Regie:
Russell MulcahyKamera:
Gerry FisherMusik:
Michael KamenBesetzung:
Christopher Lambert, Roxanne Hart, Clancy Brown, Sean Connery, Beatie Edney, Alan North, Jon Polito, Sheila Gish, Hugh Quarshie, James Cosmo, Celia Imrie (mehr)Streaming (1)
Inhalte(1)
New York 1985: Ein unsterblicher, schottischer Krieger wandelt seit 350 Jahren über die Erde und lebt als unscheinbarer Antiquitätenhändler unter den Normalsterblichen. Die Journalistin Brenda kommt der unglaublichen Geschichte auf die Spur - und dem Highlander sehr nah.
In einer Tiefgarage findet ein Schwertkampf auf Leben und Tod statt, während ein Stockwerk darüber professionelle Wrestler im Manhattan der 80er Jahre ihre Show veranstalten. Russell Nash gewinnt das Duell und schlägt seinem Kontrahenten den Kopf ab. Der als Antiquitätenhändler getarnt lebende New Yorker ist eigentlich ein unsterblicher Krieger mit dem Namen Connor MacLeod. Als Adliger aus dem schottischen Hochland muss er seit Jahrhunderten gegen andere unsterbliche Kämpfer antreten – denn es kann nur einen geben. Connor MacLeod ist vor über 350 Jahren nach einem Kampf mit seinem Clan so schwer verwundet worden, dass ihn alle für tot hielten. Als er die Schlacht überlebt, wird er beschuldigt, mit dem Teufel im Bunde zu stehen, und verstoßen. Er hat seitdem viele Leben gelebt und muss sich noch immer gegen die anderen unsterblichen Krieger zur Wehr setzen. Die Journalistin Brenda kommt der unglaublichen Geschichte auf die Spur und verfolgt nun auch den Highlander. Wird er der Letzte seiner Art sein?
(arte)
Kritiken (11)
Oh dear... What did I used to like about this? I remembered that Lambert and Connery were in it, and I thought it was really cool how they cut each other's heads off and got their energy back, but that's really all that makes this movie interesting... My rating of 50% is more out of nostalgia, because this doesn't appeal to me now.
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Zwei Schauspielstars, die Musik von Queen und die schöne schottische Natur reichen für ein Abenteuer, das heutzutage veraltet, aber immer noch sympathisch ist. Veraltet ist der Film vor allem wegen des Trash-Drehbuchs, das im Grunde genommen nur Andeutungen und Symbole nutzt. Der potenziellen Tiefe des Themas hat es sich aber nicht einmal angenähert. Für den damaligen Mainstream-Zuschauer war der Film ein sehr attraktiv gemischter Quatsch.
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Ein schöner Anfang einer noch besseren Fangemeinde. Inzwischen ein alter Hit, den ich mir regelmäßig anschaue, obwohl er mir nach 2000 fast nicht mehr zum Anschauen vorkam. Es macht keinen Sinn, darüber zu sprechen, welche formalen Aspekte gealtert sind und welche nicht, oder dass das perfekte Happy End die Möglichkeit einer Fortsetzung praktisch ausgeschlossen hat. Es gibt Fortsetzungen, und nicht alle Ideen sind schlecht. Auch der großartige Soundtrack von Queen hat viel dazu beigetragen, und natürlich die Besetzung. "In the end, there can be only one."
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Der Film hat ein paar gute Momente. Das gilt aber nicht für die Gegenwart. Schottland ist absolut ideal – dort ist es den Filmemachern gelungen, einen Kompromiss zwischen Abenteuerstimmung, emotionaler Romantik, Action und Humor zu finden. Auch die kurze Einlage mit dem Boston-Kampf ist perfekt. Sie hat mich unerwartet zum Lachen gebracht (ganz im Gegensatz zu der Szene aus dem Zweiten Weltkrieg, bei der ich nicht verstanden habe, ob ihr Ende lustig sein sollte oder nicht). Aber der Rest… Die Gegenwart ist sehr schwach. Wenn nicht gerade die Musik von Queen erklingt (der Soundtrack ist im Grunde genommen das Album "A Kind of Magic"), sehen viele Szenen wie aus einem B-Movie aus (d. h. peinlich, lächerlich, billig). Und der langwierige Kampf am Ende… Das ist wirklich ein "Höhepunkt“. Zweieinhalb.
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This film has one great thing: the beautiful Scottish landscape and the mysticism of the flashbacks. The story taking place in the present is predicable and boring, and it’s not even helped by the B-movie like performances, which in this case I found incredibly annoying. To be fair, though, I’ve never liked fantasy in any form, not only in film.
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With Christopher Lambert coming to Comic-Con in 2022, I wanted to revisit his most iconic role. The last time I watched it was as a kid, and I remember finding it pretty complex back then. The plot does start off a bit confusing, but it picks up, and the 80s vibe is charmingly naive and a joy to watch. Yes, it's very much a product of its time, but if you love films from that era, you won't be disappointed. Highlander is a legend—maybe a slightly dated one, but still legendary — with the neon-lit atmosphere of 80s New York that only that decade could deliver.
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To be honest, 2 stars are perhaps too luxurious a gift for a B-movie with a terrible screenplay and clumsy acting performances, but I will be accommodating today and will appreciate primarily the atmospheric music of my favorite Queen, led by Mercury, and a few impressive flashbacks to medieval Scotland. Nothing else holds up today, even though it is evident that this title greatly elevates the nostalgia of older users and the conformism of younger ones. Overall impression: 40%.
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An interesting and original plot plus solid technical execution, those are the main strengths of Highlander. The story is well presented and full of mystery, the flashbacks to the past are very intriguing, the music is captivating and, oddly enough, Queen's famous song fit perfectly here. And that's what the viewer needs and expects from a film of this type. At least that's how it was for me. It's also worth mentioning Sean Connery and the demonic Kurgan portrayed by Clancy Brown.
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A classic mainstream adventure with a perfect cast, impressive production design and a great premise, which, however, also became a stumbling block. It’s one thing to play with ideas of immortality and jump from the 16th century to the present day with a snap of the fingers, and something else is to tell a story detached from emotions, with clumsy effects and highlights in the form of static sword fights. Lambert is excellent in one of his few major roles, the music of Queen is fantastic and Connery is downright iconic. With a more elaborate and imaginative script, a remake should be a safe bet. 3.5*
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It's almost surprising that Highlander isn't based on a novel. I can easily imagine it as an 800-page epic fantasy, later adapted into a film that, while simplified, retains a stylish, B-movie charm. Highlander blends epic storytelling, romance, destiny, and a mix of seriousness and humor, all while being incredibly entertaining. Christopher Lambert might be stiff as a board, but his awkward performance somehow grows on you. Of course, Sean Connery's appearance as the Egyptian-born Spaniard, Ramirez, is a highlight, even if his role gets overshadowed by the scene-stealing villain Kurgan, played by Clancy Brown. Every moment Kurgan is on screen is a treat. I've had Highlander on my watchlist for ages and finally decided to watch it after a vacation in Scotland, where I visited the stunning Eilean Donan Castle featured in the film. You might think I am biased from the fresh memories of my trip, but I genuinely believe Highlander would have impressed me regardless. It combines everything I love about movies like this with exceptional editing, great cinematography, and an awesome soundtrack by Queen. Watching Highlander is truly a kind of magic!
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The band Queen playing in the background tells you everything you need to know about this movie. Highlander is the cinematic equivalent of 80s stadium rock, where monumentality is the alpha and effect is the omega. Almost all of the scenes here are subservient to that mindset and therefore for the most part make no sense, are ridiculously bloated, but impossible to take your eyes off of. Mulcahy's visual creativity here is incredible; indeed, some of the special effects and camerawork in Highlander were even patented. The cinematographer probably only took the steadycam off when he went to bed at night, yet he couldn't be allowed much in the way of freedom of movement due to the harsh close-up lighting of so many of the scenes. Mulcahy's magnum opus deceives you from the beginning with its focus and presentation of cinematic mythology, which creates the illusion of an elaborate inner world. But the second half thankfully makes clear why it was filmed in the first place – so a sleazy biker with a folding sword and a neck sewn up with safety pins can roam New York City while the hero sits in an abandoned bar with such harsh light coming through the blinds that there must have been at minimum a nuclear explosion outside. After that, the most surprising thing about the defining cult film of the 80s was how much of a showcase camp it was. With a group of people with beers in hand, you're in for a truly amazingly awful experience, which still doesn’t stop you from genuinely enjoying the film. Every, truly every scene contains some element that has you out of your seat laughing at it. Good-naturedly and enthusiastically. Everyone gets to pick their favorite. My favorite is unquestionably the one where one of the characters invites the protagonist home, tells him to tend bar for the time being, and he expertly opens a bottle of 1783 Hennessy for her. Lmao.
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