Highlander

Highlander’s reputation as a film and milestone in fantasy cinema is untouchable (no pun intended). Spawning sequels, a TV series, comics, so on and so forth becoming a pop culture phenomenon. Now having reached 40years its rereleased into cinemas with a spanking new 4K UHD release to follow.

To a certain extent its unreviewable having such a fanbase and reputation makes it almost invulnerable. But looking at it now and from this distance a reassessment is appropriate.

The basic story that there are a number of Immortals who live through the ages fighting each other and can only be killed by beheading. However as their numbers begin to fall the time for The Gathering approaches where they must fight to the last. The victor absorbing the power of all the other Immortals for them do as they see fit.

The main protagonist is Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) who we first see in combat in New York defeating another immortal. From there much of the film is in flashback telling the story of Connor and his home the Scottish Highlands of the 15th century, where he’s taught about his immortality by Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez (Sean Connery) and its pitfalls. Namely falling in love. This Connor does with Heather (Beatie Edney) knowing it cannot last.

Between the flashbacks Connor is in 1980’s New York under suspicion of murder and knowing that the various confrontation in the city will eventually result in a final confrontation. The most feared is the Kurgan (Clancy Brown) a centuries old vicious killer who would abuse the power should he ever possess it.

Directed by Russell Mulcahy from a script Gregory Widen, Peter Bellwood and Larry Ferguson, from a story by Widen, Highlander was not a success on its initial release in 1986. And it’s easy to see why.

Apart from the spectacular set pieces and fights, the film struggles with some very staid scenes in between and dull characters. That is apart from Connery’s cameo and Brown’s campy villain both competing to chew up as much around them as possible. This leaves Lambert in a sort of limbo as a dull antique dealer trying to cover up his real identity and not fall in love again.

Overall away from the action it still looks clumsily constructed and saggy at times. But it has the magic of Michael Kamen's score and Queen’s songs who at the time were one of the biggest bands in the world. Then Sean Connery who appears relaxed in a role that you feel he was really enjoying and probably required little direction. These elements wouldn’t really come into play until later when the film appeared on home media.

For the 40th anniversary STUDIOCANAL has gone all out:

The Collector’s Edition Boxset will contain the following:
Brand new artwork by Sophie Bland
Removable O-ring with additional info
Rigid slipcase with new artwork – displayable as clean artwork
2-disc digipak
2 posters
100-page collector’s booklet (new essays and production materials)
84-page booklet. From Script to Screen: In Search of Lost Scenes & Forgotten Immortals. This will include excepts from the script (scenes that were never filmed and scenes that changed drastically from page to screen) along with new analysis from Highlander expert Jonathan Melville
32-page booklet produced by Titan comics

Special Features:
UHD Disc
THE IMMORTAL ATTRACTION OF HIGHLANDER: Looking back at four decades of Highlander magic
A KIND OF MAGIC: MUSIC OF THE IMMORTALS: A featurette on the Soundtrack
CAPTURING IMMORTALITY: Interview with photographer David James
THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE KURGAN: Clancy Brown remembers Highlander
Audio Commentary with author Jonathan Melville
Audio Commentary with Russell Mulcahy
Audio Commentary with Russell Mulcahy, William Panzer, and Peter Davis

BD Disc
Interview with Russell Mulcahy
Interview with Christopher Lambert
Making of Documentary in 4 Parts
Deleted Scenes
Audio Commentary with Russell Mulcahy
Trailer

Highlander will be back in cinemas from 4 May 2026 and the new collector's edition 4k UHD & Blu-ray available on 29 June.