it comes to remakes. Don't get me wrong, I've seen at least a few that were solid films. But none of them have been better than the originals, which always leads me back to the main question: why bother? But I already know the answer. Money. If there's a chance the studios and the corporate fiends that run them can gain more green paper, they'll do it, and damn the consequences. It's amazing to me that those that have more money than I will ever see in my lifetime have nothing better to do with all that amazing potential than to simply spend their lives acquiring more of it, instead of using it to make new and better things.But I digress. HIGHLANDER is a fun, incredibly entertaining movie, that isn't aging too poorly, in spite of all of its silly parts, with an incredible soundtrack and a great cast.When they make the remake, who is going to fill Queen's shoes? And HOW are they going to do that?

Fluke_Skywalker Plot; Through the ages a group of men known as Immortals have battled for the mysterious Prize. Now only a few remain, and they have gathered in New York for their final confrontation.Highlander has a strong basic hook that doesn't hold up under much scrutiny, so it's best to leave your brain at the door and just enjoy the ride. And what a ride it is. With an over the top soundtrack by Queen, it's as much a rock opera as it is an action-fantasy film. Stylishly directed and featuring wonderfully grandiose performances--particularly Clancy Brown's menacing villain The Kurgan--Highlander wins The Prize. But skip the sequels. There can be only one.