HIGHLANDER - ENDGAME

* * * (Guest review by Caspar Ryan)

STARRING: Christopher Lambert, Adrian Paul, Bruce Payne, Lisa Barbuscia, Jim Byrnes

2000, 88 Minutes, Directed by: Douglas Aarniokoski

Description: This is the "torch-passing" chapter, in which the Immortal Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) passes his life force to his heroic brother, Duncan (Adrian Paul, star of the 1993-96 Highlander TV series). — Amazon.com

Although I am a huge fan of Highlander, I would certainly be the first to state that the franchise's producers and writers have made more than their share of God-awful mistakes with what was, at one time, a really good piece of work. 

Stunned I watched the series wash away in a mess of plot holes and far-fetched, spineless ideas, as well as poor acting and production values with Highlander II - The Quickening. With Highlander III it mutated into some sort of desperate attempt to milk fans for all they're worth. It became like a disease, like a wound that just got bigger and bigger with each sweep of those swords. Here, is the bandage. 

Endgame is the first Highlander motion picture to feature Adrian Paul  from the TV series. Other appearances by main characters from the TV series also include actor Jim Byrnes as a member of the secret Watcher organization, and Methos (Peter Wingfield), a 5,000 year old immortal. Faces we run across from the original film include Connor's first love from back in the 1500s and the war orphan Connor took under his wing as a little girl. 

"Fans of the TV series will love it . . ."

Now, there is very little I can say about the plot without giving something away, as it is all interconnected like a series of dominos. Needless to say, it is still good versus evil, with good being ever so likable and thoughtful, and evil flashing its savage hate at every opportunity. Take heads, feel the quickening, and move on - until we have only one. Luckily, with a dose of depth this time. 

Some interesting gimmicks are used to resurrect the Highlander tale. Fans of the series can comfortably grin with the two main protagonists, and the sweep of the film takes us alongside them both in their journey through time. (Endgame's transition techniques are more similar to the TV series than the original movie, meaning they tend to be a bit flat at times.) 

They made another Highlander film managing to stay true to the original. What had to be done with the franchise was done here, and although we might regret some of points of finality that come at us in the end, we can go away knowing this was all perfectly right somehow. Of course, now we stumble upon the big problem with Endgame.

People going to see this movie without any knowledge of the Highlander TV series or the original film will be lost. Fans, on the other hand, will love it! 
 

• Read the script.