Highlander (1986)

This was my first time ever watching Highlander, which honestly shocks me. I’ve known about it my entire life and just had zero interest until now. Initial thoughts: this is a beautiful movie with some really fun special effects and one of the most batshit insane plots I’ve ever personally experienced. Period. I found it best to just let it wash over me and have fun with it.

The Queen music is a shot of adrenaline straight into the film’s veins. Sean Connery showing up for 10 minutes, making a massive paycheck, and then dipping out was great. It’s roles like this that really showcase his presence - he deserved every penny for just hanging out. But can I just say it’s absolutely crazy to cast a Scottish person as an Egyptian Spaniard in the Scottish Highlands and not have him play a Scottish person? Someone really needs to sit me down and explain the production thought process on that one.

I know Christopher Lambert most notably from the Mortal Kombat movies, so it was fun to see him in the role that made him famous first. He’s such a strange looking man. He looks like a Neanderthal sometimes and sometimes he looks like the most handsome man I’ve ever seen. I haven’t quite figured out his face, and I think it’s the movie’s crazy lighting that really makes him transform.

Some of the special effects were incredible - the sparking swords, the hand-drawn animation of the final quickening. Gorgeous stuff.

This is also a deeply gay movie. It’s very focused on male relationships, and the quickening really does feel like an orgasm. There are a lot of gay jokes throughout that don’t land right - one character even drops the F-slur directly at John Polito, which made me feel absolutely terrible for that poor man. By the way, I love John Polito in whatever he’s in. God bless him in this movie.

Also, did you know that Mr. Krabs is the villain? For real, look it up. Clancy Brown voices Mr. Krabs.

I love these low-budget analog action movies from the 80s and 90s. The ones being released today just don’t hit the same, which is too bad. I had a blast with this. I miss Canon Films.

Also on Letterboxd