The Review:
HIGHLANDER 2: THE QUICKENING, Directed by Russell Mulcahy, is a solid
Sci-Fi film, which is much better than the original "Highlander".
In the year 1999, bad ozone depletion is seriously endangering life
on Earth. A group of scientists, including a formerly immortal Scotsman,
design a device which they launch into space, creating an electromagnetic
shield in space which protects the Earth from harmful radiation. The
Special Effects during the sequence, by John Richardson and Sam Nicholson
are good, although there are some shaky edges to the matte paintings.
Twenty-five years later, the shield has done its job too well; the Earth
is now suffering from the greenhouse effect. Christopher Lambert("The
Sicilian") reprises his role from "Highlander". Since
he's no longer immortal, he's pretty aged by 2024. While dozing off
at the opera (I can relate), Lambert experiences a flashback to 500
years ago on his home planet of Zeist. Although I don't normally think
flashbacks work in movies, I like them here because: A. We learn a whole
lot of back story about the immortals and "The Quickening"
that we didn't find out in the first film; B. Sean Connery gets a lot
of screen time in the flashback, and that's always good news as far
as I'm concerned. We witness a quickening ceremony, which links Connery's
Ramirez to Lambert's McLeod. This makes them like blood brothers, as
near as I can figure.
Soon, Ramirez and McLeod are captured by the evil General Katawa ("Total
Recall"'s Michael Ironside, with a cool, heavy metal long hair
wig). They are found guilty of rebellion. They are to be exiled from
Zeist and sent to the planet Earth (I guess Earth has a bad rep in the
galaxy). The upside is that when they arrive on Earth, they will be
immortal unless their heads are cut off. Director Mulcahy, working from
a Screenplay by Peter Bellwood (Story by Brian Clemens and William Panzer),
has given Connery great material to work with in this scene.
Before being teleported to Earth, Connery/Ramirez turns to Lambert/McLeod,
stating, "We are joined in a way that can never be broken, not
even by death. When you need me, you'll only have to call my name. I
will always find you." Connery's delivery of these lines is so
stirring and convincing, that this is my favorite scene in the film.
Director Mulcahy deserves some of the credit here, even if he simply
handed Connery the lines and got out of his way, as may have been the
case.
Back in the present, bad guy General Katawa sends some assassins to
earth to kill McLeod. The battle scenes between McLeod and the bad guys,
which feature ray guns, fights atop moving trains, decapitations, flying
good and bad guys, and a huge tanker truck explosion, are great! Director
Mulcahy, Director of Photography, Phil Meheux, Production Designer,
Roger Hall, Special Effects Designer, Richardson, and Visual Effects
Designer, Nicholson, working in unison, have created a dark yet exciting
nightmare vision of a battle to the death in a semi-destroyed/decayed
future urban landscape, offering us a high speed guided tour through
the ruins of civilization.
Virginia Madsen("Candyman", "Gothic") plays Louise
Marcus, the leader of the environmental rebels who wish to shut down
the atmospheric shield in order to save the earth. She pleads her case
to McLeod since, as co-designer of the shield, he could help her and
her fellow rebels turn it off if he wished to. Madsen , though blonde
and beautiful, plays it tough and smart, a refreshing change from Hollywood's
blonde, bimbo stereotype.
The Music, by former Police band member Stewart Copeland, is strong
and effective. It's at its best in a scene where Madsen is at Lambert's
pad looking at his treasures: a 1902 football, a ship's log from 1858,
etc. The Music in this scene is haunting and melancholy, helping sell
the concept of a mortal coming to grips with another's immortality.
Christopher Lambert's performance is one of his best, and considerably
better than the one he gave in "Highlander". He is looser
and less stoic here, more noticeably human despite his (regained) immortal
status. Perhaps having more scenes with Sean Connery rubbed off on him,
or perhaps Lambert's just grown as an actor.
HIGHLANDER 2: THE QUICKENING should be watchable for Sci-Fi fans of
most ages. You do not have to have enjoyed, or even seen "Highlander"
to like this movie. I recommend it for mortals and immortals alike.
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