Highlander
He fought his first battle on the Scottish Highlands in 1536. He will fight his greatest battle on the streets of New York City in 1986. His name is Connor MacLeod. He is immortal.
What critics thought
DivisiveHighlander was savaged by mainstream critics on release but has built a devoted following over decades, and the gap between those two verdicts is the real story. The film's core tension — whether its cheesy excess is a fatal flaw or the whole point — remains genuinely unresolved, with even sympathetic reviewers splitting over whether the muddled plotting and ham acting are forgiven by the sheer kinetic bravado of Mulcahy's direction and the Queen soundtrack.
“What the film loses through ham acting, weak narrative, and pompous macho posturing it more than compensates with in sheer fiery bravado, pace, and larger than life action.”
Matt Ford·BBC
“The dialogue and performances don't quite match many of the film's concepts, though. The tone seems somewhat uneven as if Highlander is unsure if it wants to be seen as a straight adventure epic or if it's a campy action flick.”
Adam Tyner·DVD Talk
“interesting notion made silly and boring”
Leonard Maltin·Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide
“What the film does have going for it is stylish direction, a breathless pace and some exquisite camerawork. The performances aren't bad either, especially Brown and Connery, who are so far over the top they're practically in the next trench.”
Alex Stewart·White Dwarf
“Lambert, Mulcahy, and all of the people involved with this film have poured all of their talent into its making, and it shows. There are no flaws in the special effects, the photography, the rapid transitions, etc. It is a flowing masterpiece with but one problem - after it was finished, some heavy-handed, second guessing editing was added, which bruised, but did not break, a number of scenes.”
John Nubbin·Different Worlds
Parents guide
- Violence
- moderate
- Sex
- mild
- Profanity
- mild
- Substances
- mild
- Intensity
- moderate
Genres
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Cast & Crew
Russell MulcahyDirector
Christopher LambertConnor 'The Highlander' MacLeod
Roxanne HartBrenda J. Wyatt
Clancy BrownVictor 'The Kurgan' Kruger
Sean ConneryJuan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez
Beatie EdneyHeather MacLeod
Alan NorthLieutenant Frank Moran
Jon PolitoDet. Walter Bedsoe
Sheila GishRachel Ellenstein
Hugh QuarshieSunda Kastagir
Peter DiamondAman Fasil
Billy HartmanDugal MacLeod
James CosmoAngus MacLeod
Michael KamenComposer
Gregory WidenWriter
Larry FergusonWriter
Gerry FisherCinematographyHighlander
He fought his first battle on the Scottish Highlands in 1536. He will fight his greatest battle on the streets of New York City in 1986. His name is Connor MacLeod. He is immortal.
What critics thought
DivisiveHighlander was savaged by mainstream critics on release but has built a devoted following over decades, and the gap between those two verdicts is the real story. The film's core tension — whether its cheesy excess is a fatal flaw or the whole point — remains genuinely unresolved, with even sympathetic reviewers splitting over whether the muddled plotting and ham acting are forgiven by the sheer kinetic bravado of Mulcahy's direction and the Queen soundtrack.
“What the film loses through ham acting, weak narrative, and pompous macho posturing it more than compensates with in sheer fiery bravado, pace, and larger than life action.”
Matt Ford·BBC
“The dialogue and performances don't quite match many of the film's concepts, though. The tone seems somewhat uneven as if Highlander is unsure if it wants to be seen as a straight adventure epic or if it's a campy action flick.”
Adam Tyner·DVD Talk
“interesting notion made silly and boring”
Leonard Maltin·Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide
“What the film does have going for it is stylish direction, a breathless pace and some exquisite camerawork. The performances aren't bad either, especially Brown and Connery, who are so far over the top they're practically in the next trench.”
Alex Stewart·White Dwarf
“Lambert, Mulcahy, and all of the people involved with this film have poured all of their talent into its making, and it shows. There are no flaws in the special effects, the photography, the rapid transitions, etc. It is a flowing masterpiece with but one problem - after it was finished, some heavy-handed, second guessing editing was added, which bruised, but did not break, a number of scenes.”
John Nubbin·Different Worlds
Parents guide
- Violence
- moderate
- Sex
- mild
- Profanity
- mild
- Substances
- mild
- Intensity
- moderate
Genres
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Cast & Crew
Russell MulcahyDirectorChristopher LambertConnor 'The Highlander' MacLeodRoxanne HartBrenda J. WyattClancy BrownVictor 'The Kurgan' KrugerSean ConneryJuan Sanchez Villa-Lobos RamirezBeatie EdneyHeather MacLeodAlan NorthLieutenant Frank MoranJon PolitoDet. Walter BedsoeSheila GishRachel EllensteinHugh QuarshieSunda KastagirPeter DiamondAman FasilBilly HartmanDugal MacLeodJames CosmoAngus MacLeodMichael KamenComposerGregory WidenWriterLarry FergusonWriterGerry FisherCinematography