Half of a good movie, sadly mired in bizarre direction and some pretty mediocre acting, HIGHLANDER has it's moments, but hasn't aged well.
Christopher Lambert (see mediocre acting comment above) plays Connor MacLeod, an immortal warrior from the 16th century Scottish highlands who's now posing as an art dealer in 1986 New York City.
The film clumsily moves back and forth from Connor's origin story in Scotland to modern day (okay 1986 modern day) Manhattan, showing us how he became immortal.
In the current story line, Connor is constantly battling against other immortals as centuries of conflict converge on the big apple for what's dramatically referred to as "The Reckoning".
Lucky for us two supporting actors take over the screen whenever they appear.
The first is Sean Connery, having a blast as Connor's sixteenth century mentor, Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez. The name says it all. Connery, adorned in bright red Seinfeld puffy shirts and hats with giant feathers, brings levity and personality to the film and he's the best thing in it.
The other player is Clancy Brown (Starship Troopers) as "The Kurgan", which must be Highlander for biggest, baddest villain. Brown unleashes 80's punk terror style in both time frames and the concluding scenes above Silvercup Studios in NYC still pack a lot of visual flair.
But alas, commercial director Russell Mulcahy is all 80's flash and bombast and little talent and the fun sequences are sunk by the ridiculous balance to equal one silly movie.
QUEEN provides some terrific songs, an actress named Roxanne Hart provides plenty of unintentional laughs and this somehow created a SLEW of sequels, disproving the line they keep shouting..."There can be ONLY ONE!"
We wish.
Highlander takes the low road to a C.
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