Highlander

Rating:
Summary: There should have been only one!!!
Review: It was a bad day for Connor Mcleod. Born in 1518 in Scotland, he went out to war and found he couldn't die. Not so bad in itself, 1518 was not a good time to be conspicuously different, and nothing raises more suspicions in times of brutal war than immortality. Bloody but alive, Mcleod is exiled and meets a man named Ramirez, sword-master to King Phillip, Shogun Matsemune, various Pharoh's, and - like Mcleod, an alleged immortal. It's Ramirez who clues Mcleod into his fate - to battle against other immortals spread around the world until he is the only one left. (They can be killed by having their heads chopped off - they are otherwise immune to old age, disease and lesser injuries). The ultimate victor will be awarded "The Prize" - nobody knows what the prize is but, given the pyrotechnics that mark the end of every fight, we just know it's got to rock. The other immortals have become fearsome warriors otherwise hidden from the each other but somehow drawn together by the mysterious "Quickening" - the magic that gives them their strength, their immortality and (unless they're fast with that broadsword) their doom. Among these other warriors is the Kurgan - a fearsome knight from the Russian Steppe where they toss the weak and the sick to pits of vicious dogs for fun. By modern days (actually, 1987), Mcleod and the Kurgan remain the last surviving "Immortals" - each one modern-savvy but also remaining their medieval selves deep down. While the rest of the world listens to CD's, and drives fast cars, the surviving immortals duke it out with broadswords on tops of buildings or in vacant lots in hearts of desiccated cities, each one not only fighting for his life, but for the priceless prize.

This was the first "Highlander" - before the sequels and the show - and the textbook case for a great movie that should have never become a franchise. (The studio should have taken the phrase "there can be only one!" more seriously). Sequels and the show spoiled the whole idea by trying to explain who the immortals are (actually aliens from a planet called Zeist, according to "Highlander 2: the Quickening", exiled to earth only 500 years ago as punishment for their failed attempt to oust the planet's cruel leader) or turn them into heroes (against a wicked sorcerer played by Mario Van Peebles in "Highlander 3"). There is no overt good or bad to the immortals other than a magnified and more long-lived version of what everybody has. When Mcleod reunites with the Kurgan in an NYC Church (being holy ground, it's a neutral zone), the gathering starts less as one of mortal enemies than of old acquaintances - a couple of 500 year-old men shooting the breeze and comparing notes. The direction deftly understates the immortals' pain of watching loved ones grow old and die. With a great score built around the album "It's a Kind of Magic", "Highlander" almost becomes a perfect rock-fantasy-epic. With it's very 1987 attitude ("It's better to burn out than fade away") this movie is fixed in its time and yet as timeless as the immortals themselves.

Rating:
Summary: Great movie - shame about the quality
Review: Despite the often-mentioned shocking quality of the DVD Picture, it's still a must-buy at this stage, mainly because there's no real alternative. I'll be looking for a better version of this in the future though if it's ever re-released & cleaned up.

Rating:
Summary: An all-time favorite movie of mine, Worst DVD transfer EVER.
Review: Funny that mjkobb said in his/her review of this DVD that it may make you think something was wrong with your player... I actually bought this disc at the same time I bought my player... And I was horrified, HORRIFIED by what I saw. Worse, by far, than even my well-worn VHS copy! I actually had to go rent some other DVD's to make sure that it was the disc, not the player.

I was very pleased that subsequent rentals and disc purchases showed me that it was merely a bad transfer. Highlander is one of my all-time favorite films, but the DVD version is so bad that it looks like it was edited by a five year old with a box of crayons. This disc needs to be redone... And the only way I can recommend you buying it is if you have very bad eyesight or if it is cheap. REALLY cheap, like five bucks.

Rating:
Summary: Classic
Review: I like Connery's character so much that I was disappointed he died but, hey the movie is a great sci-fi fantasy. Enjoy. This is the original. "There can be only one."

Rating:
Summary: The best film in the series!
Review: This movie is one of my favorites. The storyline of the film is very imaginative; the idea of someone becoming an immortal and how he or she lives an immortal life is very compelling. Christopher Lambert is very good as Connor Macleod, the immortal Highlander, who learns of his immortality after he is fatally wounded in a Scottish battle. Sean Connery (although it's a short part) is also great as Ramirez, Connor's mentor. At the time the film came out, the special effects were very good, although they would pale in comparison with today's standards. The movie is filled with exciting action sequences, especially the final battle for the prize between Connor and Kurgan. None of the sequels that follow this original film quite live up to Highlander.

Rating:
Summary: A bad movie that could have been good.
Review: There are certain rules to making a good movie. Rule number one clearly states do NOT cast Christopher Lambert. Putting the fact the he is a terrible actor aside, he is not Scottish. He does not even try to fake a Scottish accent in this movie. The only thing this movie has going for it is the strong story line. Unfortunately, poor acting and '80's movie syndrome kindof ruin it. It is good for a laugh though. If only it had been directed by a good director with a Scot cast aws the Scot and a Spaniard cast as the Spaniard...It would be nice to see a remake...

Rating:
Summary: HIGHLANDER: The Legend Begins!
Review: Finally, after years of waiting, I finally own the epic fantasy adventure HIGHLANDER: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT on DVD. I'm a fan of the HIGHLANDER films and series, and I consider Sean Connery to be one of the greatest actors of our time! The film looks incredible on DVD. If there is any problem with the DVD, it would have to be the sound. 95% of the sound is incredible, but there are scenes that you have to listen very carefully to hear them speak. Thank God for Subtitles. Other than this, the DVD is AWESOME! The storyline, characterization, visual effects, and acting are incredible. This film, which is followed by HIGHLANDER 2: THE QUICKENING; HIGHLANDER: THE FINAL DIMENSION; and HIGHLANDER: ENDGAME, is a worthy beginning to one of the greatest cult phenomenons of all time! If you love films that are full of excitement, romance, and masterful storytelling, then BUY this film! You'll never regret it! Grade: A+

Rating:
Summary: Ordinary movie...SHOCKING!!! DVD
Review: Immortal warrior (Christopher Lambert) from medieval Scotland must do battle with a ruthless Kurgan knight (Clancy Brown) in modern N.Y to fight for the "prize" of being the last of their species. Aussie rock video vet Mulcahy shows his usual astonishing visual style in this entertaining but hamfisted action/sci-fi flick. Lambert is average but dull, Connery shows some skill and Brown is delightfully menacing at times but plain annoying at others. Face-off in a car park at the start of the film is its only highlight. Yet, this film still acquired a cult following.
Fans of this movie should be sharpening their axes of this disgusting excuse for a DVD. The picture is muddy and grainy, the sound is over-loud and the dialogue is like a whisper. Its a disgrace that this transfer recieved a THX certification. As for extras, the title of "Deluxe Collector's Edition" doesn't even nearly live upto expectation. A trailer, a lightning fast photo gallery and an ok audio commentary by Director and Producers. For those of you who are seeking a decent DVD version of this film, check out the Australian or UK edition. The picture is far superior and it too contains a Dolby 5.1 track which is much easier to listen to. The extras are a trailer, interview with Christopher Lambert, filmographies and a Queen music video. Now that version does a fan justice. But for those of you who don't want the hassel of ordering internationally, Anchor Bay Entertainment will be releasing a Limited Edition in 2002 which will again be THX certified. Just hope they have better luck with this one.

Rating:
Summary: Highlander
Review: This movie is by far one of the best science fiction movies of all time. Sean Connery once again shown that he has done what most actors have failed to do; get rid of being steroetyped as on single character, i.e. James Bond. Christopher Lambert is excellent as the Highlander, It is on my top ten list of best movies along with a few othe Sean Connery Movies.

Rating:
Summary: The best of the movie series
Review: This original highlander is the best of them all. Christopher Lambert (Connor MacLeod) made an excellent hero. Sean Connery's (Juan Ramirez) guest appearance was well recognized as well (in flashbacks). The movie revolves around a band of immortals who cannot die unless their head is cut from their body. They are done so in sword fight duels well done by both Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery. The evil immortal of the movie is The Kurgan (Clancy Brown), a Russian immortal seeking the prize through killing Connor MacLeod as well as becoming the last immortal. While the movie shows Connor and the kurgan dueling with immortals, we go through flashbacks to 1536 and 1542. 1536 was the date were Connor was viciously wounded by the Kurgan in the battle the MacLeods and the Kurgans. Miricously he was revived and believed to be a devil worshipper therefore driven away from his home, Glennfinnan, Scotland. He came to Glencoe to settle down and marry farm girl Heather. He was then founded by Ramirez and tought the ways of immortals.
More than 400 years later we are in Present day 1986, New York City, we're Connor MacLeod is running an antiques shop and falls in love with Brenda, a NYC cop who investigates the killing of a immortal done by Connor. Connor is founded by the Kurgan and challenging him. The fiery battle to claim the prize lies with in them. I recommend this movie.