The final showdown
20th Century Fox
In 1980s New York, MacLeod confronts another Immortal.
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
A victorious MacLeod draws the energy from his vanquished foe
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Forensic metallurgist Brenda (Roxanne Hart) discovers MacLeod’s antique sword
20th Century Fox
A victorious MacLeod draws the energy from his vanquished foe
20th Century Fox
Forensic metallurgist Brenda (Roxanne Hart) discovers MacLeod’s antique sword
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
At the time Lambert was still relatively unknown, but Mulcahy chose him for the lead after spotting a still from Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan (1984) and deciding Lambert (who had played Tarzan) matched the look he wanted for MacLeod. The French actor arrived unable to speak English but learned it quickly; that partly explains Lambert’s unusual accent in the film—Brenda even comments on it—and some of his somewhat awkward delivery, though clunky dialogue can limit an actor’s options. Even so, Lambert injected a dry wit into the role and a persistent optimism despite his character’s ordeals, which represented a notable shift from the original script.
The Kurgan was altered considerably, effectively turned into a one-dimensional “cackling psychopath,” as Widen once described him. Both Brown and Widen had aimed for a more layered antagonist. “I envisaged him as a guy who loses everything over time,” Widen told The Daily Telegraph in 2016. “The only thing he could hold onto, to give him a reason to get up in the morning, was to finish this thing with our guy [MacLeod]. Otherwise, what is the point? Everything is impermanent, everything is lost. That made him much more serious—in a weird way, a sympathetic bad guy.”
Than observed that, as often happens when a box-office disappointment becomes a cult favorite, the positives tend to outweigh the negatives. The sword-fighting choreography is strong, there are striking visual moments, and Mulcahy skillfully adapted the quick-cut approach of music videos to the film. And then there’s the remarkable soundtrack by Queen, especially “Princes of the Universe” and the haunting “Who Wants To Live Forever” (which accompanies the scene of MacLeod beside the now-elderly Heather’s deathbed). Even Connery’s scenery-chewing costume and exaggerated Scottish accent—he’s meant to be a Spaniard, although Ramirez implies he’s much older—lean more toward entertaining than irritating.
Most importantly, Highlander has an intriguing mythology that fires the imagination and offsets the cheesier elements. “I think its appeal is the uniqueness of how the story was told and the fact it had a heart and a point of view about immortality,” Widen said in a 2006 interview. That theme is enduring and continues to resonate with audiences across generations.
