Sort By: By Genre  |  By Rating  |  By Year

Highlander

Starring: Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery
Director: Russell Mulcahy
Genre: Action
Year: 1986
Rating: 4 / 5

In life, some people are just luckier than others. I must believe this, because, otherwise, there is no logical explanation for why Christopher Lambert was chosen to portray the lead in Highlander. Though somewhat campy and very "eighties," Highlander is a unique fantasy adventure that should be judged on its own merits, not on those of its multiple abhorrent sequels. Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery star as a pair of immortals, living through the centuries in anticipation of a final day of reckoning, at which point only one immortal will be left standing.

Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) is a young, Scottish noble in the sixteenth century, eager for a forthcoming battle with an army of forces under the command of Kurgan (Clancy Brown). During battle, Kurgan delivers a fatal blow to MacLeod, yet he is prevented from decapitating his prone victim. MacLeod's relatives lay his body to rest, yet he awakens the next morning, somehow cured of his wounds. Suspecting him to be "in league with Lucifer," the town's residents stone MacLeod and drive him into the country. It is there that he meets Juan Ramirez (Sean Connery), and his life is changed forever.

Connor MacLeod is an immortal, and he can only be killed via decapitation. He and the other immortals will live their lives until they are drawn to a central location for the final battle. After this battle, the immortal left standing will know undreamed-of power. Juan Ramirez has tasked himself with preparing MacLeod for this battle, knowing that his might is needed to help defeat the dreaded Kurgan. Flash-forward to 1986 New York, and MacLeod is still being hunted by Kurgan. As his arch-nemesis begins to threaten the life of MacLeod's new love (Roxanna Hart), the highlander realizes that he must engage Kurgan in one climactic battle, a battle which will likely determine the course of Earth's future.

When speaking of Highlander, it is impossible to overlook the superb contribution of British rock legends Queen. The band produced the entire soundtrack, seamlessly weaving in such classics as "Who Wants to Live Forever" and "Princes of the Universe." The story might be the true star, assuming one ignores the existence of those shameless sequels. Highlander blends past and present together stylishly, and the plot is an engrossing, even-paced one, even if inconsistencies do arise thanks to its successors. Sean Connery delivers panache and some much-needed zip to the role of Juan Ramirez, and Christopher Lambert even manages to convince audiences that he can act (if only for a short while). As the highlander reminds us during the film, "There can be only one." If only the producers of this film had heeded that message.

Cast:

Certification: Rated R for violence.
Running Time: 111 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
Comments: Send E-mail