Highlander - L'ultimo immortale

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!

Highlander is perhaps the definitive modern-day, non-horror fantasy adventure. The use of flashbacks within the story is perhaps not unique, but the concept sees its full fruition here. Such integral "flashback storytelling" would later be borrowed by many movies and TV shows (the Highlander series itself, Forever Knight, and Outlaws among the latter). Everyone is well cast, from the major roles (Lambert, Brown, Connery, Hart, and North) to the minor roles (Peter Diamond, Hugh Quarshie, Sheila Gish, and Christopher Malcolm, among others). Of necessity, must be seen in the Director's Cut version. Various web sites also have the further "missing scenes," including the Kurgan's battle with Immortal Yung Dol Kim, and Kastagir and MacLeod actually having that party they mention.

Continuing my plan to watch every Sean Connery movie in order, I come to Highlander (1986)

Plot In A Paragraph: A group of immortals, who can only die via decapitation, duel through the centuries.

I love Highlander. Always have. Always will. It will always be a disappointment to me none of the sequels or the TV Shows lived up to the potential this universe offered.

Playing the Egyptian Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez (with his normal accent of course) Connery Looks to be having a blast in his second mentor role in a row. He was only on set for 7 days (he had a bet, which he lost, with director Russell Mulcahy he would not finish his scenes in time and had a lucrative clause in place if he didn't) and his screen time is likely to be under twenty minutes, but his presence looms large in the movie

Considering he could barely speak English, Christopher Lambert (one of the nicest celebs I've ever met) is great, Clancy Brown's Kurgan is one of my favourite movie bad guys and Beatrice Edney is gorgeous. Oh and the soundtrack is by my favourite band of all time Queen.

Amazingly Highlander tanked at the domestic box office grossing only $5 million dollars. Highlander found its audience on video, and the rest is history. As for Connery, after his the time away from the screen, it would seem like his luck had not improved with his reinvention as the older, wiser mentor. Despite two great performances, the movies still did little business. That would all change with his next movie though.

I think if this came out in the earlier half of the decade it would have been more successful financially. However, in Europe the film was a hit and it cemented it's cult status. Highlander has an original concept that immortals have been fighting each other for an eternity for "the prize", when only a few remain. The film looks great and was slickly shot with the triumphant music of Queen in the background. There is a good amount of action and Christopher Lambert has a good presence as the lead. He also had excellent chemistry with Sean Connery (who gave one of his most memorable performances). The best performance comes from Clancy Brown who is terrifying as barbarian immortal "The Kurgan". There is a whole lot of good swordfighting action to be had here, as well as quotable dialogue and occasional humor. Highlander was really well written and original fantasy action film. The sequels don't measure up to this at all. But this is a really unique and very good film that holds up well.

Highlander isn't a perfect movie by all means, at least in my opinion, the film is a little too long, Christopher Lambert tries hard but comes across as rather bland and the effects towards the end are a little cheesy. However, cinematography, costumes, sets and scenery-wise Highlander is great, and most of the effects are decent. The soundtrack is killer, the storyline is acceptably paced and basically a fun standard sword-and-sorcery sort of tale, the script may have some toshy moments but boy did it entertain me, the action is well choreographed and the direction is very good. Also Sean Connery is as charismatic and memorable as ever, and Clancy Brown's character is written even better and he too is great. Overall, a fun and entertaining film, shame its sequel was such an abomination but that's another story. 7/10 Bethany Cox