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Highlander - Endgame

Highlander - Endgame

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Good Grief!!!!!!!!!
Review: I have decided to rate all four movies here as well as the series because the only way to even begin to explain this mess is to try and connect the dots. Spoilers are in the summaries.

HIGHLANDER: Great original story with a beginning and an ending. Immortals appear to originate from a mystical or religious beginning. It is never fully explained which is nice. Each viewer can use their belief system to fill in the gaps. The Kurgon was an original over the top villain. Excellent and beautiful filming of Scotland. This film never felt as though it were shot on a stage. Awesome sound track by Queen. Once Connor won the Prize the viewer was left to draw his/her own conclusions as to how he would use the Prize to better the world. All in all this film was about as close to perfect as one is likely to get in the SciFi/Fantasy world.

HIGHLANDER 2:...Gone is the mystical religious origin of immortals. Now they are either aliens from another planet or immortals that can use science to travel through time, depending on which version of this film you watch. Gone is the beautiful scenery and in comes the BATMAN THE MOVIE type sets. General Katana is an unoriginal rip off of Kurgon. The wife Connor married at the end of the first movie dies of a plague. For the second time Connor wins the Prize and in doing so changes the premise of the story from "there can be only one" to "there will always be at least one more." This film reused the first movies sound track and it didn't fit the film. Basically, this movie was as bad as the first one was good.

HIGHLANDER-The Series: I only caught the show occasionally. It further destroys the the concept of the original movie. However if you can somehow not compare it to the first movie it it was a good tv show. The series premier had another Kurgon...villain, Quince, but the following episodes had more original and diverse villains. In my opinion Duncan MacLeod was a pale...of Conor MacLeod. I follow the movies more than the series but as I understand it if you follow the series H-4 will make more sense.

HIGHLANDER 3: An obvious attempt to eradicate the damage done by H-2 to the highlander story line. However, once again there is a Kurgon rip off for a villain. Kane is an over the top evil immortal that offers nothing new. This film tries to bring back the mystical and religious feel to the film and somewhat succeeds. Connor's wife from the end of the first film now dies in a car accident. It is never explained how she returned from the dead to die from the plague in H-2. Connor has an adopted son that is never mentioned in H-4. Connor goes through another love interest. For someone who in the original movie did not like getting into relationships with mortals, Connor gets more women than James West or Captain Kirk. On the plus side Loreena Mckennitt's song BONNY PORTMORE is put to good use in this film. All in all a good attempt at restoring the story line but it fails.

HIGHLANDER 4: The final nail in the coffin. A lame villain who is less menacing than any of the other film villains leaves Connor no choice other than to have Duncan kill him and then Duncan with Connor's "spirit" can beat this villain. Hogwash!! In H-3 Connor acquired the ability to cast illusions. In H-4 he evidently decides not to use this ability. Duncan now takes over as the only Highlander left to carry the franchise. This may have been a good call. Lambert, although only 2 years older than Paul looks 10 years older. I don't think he could keep portraying an immortal. Anyway, this film is all over the place. It brings back people and places from other movies and the tv shows and ultimately ends up one big contrived mess. Do these writers have a clue as to what made the original movie work? I think not

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Umm, where does this fit in the timeline?
Review: If you haven't seen any of the other Highlander movies, then you will like this one. It's not a bad movie really. It just doesn't fit in with the established timeline for the Highlander story. We know, from the first movie, that Conner wins the prize. However in the world his death at the hands of Duncan fits into THAT, I have yet to figure out. My friends and I were sorely disappointed with this one.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: NOT A PATCH ON ONE BUT SOMEHOW I LIKED IT !
Review: NOW i KNOW SOME PEOPLE(ACTUALLY A LOT !0 HAVE SLATED THIS MOVIE.
I have come to a conclusion about how Connor can still have the prize,this movie was set mainly 10 years ago so perhaps Connor already has the prize because the first Highlander was set in the mid-eighties was it not?And if Kell kills Connor he would inherit the prize from Connor in a quickening!Thats my way of justifying the story but I agree it is a confusing storyline to fit in with the others.This was another point about the film,old chistopher lambert could of done with dying his hair losing a few pounds to make him look the same as the other movies if he is immortal why does he look so old.The film despite the shoestring effects also and the lack of bigger sets etc I still like just for the action ,swordfights and seeing both mclouds together at last.It does seem a shame to kill off connor though(sorry to ruin it for anyone who has not seen it)The dvd itself is also hard to fault for fun,great 5.1 audio,great widescreen transfer very clear and also good extras even a second rough cut of the film for real fanatics!Also good musical exciting menus and lots of trailers etc.Just forget the crazy storyline,turn up the volume and enjoy the swords clash and explode through your surround system!Very excited about forthcoming Highlander immortal edition dvd,and hope to see another action packed(bigger budget!)sequel featuring Duncan Mcloud soon.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A Shame
Review: The first Highlander was such a great movie that I still find myslef drawn to anything related to it. But Even after the horrible sequel and what I think is better termed a remake with mario van pebbles this one is even a further departure from the original. The premise and mythology that made the first movie so extraordinary has been perverted to the point of making me sick. Not to mention the fact that each one of these movies seems to forget that the one before it ever happend. I liked Adrian paul but the "we need more bad guys" premise to make a bigger sequel just doesnt play in a movie based on single combat.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: whimpy,whimpy,whimmmmmmpy!
Review: where did they find this schmoe lambert?why did they settle on him?how did this become a franchise?the best thing about this is that it must end sometime!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Gross Disappointment
Review: I loved the first 3 and own all of them on DVD. If given this one, I'd throw it away. Completely disregarded the story line for the first 3. The entire Highlander premise was popular and this dismal effort was made only to capitalize on the popularity. They've ruined any possibility for another movie.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good movie - but where's the rest
Review: I found Highlander Endgame to be a very good movie. Unlike the other three movies, this one included both heroes, Duncan and Connor. When I saw coming attractions for this film and saw Duncan and Connor's faces in them, i knew it would be good... .
Before I tell you the basic plot of the story, I want to remark on how I found a few scenes, seen in coming attractions, that looked good, that i didn't see in the actual movie. A little disappointing to me.
In Highlander Endgame, we find out that Duncan and Connor MacLeod aren't as perfect and noble immortals as we thought, from their past. With Connor MacLeod's story, we find out that Connor MacLeod killed a unarmed defenseless man 4 and a half centuries ago. Doesn't sound like the Connor MacLeod most Highlander fans and Duncan know. The man wasn't completely innocent, although. He had cast Connor's mother to be burned, killed. Connor was forced to watch and out of outrage killed the man responsible. Connor also killed his son, Jacob Kell, or did he. Kell, was going to attack Connor for revenge, this time leaving Connor almost no choice. But in the recent 20th Century, Rachel Ellenstein, Connor's adopted daughter, was in Connor's shop alone when it exploded.
Duncan MacLeod, as well, did something in the past to create a breach between him and someone he loved. Sometime in the 1700's, Duncan married Kate Delaney, an immortal. She wasn't immortal yet, because she hadn't been killed, which would trigger her immortality. But since she didn't know, and Duncan and Connor did, you'll never guess what Duncan did to his wife on his wedding night, to keep her mad at him FOREVER.
So in Present Day, Connor MacLeod finds out that his long lost enemy, Kell, is alive, immortal, and seeking revenge, along with the assistance with Kate, who seeks revenge on Duncan. After four hundred years, Jacob Kell is a very powerful immortal, too powerful for either Highlander to beat alone. If one must face the sinister evil enemy, the other will have to sacrifice his life. For in the end, "There Can be Only One". Find out which one in the story about revenge, redemption, choices, and immortality ... Highlander Endgame is a great movie. Take my advice, and watch it.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: What the?!
Review: Well I waited for this movie with such high hopes only to have them dashed!
This movie totally disregards all the others, did the writers just forget that Connor is the last and wins the prize or what!??
Both my husband and myself were really disappointed with this movie he walked out on it!
I did love seeing both McClouds togther but they distroyed it by killing Connor when any fan of the movies knows he lives well into the future(see no 2)so I was very disappointed with this movie and am left wondering why they ever made it???

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Duncan and Kate's Story
Review: Aside from an editing mishap in the final duel between Jacob Kell and Duncan, where one fight scene is actually repeated, I felt the movie as a a whole was quite well done. Although the main protagonists include Connor, Jacob, and Duncan and Kate (Faith), this is really Duncan and Kate's Story, giving you their background.

While the movie is more than adequately propelled by the actions of villain Jacob Kell (Bruce Payne), I was quite impressed by the fine performance given by Lisa Barbuscia as Kate/Faith. Not only is she believable in her dual roles, she does an outstanding job of portraying a complex person who has both love and bitterness for her former true love and husband. She is also a person that you do not want to fault for her coldness because we gradually become aware that her condition was brought about in part by a mistake made by our hero Duncan from their past. Apparently they have not yet worked things out and a good part of the movie allows you to follow their relationship's progress. We also learn that her and her other immortal "friends" are really slaves to Jacob Kell and are forced to do his bidding or face eternal death by beheading.

But what impressed me most was that she was able to convey her mixed feelings about Duncan with such great subtlety. In almost every scene together, or where the conversation is about Duncan, she ever so slightly hints towards her true inward feelings with her facial expressions. In a way, this is a love story that ended abruptly in the past but now has a chance at redemption if Kate can find it in herself to forgive Duncan.

All in all, well done. There is the great martial arts action of course, but the story is deeper than that. If you can forgive a little bit of editing at the end, you should find this is a very fine film.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Too Much Editing
Review: When i first saw the previews for Highlander Endgame, I was completely amazed that they were going to have a Highlander movie that both included Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod from the movie series, and Adrian Paul as Duncan MacLeod from the tv series. But when i went to the theater and saw the movie, I knew that there were at least 6 or 7 takes that were shown in previews that i didnt see in the actual movie. They looked like good scenes too. That disappointed me. Although it was a good movie with a good plot, good acting and good fight scenes, I think it would of done better with the deleted scenes put back in.
I'm disappointed in the way they ended this movie, the way they gave Adrian Paul alot more time onscreen then Christopher Lambert, and how they had Christopher Lambert's first fight scene in the movie done between him and the enemy, Jacob Kell(Bruce Payne). Connor MacLeod was completely defenseless against Jacob who was overpowering Connor easily. Duncan MacLeod, however had some great fight scenes done. The fight scene between him and the renegade immortals was great. And Duncan fighting Jin Ke(Donnie Yen) was one of the best fight scenes I had ever scene, mixing in two different weapons.
I was glad that they included characters from the show. Jim Byrnes as Joe Dawson, and Peter Wingfield as Methos. Although their time onscreen was kept farely short, the way they had their acting mix in with Adrian Paul was just like from the series. Bruce Payne was great as the overpowering enemy, Jacob Kell, who wanted revenge on Connor MacLeod for killing a man of God, who raised Jacob as his own son. Jacob was responsible for the death of Connor's mother, and adopted daughter Rachael. Lisa Barbuscia played Kate, who wanted revenge on Duncan MacLeod for giving her no choice of immortality. Because of Kate's equal hatred for Duncan, to Jacob's hatred for Connor, Kell is assisted by Kate. From the producer's of the original Highlander movie, Highlander Endgame is a great movie to watch.


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