Highlander (1986)

Highlander follows Connor MacLeod, a warrior born in the Scottish Highlands in 1518 who discovers he cannot die unless he is beheaded. After being exiled as a supposed revenant, Connor is taken under the wing of the charismatic swordsman Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez, who teaches him the rules of the immortals: only the head will kill, and killing another immortal transfers their power. Centuries of duels culminate in “The Gathering” — a final, deadly contest in 1980s New York City in which the last surviving immortal will claim the Prize, an ultimate power that will change the world. Watching Highlander you’ll travel between misty sixteenth-century battlefields and neon-lit Manhattan, experiencing a blend of epic historical drama and pulpy modern action. The film delivers memorable sword fights, moments of tragic loss and mentorship, and a relentless, brutal antagonist in the Kurgan, who hunts Connor across time. A curious homicide detective, Brenda Wyatt, becomes drawn into the mystery as ancient blades and beheadings disturb modern forensics, adding a noir-ish investigative thread. The tone shifts from wistful and mythic to violent and kinetic, punctuated by iconic imagery and a stirring score. Viewers can expect stylish swordplay, emotional weight about loneliness and destiny, and a tense, cinematic final showdown — encapsulated by the film’s famous line about there being only one survivor. Highlander is a cult-favorite fusion of fantasy, action, and romance that rewards fans of character-driven myth and choreographed combat.

Actors: Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown

Director: Russell Mulcahy

Runtime: 116 min

Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

6.8 /10 24 /100 7.0 /10 5.4 /10