Arguably one of the greatest cult classics to come out of the 80s, Highlander, directed by Russell Mulcahy, has been remastered in 4KUHD; just in time for a 31st October release.

Highlander starts with an aerial pan above a packed out Madison Square Garden boxing match before coming to rest on a man in the crowd – Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert). He sneaks from the arena to the car park, pulls his sword out of his coat and beheads another man with a sword, unleashing a powerful energy from the  headless corpse – Hey, it’s the 80s, right? 

Suddenly, we are thrown back to the 16th century Scottish Highlands. A clan of warriors prepare for battle, with one man at the centre of attention – hang on a second, isn’t that MacLeod?! An epic battle ensues between two clans, with the enemy aided by the terrifying Kurgan (Clancy Brown) who has claimed MacLeod for himself. The fearsome warrior effortlessly defeats MacLeod on the battlefield, but is unable to deliver the finishing blow. MacLeod succumbs to his injuries, but later awakens to the shock and horror of his clansmen.

How did MacLeod resurrect? The answer is a pretty simple one actually. 

Connor MacLeod is immortal.

Highlander follows Connor MacLeod as he traverses the ages as an immortal being. One of a small few who can only be killed by getting his head lopped off thanks to a mysterious force known only as ‘The Quickening’. MacLeod reveals this all to his new friend, Brenda (Roxanne Hart). Historian turned damsel in distress, Brenda kind of serves as a bit of a gateway, albeit a sceptic one, so the audience can see into Macleod’s past. Just like real life old people are prone to do, he tells her all about his life. She probably wouldn’t believe him except that not only has he got a really fancy sword, but the Kurgan keeps popping up and causing a bit of a ruckus as well.

So, why is the Kurgan set on hunting MacLeod to the ends of the earth?

We find out in a flashback, explained by the late, legendary Sean Connery who dons a spot of make up and fake tan to take on the role of Spaniard Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez. Probably wouldn’t get away with that nowadays, mind. The answer: ‘The Gathering.’

After years of wandering the earth and witnessing history unfold, our immortal chums are irresistibly drawn together for a final bout of sword swinging. The problem though, is that if a big meanie like the Kurgan wins then it’s bad news for well, just about everyone really.

Highlander is truly a piece of its time. With a soundtrack by none other than Queen, it is 1980s fantasy action cinema at its finest. Vague ‘just go with it’ plot lines leave the audience in the thick of it as the characters hurtle towards the final confrontation. Clancy Brown’s Kurgan is the stuff nightmares are made of, especially to any who in their younger years were plopped down in front of the film to keep them occupied on a Saturday morning. 

Originally released in 1986, the film suffered a poor response with its theatrical release. It soon became a cult classic though, with sequels and spin off series in the following years to continue the story of the immortals.

With that being said, move over MacLeod because watching the re-released 4KUHD is a trip down memory lane in itself. There may be a whole host of great over the top 80s sci-fis out there, but for that nostalgic top spot, there can be only one.

Love kicking it back and reading a film review or two? Click that like button below.

If you’re a big fan of over the top action, check out our review for The Retaliator’s.

Images sourced from IMDB, RetroJunk and Daily Record