.jpg) |
Rated R for violence and some strong sexuality RATING CANADA... Rated AA for violence |
                       |  Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi There can be only one Something strange happened between the excellent first HIGHLANDER movie and the HIGHLANDER: ENDGAME. Two poor sequels were made, that are explained away in this newest feature, in the continuing saga of Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), the immortal. This newest Highlander feature does the inevitable to help keep this franchicise alive. It had to merge all the other Highlander movies and bring in the television HIGHLANDER series which starred Adrain Paul as Duncan MacLeod the cousin of Connor. Not only does HIGHLANDER: ENDGAME bring in Duncan, it also brings in some of the television series characters as well as The Watchers from the series. The Watchers are a sect that consist of mortal men who chronicle the affairs and lives of the immortals. The usually do not meddle in their lives they only watch and record, or so we were led to believe. Through this group we learn all about the 2 strange sequels that occurred between the original HIGHLANDER movie and HIGHLANDER: ENDGAME. Once you have seen the movie, the facts will be evident to you. This film also solves problems that are inherent in a movie about immortals. Immortals don't age but the actors who play them, do. The film takes us back and forth in time to witness the making of the immortals as well as to see the reasons and birth of one immortals blood vendetta against Connor MacLeod. The film begins in modern day while Connor is going to visit his beloved Rachel when suddenly her appartment goes up in an explosive fireball. Connor is so distraught that he disappears for years inside Sanctuary. This had happened after the first movie and before the second feature. So if he had disappeared how was he able to appear in the second and third film. Do the Watchers have anything to do with this little puzzle? You betcha bub! The story will now bounce back and forth from 15th century Scotand to present day in New York city to tell the story and introduce the characters that are important to the story. At this point let's pause for a word from the announcer...moi. If there is one legitmate criticism of this movie, it is that with all the really good characters in the film, why couldn't they make it longer so we would have had more time to understand and appreciate these people. An extra half hour would have really helped. That said, I can say I enjoyed the movie but felt too much was rushed or hacked up. Lots of footage must be sitting on the cutting room floor waiting to be added as extra, never before seen footage in the video release. Now there is another pet peeve but I will leave that so we can get back to the story. Ahem, Okay I'm off my soapbox now. In a flashback we learn of the beginning of a centuries old hatred between Connor and his best friend, Jacob played by Bruce Payne. The year is 1555 Glenfinnan, Scotland. Connor has left his true love and wife Heather so as to asve her life. He goes to his mother but his best friend Jacob turns Connor and his mother in, as heretics. Jacob's father is a priest who wants the mother burned at the stake. Connor escapes from the jail and goes to save his mother but it is too late. In his anger he turns and kills the priest and when Jacob attacks him, Connor runs him through as well. Jacob dies a violent death. Back to the present Kell, the immortal with the most kills invades Sanctuary with his band of deadly immortal warriors and beheads all the immortals there except Connor whom he releases. Why? Connor disappeared ten years earlier to the Sanctuary which was built on holy ground. Kell has broken the rules about beheadings on holy ground. Meanwhile the story cuts to London to Duncan MacLeod. He is told about what has happened. Flashback... cut to 1712 Kildare, Ireland where we see the two MacLeods fighting brigades to protect a woman. After a fast cut to the present Duncan once again remembers the past with Connor. Cut back to Ravenna, Italy in 1631 where the two Macleods are practicing sword play. During this scene Connor explains THE QUICKENING to Duncan as well as teaching him an unstoppable beheading move with the swords. In the present an astonished Duncan receives a visit from is wife, Kate (Lisa Barbuscia), once known as Faith, who left him centuries earlier. She displays the hate she has for him by bring in a team of immortals to kill him. They are Kell's men. One of his attackers is Jin Ke played by Donnie Yen. There is some excellent sword play between Jin Ke and Duncan. During the fight Jin is losing, so, one of the others shoots Duncan, Kell is furious and the henchman quickly loses his head. While this is happening a watcher rescues Duncan and takes him to the new Santuary. They feel that their duty is to always make sure there are always at least two immortals so that the final prize can not never be achieved. Remember in the end there can only be one and maybe someday in some future sequel we maybe able to find out what the great prize might be. Duncan is rescued by Joe Dawson (Jim Byrnes), one of his pals from the television series. Joe tells Duncan that Connor has been killed but Duncan wants to see the body. This seems to be a faux pas here because I thought from the series that after an immortal was killed and the Quickening occurs the body usually disappeared, so why would he ask? While they are on their way we learn that Duncan has killed 266 immortals while Connor has only killed 174 but Jacob Kell has killed 661 immortals. Yes Kell is Jacob whom Connor killed back in 1555. That is when he also became an immortal. When they arrive they find Connor very much alive. Duncan and Connor end up fighting Kell and his men but the battle ends when Kell tells Connor that he has been killing all those who mean anything to Connor. That is his revenge, for the killing of his father. Kell wants Connor and himself to be the last two to fight so until then he will continue to kill all his friends and relatives. Duncan is now on his hit list. This film gives us many revelations in the immortal saga. The explanation of the making of an immortal is shown by what happened between Duncan and Kate. The two of them were madly in love and were married back in 1715. Duncan knew she had the immortality gene in her so without telling her he decides to trigger it by the only way possible. While making love to her he stabs her violently since only a violent death can trigger the immortality. When Kate returns to live she is furious for not being allowed the choice. She wanted to lead a normal mortal life. She has hated Duncan throughout the years and thusly she comes to help Kell because of his capacity to hate as much as she does. Duncan still holds on to the hope that someday she will forgive him. Kell, unfortunately for her and all his men has his own agenda and thusly their lives are meaningless to him. At htis point I will stop and say that many hard decisions have to be made not only by the characters but by the producers of this film as well.The fight scenes you will see are pure energy with maybe some surprises for you the viewer. The ending sequences to this film are great and obviously leaves it all open for the continuing of the series. The television series as well as the movies are big especially in Europe so you can count on more episodes to feed that market. I just hope that eventually we will see the what the big prize is at the end of it all. Some writer, someday, will probably come up with the answer and they will make the final chapter in the HiGHLANDER saga. I just hope they remember that as much as I would like to be immortal, I am not. So please guys, produce the final film while I'm still alive, okay. Finally, this film is worth seeing even though the editing is jumpy at times. Lots has been cut out as somethings that were in the theatrical trailer are not in the feature. I am sure it will all end up in the video release. This is a popcorn movie and that means you sit back, chomp and enjoy the action. The gauntlet has been passed. |
   |
Read Still Another Review Of This Film |
 |
 |
vjm@metrocity.com
RETURN TO MOVIE REVIEW LISTINGS