Highlander (1986)
Director: Russell Malcahy
Starring: Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, Roxanne Hart
Primary genre: Fantasy
Secondary genre: Action
Third genre: Adventure
Perhaps there has never been a film in dire need of a remake. Russel Malcahy’s (“Razorback“ (1984)), fantasy action-adventure has been propelled to cult status due to its unique idea, notorious casting choices, sword duels, an exclusive Queen soundtrack and enduring themes of immortality. “Highlander” remains the movie that made Scotland’s region … world famous way before Gibson’s “Braveheart“ (1995) did, its tagline (“There can be only one!”) now a permanent staple of pop culture. How does it fare forty years later though?
Alternating between past and present, we begin to form a picture regarding the movie’s mythology which includes immortal men, weapon melees and holy grounds. They all sound very vague really raising a lot of questions (e.g., Why the no kill at holy ground rule? What constitutes holy ground?). Be that as it may, for some strange reason they bear an appealing nature in their unspecified mystic aura. Are the immortals aliens? Are they saints and devils? Who knows.
“There can be only one!”
This is the tale of Scotsman Connor MacLeod whose journey spans four centuries starting at a period when others would not live past the thirty year old age. Lambert following his breakout roles in “Greystoke: Legend of Tarzan” (1984) and Luc Besson’s “Subway” (1985) brings an honest vulnerability to MacLeod; his unique looks and understanding of the material make his heroic protagonist a wounded and relatable individual betrayed by eons of being unable to die long before Bruce Willis gave us McLane in “Die Hard” (1988). Despite learning English specifically for that role, Lambert’s natural (and underrated) charisma creates convincingly an enduring and timeless icon.
However, the script does not have enough processing power to explore the meaty concept of immortality. The dilemma of whether such a feat can be considered a curse or a gift is never explored. Such concepts can bring forward Greek tragedy inspired aspects but “Highlander” echoing the tradition of 80s slick flicks (like “Flashdance” (1983) for example) are more concerned about style than substance, visual ticks than dramatic heft. Malcahy directs with frenzy even in the quieter moments moving from set piece to set piece undermining the half baked stakes. A deliciously imposing Clancy Brown as the antagonist remains one-dimensional, the modern love story is inserted strictly to attract to the females of the 80s while the mystery surrounding MacLeod’s modern identity is pure filler.
Other aspects have not dated well: the initially and enthusiastically received Queen soundtrack ties the movie in the 80s (although the “Who Wants to Live Forever” remains a beautiful anthem for life itself), the sword fighting by today’s standards leaves much to be desired and the visual effects were already subpar when the film was originally released. So amidst of all this criticism both in its technical efficiency and plodding story, some might wonder why bother to watch this?
The whole thing is so creatively bonkers making any resistance futile. Flicks like this come once in a lifetime graciously opening their arms to display a mixture of bizarre elements that shouldn’t work and yet they do. Moving past the dubious decision to cast a Frenchman as a Scotsman and a Scotsman as an Egyptian (which it is an entertaining thing itself), some iffy acting and pacing issues, “Highlander” … has an undeniable charm. From its Scottish locations and Gerry Fisher’s exquisite cinematography which captures the gloomy feeling the gargantuan metropolis of an 80s New York can offer to the quips of Sean Connery’s wise mentor, silver pony tailed Ramirez, it is a pop culture “masterpiece” finding its appreciation half a century later on.
Malcahy’s videoclip aesthetics bring energy to a rather slow story with zooms, steadycam shots, clever visual transitions (looking at the aquarium turning Loch), quick cuts, lots of pyrotechnics to make Michael Bay proud, lighting effects and mountains of shards and broken glass in sequences which since their debut, have left their imprint in cinematic history.
Can you live your life without watching “Highlander”? Certainly. But you will be missing out one of the 80s pop culture cornerstones. Its drawing power is not its technical panache, far from it. It is this marriage of seemingly different elements to make something worthy of your attention. On paper it should not but somehow they pulled it off. You can’t take your eyes off it.
Dated but charming fantasy flick
+Gorgeous Scottish locations
+Appealing story
+Lambert and Connery have a blast
+Slick and stylish direction
+Imposing villain
-…but one dimensional
-Uneven
-Dated aspects
-One dimensional villain