Review of Highlander (1986) by Stuart K — 30 Jun 2009
The birth of an unlikely franchise, and a film which spawned sequels, a tv series, an anime and comic books. It does skirt on a very fine line between dark fantasy and camp madness. It's got alot of good action to it's name, and it's very well made for it's low budget.
It's just the sort of silly action film you'd expect to come out of the 1980's. It begins with New York resident Russell Nash (Christopher Lambert), who is being tracked down by the mysterious Kurgan (Clancy Brown).
Why?? Well, it turns out Russell Nash is really Connor MacLeod, born in 1518 in the Scottish Highlands, who was made immortal, and he is taught how to defend himself by the Spanish/Egyptian Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez (Sean Connery), who tells MacLeod, that the only way a mortal can die is if the head comes off.
So, now. MacLeod needs to bring all that Ramirez has taught him if he is to survive a potential decapitation by Kurgan. It is an enjoyable piece of fantasy, with a good Queen soundtrack throughout. Director Russell Mulcahy keeps the pace up throughout, staging some good pieces of action, and even getting good performances from his lead actors, (Lambert does well for a Frenchman playing a Scot, and Connery makes a memorable cameo.
) The less said about what was to come in the sequel, the better. :P.
This review of Highlander (1986) was written by Stuart K on 30 Jun 2009.
Highlander has generally received positive reviews.
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