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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Starz / Anchor Bay
Salesrank: 2074
Released: April 16, 2002 |
| Our Price: $7.26 |
| Used Price: $6.99 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
This 1986 fantasy/action thriller has since spawned two sequels, a popular syndicated TV series, numerous comic-book spinoffs, and a loyal (if somewhat oddly obsessive) following of fans. Directed by music video veteran Russell Mulcahy (which explains the dizzying camera work), the original theatrical release made hash of an intriguing story about an "Immortal" from 16th-century Scotland (Christopher Lambert) who time-leaps to modern-day America with his archenemy (Clancy Brown) in hot pursuit. It becomes a battle to the death (yes, Immortals can die), and Lambert seeks survival training from an Immortal mentor played by Sean Connery. Dazzling, energetic, and altogether confusing in its original form, the film has since been released on video, laserdisc, and DVD in this revised widescreen "director's cut," with additional footage, director and producers' commentary, a photo and artwork archive, the original trailer, and an official time line of the film's evolution from script to screen. A must for Highlander fans ... and you know who you are! --Jeff Shannon
Highlander Reviews:
Great idea, weak execution 
2008-04-28 - Highlander is one of those good ideas that never works because of disastrous directorial miscasting. Attention-seeking video director Russell Mulcahy seems almost perversely determined to make the wrong choice in almost every scene, whether its his obsessive use of inappropriate long lenses or his determination to make every shot so distinctive that he never notices that not only do the pictures often play against the intent of the scene but half the time the shots don't even match. He's not much good with actors either, constantly spinning off into clumsy broad comedy that undermines any threat or momentum, with Clancy Brown's evil Kurgan the main casualty as he is reduced to a tiresomely comical punk rocker. It may be the best of the series, but it's a long way from being even nearly as good as it could and should have been. One film that's practically crying out for a remake with a decent director.
Good Moive, Okay Quality 
2008-04-17 - I remember Highlander from many years ago, always watching it from VHS. Many memorable lines and scenes and all that great Queen soundtrack music. Well it's many years later and the story is still there but like anything that's 20 years old, it shows it's age a little. The fights seem tame to todays standards, but then again there is more to this movie than the fights. Back then it was a 21" with VHS, today it's 91" with DVD. Quite grainy and lacking, but again maybe an upconverter will help. The price was right, but I probably was better off just renting.
There Was a Lot of Magic and Lightning and Cliffs! 
2008-03-21 - The Good Things
*Excellent cameramanship; excellent imagery and photography throughout. Very memorable.
*Great fight scenes.
*Nifty special effects.
*Good story. There is a lot of excitement, but also a lot of drama. Very original and interesting.
*Good character development.
*Pretty good acting, even if it seems overdone or corny.
The Bad Things
*It's becoming dated.
*Sound design is terrible. Some parts are very low and other parts are too loud.
*A lot happens, and can be a little tedious to get through.
This turned out better than I thought. It is very engaging, with slick photography, fancy special effects, and cool fight scenes. The middle of the movie has lots of drama and character development; a little long perhaps, but it makes for a good, deeper story. Definately worthwhile for fans of sci-fi or fantasy.
Highlander, in Hong Kong
2008-02-17 - "There can be only one."
Truth be told, Highlander is not the best film in the world...but it's a "guilty pleasure" film for me, dating back to my grad school days in Kingston, at Queen's University.
So, as we were shopping around in Hong Kong a few days ago, I spotted this Video CD of the film, and picked it up, for the price of 9 HKD (about $1.25 Canadian or US), as you can see from the sticker price. My wife had never seen the movie, and I hadn't seen it since the late 90's, and I'd never experiences VCD video quality, so I figured it was a worthwhile investment, all 'round.
The film's plot is choppier than I remembered it, with less in the way of character development, especially as it relates to the modern-day love story. The special effects relating to the Quickening weren't as elaborate as they were in Highlander: The Series a few years later, either. But, it was an entertaining watch...and the love story in the past, with Heather, is handled in a touching fashion.
VCD quality is about the same as we would used to get on videotape, when recording TV programs...definitely not DVD quality.
There can be only ONE! 
2008-01-07 - Well this was for my husband, who loves this movie, he says because of the original story. "some guy just made all this up"...lol but it's a good quality dvd and a good movie to have.
