I've been dreading writing the review for Highlander: The Source. I really didn't want to do a lengthy review because the movie doesn't deserve it. I have to say that I went in wanting to like. I did give it a fair chance. If first year film students worked on this, then it was amazing. If not... grab a barf bag.The movie would have been decent if it weren't for the big bad who was stupidly named The Guardian. The Guardian had to be the worst character ever. Let's just say that The Guardian is the Jar-Jar Binks of Highlander: The Source. He looked like he was from the ECW and had the same type of sense of humor. (GIVE IT UP SCIFI CHANNEL!!! I'M NOT WATCHING WRESTLING!!!) He was not scary, just annoying. I'm not sure who thought his style was great but it wasn't or I just didn't get it. I'm betting on "he just sucks".
The reason why this movie exists is because there was some impossible planetary alignment. (An alignment that you can see happening with the naked eye on ground level with big bulbous planets. That made me wonder if the whole movie was on another planet. Whatever...) This alignment meant that The Source of all Highlanders was going to be revealed. The one that got to The Source and remained pure of heart would rule them all? I guess that was the plot.
The story drops in on Duncan Macleod. He's depressed and moping around. (He reminded me of Angel.) We find out that he had to break up with his girlfriend because she wanted to have kids. Highlanders are like vampires in that they can't have kids. Some how his girlfriend becomes the central focus because she has visions that will lead them all to The Source. They gather a gang of Highlanders to look for The Source. They are told that the closer that they get to The Source the more human they become. Because of this, The Guardian picks them off one by one. We have to endure some weird, cheesy, fast motion special effects. There was sex at some point. There was a show down. After he defeats The Guardian, Duncan realizes that he's better than The Guardian and won't kill him. This act kills The Guardian. Duncan's girl friend realizes she's pregnant and they both kiss in a ball of glowing light.
The End.
I want those two hours back. I want the time that I blogged this back.
7 comments:
This makes the Flash Gordon TV series nearly watchable by comparison.
Nearly.
gee good thing that I learnt my lesson with the second mortal combat movie, I not only want my 2 hours back but also the $5 CDN I spent for the matinée showing.
It really pained me to give this a bad review. I really do hate being mean and snarky because I know that someone actually worked hard on this film. I just don't understand how they thought this was worthy of The Highlander title. I'm also sick of the lame excuse "it's a movie relax". Why make it if you are going to do a half ass job? I guess they got their money and they are through with it. Whatevers all around.
I've had this hanging around in my TiVo for a while and finally got around to watch it.
It wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but it was still bad. Since it was originally meant for theatrical release, the production quality is actually far better than you would expect in a typical Sci-FI original movie.
But, the plot was bad, the villain was horrible, the ending was vague and anti-climactic, and I miss the flashbacks to earlier times, which are a major component of the previous movies and the TV show. To be honest, it really didn't even feel much like Highlander. Surely this was nothing more than a paycheck movie to all involved.
I'm dying to do some research on the money aspects of SciFi Originals. I don't think viewers are the object of these flicks. I think it's all about the advertisers and I think they should be pissed.
During production of this movie, Adrian Paul was always speaking of how great this movie was going to be...
It was meant for theatrical release, to be the first in a new trilogy.
It was released it Russia and got horrible reviews. Fans aquired that version and thoroughly trashed it on the message boards.
Apparently, no American studio would touch it - so they got the SciFi Channel to release it as an "original" since it was the first time it had been seen in the USA (just like they called SG1 a SciFi Original, even though it had been on Showtime or wherever for several years).
I consider the original Highlander movie one of my favorite movies of all time, in my top ten - probably in my top five (if you count the star wars saga as one movie). None of the other movies came close... I thought the TV series was okay, and enjoyed watching it ocassionally.
They should just stop making any more HIGHLANDER movies because for whatever reason, they can't top the original. The first movie had a beginning, a middle, and an end - that should have been it.
And did I hear correctly, The Guardian said, "Yo Joe!"??
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