Originally I was thinking of doing Highlander II for today's film, but then I checked the blog and realized that I didn’t have a post for the original film yet. Not that I need to do every film in a franchise I guess, I just did the fifth Friday the 13th earlier this month, but there’s also a part of my poor, poor brain that gets a sprinkle of dopamine when I manage to do it. Plus it’s been years since I watched Highlander, so let’s go ahead and get it out of the way.
In Highlander,the very-not-Scottish Christopher Lambert plays the very Scottish Connor Macleod, of the Clan Macleod. Several hundred years ago Connor fell in battle with a rival clan, but did not die. Indeed he could not die, could not age, in spite of his wounds. A miracle? Not quite, as Connor seems to be but one of a whole group of similarly gifted people, compelled by forces unknown to them to battle each other in mortal combat, the victor cutting off the loser’s head and ending their unnatural life. Now, centuries after Connor Macleod pulled himself out of the grave in Scotland, the war of the Immortals is coming to an end. The Gathering approaches, and there can be only one.
It’s a very strong foundation for a film. Fantasy, mystery, romance, action, all that good stuff all in one. Yet it’s also a very budget-friendly film at the same time, which is good because it didn’t make its budget back. No dragons or wizards like other fantasy films, just some swords, some lightning effects and mild explosions used to great effect. Although that premise only really works for one movie, you can see why it was able to spawn several sequels, a TV spinoff, a spinoff of the spinoff, and an animated series. Guys fighting with swords is cheap and easy.
Highlander does its best to get in its own way though, it must be said. I’m not going to say that Christopher Lambert is a bad actor, I think he’s fine physically for the role, but his voice is just bad. It’s one thing for him to not sound Scottish, not many folks would recognize a Gaelic accent anyway, but he sounds like the guy who taught Tommy Wiseau English. I guess the filmmakers didn’t really give a shit since they got Sean Connery to play a guy named Ramirez who at one point is said to be Egyptian, and Clancy Brown plays an ancient Russian warrior who just sounds like Clancy Brown. Weird choices, man.
Much like fellow 80s B-movie Flash Gordon, Highlander features a soundtrack done by the band Queen. It’s cool. Nothing against Queen, they made plenty of good songs, they were famous for a reason, but there’s something about these songs that irks me. Maybe how they’re inserted into the film is awkward and that dissonance transfers to the song itself, I don’t know. Just a touch too maudlin, too overwrought to take. The Flash Gordon theme slaps though, check that out if you haven’t already.
Highlander is okay. Dumb, but it has a charm to it that these kinds of B-movies need to have staying power. If nothing else, watch it for Clancy Brown as Kurgan. The man is a treasure.
STATUS: RECOMMENDED
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