Highlander

Rating:
Summary: "It's a kind of magic"
Review: This movie is a real gem. I don't really understand why critics were so hard on it, much less do I understand why a few people here are insulting the movie itself (I know the DVD transfer was bad, so I relate to those people) or why the movie was so cheap, then again, the quality of the transfer of this movie would explain it. But this movie is excellent in all aspects. It's unique, and it unfortunately has had its glory destroyed by lousy sequels and TERRIBLE TV shows.

In terms of the acting, contrary to what other people claim here, Christopher Lambert's performance is first rate, and I think it a shame that he has subsequently appeared mostly in bad 1 1/2 star flicks and hasn't since had a real breakthrough in movies. Sean Connery adds real style to the movie with his acting, but it's a shame that he's in there for such a short time. Clancy Brown is as sinister as ever as Kurgan.

The visuals and effects are great by any standard and the swordfighting scenes are excellent

And WHO could possibly diss the rocking musical score by Queen? With such a strong opening theme ("Princes of the Universe") a truly emotional ballad ("Who Wants to Live Forever") and their smash hit single ("A Kind of Magic") just to name a few, you can't go wrong. If you learned about this movie just by being a Queen fan, and first watched the movie out of interest in their score (my situation), you're in for a real treat.

To fans of this movie who were disappointed by the latest transfer, My only suggestion is to wait a while for the Highlander Immortal Edition which will be released April 16, 2002. It promises better sound and picture quality, the uncensored Director's Cut, Commentary, and plenty of Queen material including music videos to their songs from this movie which are musical and visual masterpieces (I've seen them). Plus it's in anamorphic widescreen format, and anamorphic seems like a good way to go especially for a movie like this.

In any case, this movie is a winner and magic in it's strongest form. There can be only one.

Rating:
Summary: There can be only one!
Review: The wait is almost over! The first (and the best, as rated by most) movie in the Highlander saga is about to be released as a 2-disc set with completely new Dolby Digital and DTS audio mix and a much better video transfer. The previous DVD versions of the movie lacked the audio-visual quality, most dvd fans crave for. In fact, in my opinion the movie really deserved a good audio mix, for it is packed with some great music by Queen and I hope the new version contains an isolated music track as well!

The Immortal Edition will be packaged in a limited edition tin box, a feature Anchor Bay Entertainment is known for. With a second disc full of extras, this edition is a release no Highlander fan should miss.

"There can be only one", and it seems this is THE ONE!!

Rating:
Summary: CLASSIC
Review: This is a classic we should all have it

Rating:
Summary: A fantastic tale of romance and fantasy... and QUEEN!
Review: First, I must confess that I rented the movie because my favorite music group, Queen, was doing the soundtrack. But, unlike Flash Gordon, this movie actually has Queen songs right in it! But, as I watched this movie, I began to get really involved in the story. Christopher Lambert(who, in my opinion, is really hot in this movie!) plays Conner Macleod, a Scottish warrior who has been alive for over 300 years. He has come to NYC to battle the last remaining immortals, for there can be only one! The guy who plays Kurgan freaked the sh*t out of me! He was generally scary! I think one of the reasons I loved this movie was because of the underlying love story. I almost cried when Nash lit the candle in the church! Anyway, if you love Queen as much as I do, you'll love to hear their music throughout the movie. Even if you don't like Queen (I can't imagine why you wouldn't, but...), you'll love this winding tale of horror, love, and a kind of magic!

Rating:
Summary: A great epic tale with astounding narration...
Review: This film may not accomplish much in the long run, but the phenomenon is spawned is outstanding. We meet Russel Nash (Christopher Lambert) at a wrestling match where he leaves to the parking garage and gets into a swordfight with a strange man in a business suit. Soon after, we're thrust 500 years ago into the highlands of Scotland, where we learn that Nash is really Connor MacLeod, an immortal being who is banished from his native land and accused of using satanic magic. He then encounters Ramirez (Sean Connery), who teaches him the ways and rules of immortals. From there, the story unfolds into an epic so different from anything else Hollywood has to offer. The overall story itself is a moderate romantic adventure, but the swordfights and camera work as well as original music by legendary band Queen make this film a rollicking good time. A must-see for all action and fantasy fans.

Rating:
Summary: "Tell them I'm immortal"
Review: This is easily the best film of all the Highlander sequals. An excellent story and well put together with flash backs of Scotland in the fifteenth century. None of the sequals to this film were really of the same intensity and deepness. In fact all the follow ups were very lame.

Rating:
Summary: Mythical and fascinating sward magic
Review: This film is fascinating in many ways. I have the European version with the flashback to the second world war but without the killing of Yung Dol Kim by the Kurgan, which explains the discrepancy in one scene where a paper title announces : HEAD HUNTER 3 POLICE 0. In fact there has only been two killings by the Kurgan at this moment, and will never be three in the film anyway. But it is a marvellous film built on constant flashbacks, very well done all of them, and this navigation through time is thrilling. Then it presents us with a plot that is of interest for our over-famous post-modern world. A new species of humans is born by some mutation. These humans are immortal but they are supposed to fight to the last and to their death for only one of them to survive. This last one is granted special powers over the world. This is a new version, a post-god version of God, as if our imagination and brain could not survive and work properly without a supreme being of some kind. We are here dealing with an essential dimension of human civilization : men need a supreme principle, on a higher level than themselves, to be able to manage the world, manage its knowledge and science, manage its peace and violence. But this archetypical approach goes even farther and reaches a mythical level. We are dealing with a species that pushes its roots deep in the oldest human civilizations : the Celts in Scotland, the « archaic » societies in Siberia or Russia, old Japanese societies, etc. This new species is founded on two elements : they have to fight in duels with broad swords and they can only die if they are decapitated. The first element is typical of the iron age, of the iron society best represented in our history by the Celts, with some roots in the ancient Greek mythology with their Gods of fire and metalwork (smithing), but also with the Greek Zeus and the Celtic Lud, and even the Biblical and Semitic God, who have the power to dominate and use thunder and lightning to punish and frighten men. This touches something in the average public that goes beyond simple action. It moves some old stories, and even superstitions, in our memory, in the memory of humanity. This is one of the deepest layers of our human and universal consciousness or unconsciousness. This then makes a gripping film for which the added suspense and spectacular action can only become mesmerizing. This explains the cult around this Highlander.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

Rating:
Summary: "The Sensation You're Feeling Is The Quickening"
Review: "From the dawn of time we came, moving silently down through the centuries. Living many secret lives, struggling to reach the time of the gathering, when the few who remain will battle to the last. No one has ever known we were among you..... until now." Sean Connery's narrative introduction to this epic fantasy saga, Highlander, a mystical tale of immortals, destined to live forever. Only decapitation by sword will kill them. They must fight for the prize. A fight between good and evil. Whether it is in 16th century Scotland or present day New York, in the end, there can be only one. Highlander is an entertaining adventure full of atmosphere, special effects and stunning scenery. And although it is not a perfect film, there is never a dull moment.

Rating:
Summary: Just as good on the fifth as the first viewing
Review: I'll say it up front - this movie is one of my top five of all time. I knew none of the stars at the time (save Connery) and maybe this made the story all that better. Why this particular film had (and has) such an attraction to the general public is not hard to figure out.

The premise, while seen elsewhere, is presented here with only a minimum of hokiness - no deep, theological, mythological or genetic explanations as to why the Eternals came to be - they just are. The switch between 16th century Scotland and modern America was deft and non-obtrusive. The acting was spectacular and bad boy Clancey Brown makes a strong, almost show stealing performance. But it is Lambert in all his quixotic dry wit and somber moods that is the icing on the cake.

Fantastic music - loved the ballade, great action scenes, just a perfect gem. Then they had to go and try to ruin it with all the follow-ups (garbage), a TV series (It DOESN'T grow on you) the action game (my youngest son said it was "crummy") and the Highlander toys. How many movies have directors "followed" by a catastrophic sequeal? Foreget all that stuff and buy or rent the DVD.

Rating:
Summary: "It's a kind of magic."
Review: Who wants to live forever? This is the theme of HIGHLANDER, a film which over time has firmly established a cult following as well as countless sequels and TV series. Who would've thought that a low-budget film like this (which scored a mere $5,900,000 in the U.S., while becoming a huge hit internationally) would be so popular?

HIGHLANDER is the tale of Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), a guy who, at first glance, would seem to be your normal 30-year-old New Yorker. But then, take a closer look: that old look in his eyes, his wealth of knowledge, and - oh yeah, did I mention he RUNS AROUND NEW YORK WITH AN ANCIENT JAPANESE KATANA AND SLICES OFF PEOPLE'S HEADS!!

But all this isn't as odd as it sounds. You see, MacLeod is one of a race of immortals, born in the highlands of Scotland 500 years ago. In 1536, he was killed by the evil Kurgan (Clancy Brown) - and then he woke back up. Woah. After being brutally beaten and exiled from his hometown, he meets up with Ramirez (Sean Connery), a fellow immortal who teaches MacLeod the ways of their kind. As it turns out, there can be only one, and that one will be the immortal that survives through the ages to the time of the Gathering in 1986. The Prize they receive from being the final immortal is a chance to rule the world and have all their dreams come true.

HIGHLANDER is now a part of movie history, and in my opinion one of the most important films of the 1980's. Lambert is very good (he would later appear in three sequels and one episode of the popular TV series), and Connery is funny - although he's in the film for a total of about 7 minutes. Rock videomaker Russell Mulcahy's direction is nothing special, but it is done well, especially around the end of the film.

Of course, there's also a majestic, beautiful-sounding score from well-liked composer Michael Kamen, and an awesome rock soundtrack from Queen, which includes the very nice ballad "Who Wants to Live Forever". The film's theme, "Princes of the Universe", later served also as the theme for the television show.

The film is extremely entertaining. From the first moment of the movie, you're completely absorbed - something that could not be achieved in either HIGHLANDER II, III or ENDGAME - all of which are easy to ignore in the series' timeline.

If possible, I would definitely recommend that you watch the director's cut (or "Immortal Edition") rather than the theatrical version. This cut is a very large improvement over the original film. The DVD also features a remastered soundtrack and a Queen companion CD.

All in all, HIGHLANDER is an extraodinary film matched only by the television series. It is certainly recommended to any and all. Ignore the sequels completely, if you can (die-hard fans: rent HIGHLANDER III); for in the end, there can be only one.