Film Review - Highlander

Highlander is nothing short of a cult classic. This film noir is about immortal beings who have lived among us throughout the centuries. These immortals are competing for "The Big Prize." Whoever wins, gets the Earth to do with however they want.

OK, if I was pitching this to Hollywood that's how I would have to describe it. But Highlander is much more. It's really the story of Connor MacLeod who is born in the Highlands of Scotland in 1518. He doesn't know he is immortal until severely wounded in combat. He recovers when he should have died. His clan decides he's in league with Lucifer and exiles him.

Connor eventually homesteads and marries. He meets Ramirez (Sean Connery), who becomes his mentor. Ramirez knows that MacLeod could beat the strongest of the immortals and win everything. Kurgan, the strongest, would plunge the world into darkness; MacLeod has a good heart, and Ramirez works and gives his life for MacLeod's victory.

This is also a love story. MacLeod is very much in love with his wife, but since he is immortal, he cannot have children. The wife grows old and dies with her still-youthful husband at her side. MacLeod doesn't allow himself to fall in love until 1985.

Highlander is not a story told in chronological order. We keep moving back and forth between time periods. The transitions between eras are incredibly well done. Real planning happened here to make film shot on different locations seamlessly come together.

Highlander is violent, and probably not for the squeamish. The immortals dispatch each other by cutting off each other's heads in sword battle. The prize is only awarded when only one immortal is left. The buzz phrase is "In the end, there can be only one." In the end, the battle between good and evil takes over. Predictable? Yes, but if it wasn't, you'd be very depressed afterwards.

No Suction!

Film Facts

Directed by Russell Mulcahy

Released in 1986

MPAA Rating: R

Reviewed by Mongo