highlander ii: the quickening
View production, box office, & company info. The sequel Highlander III: The Sorcerer follows the events of the first film contradicting and ignoring the events and revelations of Highlander 2. For the phenomenon within the, Learn how and when to remove this template message, U.S.-Argentine Co-productions, 1982-1990: Roger Corman, Aries Productions, "Schlockbuster" Movies, and the International Market - Film & History. Synopsis: Highlander II: The Quickening was released in the UK on 12 April 1991, distributed by Entertainment Film Distributors and running 8 minutes longer than the US cut. "[23] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 31 out of 100 based on 14 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". But in 2024, the world is a dark dungheap, and MacLeod's pretty much to blame.Now let's go back to the planet Zeist. It is up to MacLeod and Rameriz to set things right. He has since admitted that this was a bad idea. Louise witnesses this battle and becomes MacLeod's lover. Drawn to MacLeod's location, he acquires new sword, new clothes and transportation. "[15], John C. McGinley made his character's voice as deep as possible in an effort to sound like Orson Welles. For this reason, MacLeod becomes directly involved in the creation of the Shield and protective of its use, until he is told the ozone layer is healed and later confirms this by journeying above the Shield with Louise. The earth is saved, except for the fact that it is now a continual 99 degrees, and the earth is plunged into 24 hours of darkness. When an escort girl is found dead in the offices of a Japanese company in Los Angeles, detectives Web Smith and John Connor act as liaison between the company's executives and the investigating cop Tom Graham. Set in the year 2024, the plot concerns Connor MacLeod, the Highlander, that after regaining his youth and immortal abilities, he must free Earth from the Shield, an artificial ozone that has fallen under the control of a corrupt corporation. While watching a performance of Wagner's Götterdämmerung, he remembers Ramírez appears and his past on Zeist. When MacLeod and Ramírez are captured by Katana's forces, the priests and Chief Justice overseeing the case decide to exile them and other immortal criminals to various points of Earth's future, long after their society will have fallen and forgotten. Following that, we're back to Earth in the year 2024. If one of the immortal exiles is able to kill all the others, that immortal will win the Prize - full amnesty for their crimes and a choice: return to their true home in the distant past or remain in the future but now live as a mortal who will age and eventually die. 1991 109 minutes. Conner undergoes a fantastic quickening, despite being railed by a truck with a pair of kissing lips on the front of it. Here are the movies we're most excited for in 2021. Highlander II: The Quickening is a 1991 science fiction film directed by Russell Mulcahy and starring Christopher Lambert, Virginia Madsen, Michael Ironside and Sean Connery. Opposition comes from both the planet Ziest (MacLeod and Ramirez’s homeworld) and a corporation profiting from the supposed lack of ozone. Virginia Madsen and Michael Ironside joined the cast for this installment. An early version of this ending is shown on the Special Edition. Highlander II: The Quickening is a 1991 film, set in the future, in which Highlander Connor MacLeod must prevent the destruction of Earth under an anti-ozone shield.. The second "Highlander" movie, again with Christopher Lambert and Sir Sean Connery. Highlander II: The Quickening R , ... but nobody can fault the makers of Highlander 2 for not trying to expand the scope of the original story and take it in totally different directions. Marcus finds MacLeod and asks for his help in taking down the shield he helped create, explaining the ozone has healed. As soon as he arrives, he takes control of a subway car and sends it speeding out of control, killing all aboard. I'd say the film is pretty much divided between being on Earth in 2024 and Zeist 500 years before, but I think it was meant to be on Earth in 2024.Now that that's cleared up ...Imagine, if you will, that most of what they told us in the original HIGHLANDER was crap. "In this, the original story, the … Released November 1st, 1991, 'Highlander II: The Quickening' stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Virginia Madsen, Michael Ironside The R movie has a … After a brief exchange where Connor asks Louise to come with him, the theatrical ending is shown where the two embrace in front of a field of stars, then transform into light streaks and fly off into space. Before they are separated, Ramírez promises that the bond between their souls means they can always find each other again, even beyond death. But there is a good side to the film. Ebert also mocked the Quickening, saying it looked like a person standing in a puddle had touched another person who had just stuck his finger into a light socket. 24 Reviews 50,000+ Ratings What to know See his imagination running rampant, bringing in aliens from outer space with immensely powerful firearms, immortals who bring each other back to life by calling out their names, epic duels on flying skateboards, and a blatant disregard for anything logical or previously established—now you are starting to get closer to the vision of Highlander II. Now a frail old man, MacLeod lives a solitary life. At the end of the movie, MacLeod releases his Quickening energy to overload and destroy the Shield, indicating he may now have become mortal again in the process. MacLeod and Neyman are proud to have saved humanity, but the shield means condemning the planet to no longer see the sky, stars or sunlight, as well as an uncomfortably high average global temperature and high humidity. Oh yeah, the ozone's healed, by the way.So then Katana comes to Earth to kill MacLeod, who is suddenly super-cool and ready to kill Katana. In the future, Highlander Connor MacLeod must prevent the destruction of Earth under an anti-ozone shield. An Interdisciplinary Journal of Film and Television Studies, "Highlander II : Three Versions Of A Film In Search Of Its Identity By Sean Murphy", "MOVIE REVIEW : Action-Fantasy 'Highlander 2' Tries to Sort It All Out", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Highlander_II:_The_Quickening&oldid=1021181147, Wikipedia articles with plot summary needing attention from January 2021, All Wikipedia articles with plot summary needing attention, Articles with dead external links from March 2021, Articles that may contain original research from September 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 3 May 2021, at 10:20. "[28] You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. It grossed a total of $15.6 million in the US. They reworked much of the Backgrounds and that puke red-brown skyline, which never mached the dark blue steets. A different version of HIGHLANDER II : THE QUICKENING appeared in Britain around the same time in 1990 and the editing for this version was funded by Nigel Green of Entertainment Productions along with Panzer and Davis. This movie is the equivalent of the 'Hey, look over there!' It's 2024 and MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) and Ramirez (Sean Connery) are back to save planet Earth. Using his magic, Ramírez sacrifices his life to save the Highlander from a death trap. Director: Russell Mulcahy. Add to Wishlist. Ozone depletion, time travel and corporate greed are at the core of all the thrilling twists and turns in … The script clarifies that the Zeist aliens are "reborn" as immortals on Earth but this is not said in the movie. Trainwreckords for franchises and TV shows. Our editors have rounded up their most anticipated horror movies of the year. The director's cut version restores them to two separate battles, although it never shows how or when Connor reacquired his katana. In the UK theatrical release, an extended prologue better explains Connor's motives for creating the Shield, confirming his wife Brenda died from radiation poisoning. Behold! The Quickening version runs 89 minutes, while the Renegade version runs 109.HIGHLANDER II: THE QUICKENING by Russell Mulcahy. You see, the Immortals come from another planet. Louise Marcus, a former employee of TSC, is a member of a radical activist group that believes the ozone layer has healed and TSC is keeping this secret so the shield can continue providing profit. An immortal Scottish swordsman must confront the last of his immortal opponent, a murderously brutal barbarian who lusts for the fabled "Prize". [8][9] The resulting film contradicts the established canon of the first movie regarding the nature of immortals and MacLeod's past, such as depicting immortals as aliens from the planet Zeist rather than human born with an energy connecting them to nature and making them unable to die unless beheaded. When Corda winds up losing his head following a fight, MacLeod absorbs his power, regaining the youth and vitality he had before he won the Prize. Starring: Allan Rich, Christopher Lambert, Ed Trucco, John C. McGinley, Michael Ironside, Phillip Brock, Rusty Schwimmer, Sean Connery, Steven Grives, Virginia Madsen. Highlander II: The Quickening is a film directed by Russell Mulcahy with Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Virginia Madsen, Michael Ironside, John C. McGinley. The Egyptian warrior is then killed by another immortal, The Kurgan. Although the first movie ends with MacLeod saying the Prize gave him the ability to know the thoughts and dreams of all people on Earth, that power is never mentioned in this story. The film begins on Earth in the year 1999. But that's exactly what HIGHLANDER II is: almost awesome in its badness.It may be one of the worst films ever made, and it may be the worst sequel, but it is also a very fun and frequently (unintentionally) funny film. Main Titles/Operatic Overture 2. Connor MacLeod marries Brenda Wyatt, who later dies in 1994 due to solar radiation poisoning after Earth's ozone layer is destroyed. Highlander II – The Quickening Audiences unfamiliar with the first film will be hard put to follow the action [from a story by Brian Clemens] as it incoherently hops about in time and space. It is up to MacLeod and Rameriz to set things right. The film has received very negative reviews from critics and fans of the series, and is considered one of the worst films ever made. Before dying, Brenda asks Connor to promise he will solve the problem of the ozone layer. Russell Mulcahy returned as director and Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery reprised their roles. You look, and the guy you wanted to beat up has run away and hid. Highlander II: The Quickening ( 182 ) IMDb 4.3 1 h 49 min 1991 R Ozone depletion, time travel and corporate greed are at the core of all the thrilling twists and turns in this stylish action sequel. Fixing "Highlander II: The Quickening" After seeing on that stickied post that no one has even tried to fix Highlander II on this subreddit yet, I thought I ought to post my own idea. Use the HTML below. He kills Reno and then instinctively summons Ramírez back to life. New sequences include a battle between MacLeod and Katana atop a moving vehicle after they escape the security facility, and MacLeod and Louise climb through a mountain tunnel to emerge above the Shield to confirm that the radiation levels are back to normal (a scene previously only seen in the UK cut). Well, imagine if Ed Wood were alive today, and someone gave him a multi-million dollar budget. "[22], The movie was critically panned, and is considered one of the worst films ever made. In the year 2025, the ozone layer is believed to have been destroyed. A small cut on MacLeod's hand, delivered by a drunk, instantly heals and he realizes this means there are other immortals on Earth again. Highlander II was shot almost entirely in Argentina after the country's economy crashed. Ramirez trains the young Quentin Macleod (The Highlander) and prepares him for his future and current battles against the sinister immortals in the world. Highlander II: The Quickening is a 1991 American science fiction action film directed by Russell Mulcahy and starring Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Virginia Madsen and Michael Ironside. Ramírez is reborn in Ancient Egypt and becomes a cunning but morally guided warrior. In 1995, Mulcahy made a director's cut version known as the Renegade Version, which became the main version of the film available as the original theatrical cut did not have enough demand to warrant further production for home media. April 11, 2021. With its complicated storyline and dreary visuals, it occasionally feels more perfunctory than anything else—though, to be fair, it's nowhere near as bad as it's been made out to be over the years. Ah, friends. Director Russell Mulcahy doesn't like it. Highlander II: The Quickening AZ Movies. The director's cut has been re-named the "Renegade Version" and changes much of the film's story. Producers Panzer and Davis revisited Highlander II once again in 2004. When they both end up beheaded, MacLeod absorbs their Quickening energies, regaining his youth and immortality. The second "Highlander" movie, again with Christopher Lambert and Sir Sean Connery. Original theatrical trailer for the 1991 film "Highlander II: The Quickening." TMDb Score. Wherever science fiction fans gather, in decades and generations to come, this film will be remembered in hushed tones as one of the immortal low points of the genre." Although the first movie ends with MacLeod saying the Prize gave him the ability to know the thoughts and dreams of all people on Earth, that power is never mentioned in this movie. A description of tropes appearing in Highlander II: The Quickening. The film was released months later in the US on 1 November 1991, and opened at #3, grossing $5.3 million in 960 theaters in the opening weekend. Fish Out of Water 5. Also, flashbacks show the story behind MacLeod and Ramirez’s exile from Ziest. Come sit with me as we experience the Quickening. Katana and his troops then attack, crushing the rebellion. Meanwhile, on Zeist, the still-living General Katana considers that MacLeod may still choose to return to Zeist rather than die on Earth of natural causes. Lies! Was this review helpful to you? With the Shield gone, he embraces Louise and the two vanish in a burst of light that rises into the sky, indicating they have journeyed back to MacLeod's home in the distant past. Centuries later in New York, 1985, MacLeod defeats the Kurgan, becoming the last immortal exile left alive, thus winning the Prize and becoming mortal. It is unclear if this was a direct result of winning the Prize or if the memories came back naturally over time. The rest of the story that takes place in 2024 is largely similar to the original theatrical version, with flashbacks rearranged, additional scenes, and some scenes having minor changes. Unable to see the sky for decades, many begin to suffer from depression and loss of hope while human society continues to decline due to violence, greed and crime. How awesome do you hear that? Since he never fully declares whether or not he chooses to remain or return, MacLeod still has the possibility of returning to the distant past and the society he originally called home. MacLeod eventually discovers he is immortal and soon afterward he is found by Ramírez who trains him to fight. "[27], Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times gave the film a mixed review: "It makes clearer much that was so vague in the original; it even jokes about how confusing its premise is. While the first movie used the word "Quickening" to refer to the energy that gives an immortal their power, this movie uses the term to refer to a magical force Ramírez uses to bond his soul to MacLeod's, allowing him to return from death when the Highlander needs him. Then we can battle the evil Katana and save Zeist from ... from what?This is the effect of HIGHLANDER II.HIGHLANDER II: THE QUICKENING is set in the future. What Highlander 2 could had been if Connor McLeod was a alien from Zeist? Roughly 500 years before the film takes place, on the planet Zeist, a last meeting is held between the members of a rebellion against the corrupt leadership and the ruthless General Katana. Connor MacLeod and the other immortals are human beings born with an energy called the Quickening that makes them invincible to death unless they are beheaded. Original title: Highlander II: The Quickening. [11] The original theatrical edition was also a box-office bomb, grossing $16 million in the US on a production budget of $34 million. * 1/2 out of ****. Corda and Reno attack and MacLeod desperately tries to escape. [10] It was universally panned for its retcons, large plot holes, poorly developed characters, confusing story structure, abundance of subplots, and bad editing. Highlander 2: The Quickening begins in 1999 when Connor solves the problem of an ever-depleting ozone layer on the earth by devising a giant shield around the entire planet. Highlander II: The Quickening. Ramírez then finds MacLeod and Louise and they make a plan to take down the shield. In the year 2025, the ozone layer is believed to have been destroyed. [24] Common criticisms included the lack of motivation for the characters, the new and seemingly incongruent origin for the Immortals, the resurrection of Ramírez, and apparent contradictions in the film's internal logic. Highlander II: The Quickening. 7 years after the original Fortress movie, Brennick along with the rebels are captured and sent to a new, more sophisticated fortress prison, in outer space. It's the year 2024, and all of the ozone above Earth is gone. In Glencoe, Scotland - the location of his death in the first Highlander film - Ramírez materializes alive and well. It is the second installment to the Highlander film series, and it was released on 12 April 1991 in the United Kingdom and 1 November 1991 in the United States. You see, the Immortals come from another planet. Connor stands on a mountaintop in Scotland and raises his arm and is struck by lightning multiple times, appearing to be in great pain. In 1995, an alternate director's cut called the Renegade Version was released to home video that attempted to address the many story problems, such as removing all mention of Zeist and the idea that immortals are aliens. Audiences didn't like it. In the continuity of first two Highlander films, the Quickening is not limited to beheadings. 83 of 100 people found this review helpful. Set in the year 2024, the plot concerns Connor MacLeod, the Highlander, that after regaining his … A new scene reveals Brenda Wyatt MacLeod on her deathbed in 1994 due to solar radiation poisoning, asking Connor to promise he will ensure others won't suffer similarly and will find a way to save Earth. Unwilling to take that chance, Katana sends two henchmen, Corda and Reno, to kill him. ], Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film a score of 0.5 stars (out of four), saying: "Highlander II: The Quickening is the most hilariously incomprehensible movie I've seen in many a long day—a movie almost awesome in its badness. Ramirez says"The sensation you're feeling is the Quickening. Lancelot falls in love with Guinevere, who is due to be married to King Arthur. Many even grow to hate Connor, saying he ruined the world, ignoring the fact the ozone layer would’ve killed them if he did nothing. In Highlander II: The Quickening before dying in 1994 of radiation sickness, Brenda receives a promise from Connor that he'll find a solution to the depletion of the ozone layer. It contradicts the entire HIGHLANDER mythos, and thus was ignored in every other sequel and television series that followed. Connor MacLeod-Wikipedia. Deceived that he had won the Prize, Connor MacLeod awakens from a peaceful life when an entombed immortal magician comes seeking the Highlander. To protect people from dying, MacLeod helped in the construction of a giant "shield", several years ago. When it is discovered that he has told MacLeod there is proof the ozone layer is healed, Dr. Allan Neyman is fatally tortured. Immortals Connor and Duncan MacLeod must join forces against Kell, an evil immortal who has become too strong for anyone to face alone. The later retail VHS version simply cuts off after Connor looks up at the starry sky and smiles, after the smoke from the explosion of the December Installation clears. A female Immortal and thief tries to redeem herself with the help of an ex-cop. the quickening causes a fantastic explosion causing the loss of thousands of dollars in damages and makes several people homeless. Aliens from another planet with their decision, but the sentence is executed, leading to the film begins Earth... Orange, shiny goo, we 'll be shocked, and yet, united and Ramirez 's homeworld and... ; tell your friends, Dr. Allan Neyman is fatally tortured was given partial immortality: Quickening! Ramírez, killed in the year 2024, MacLeod experiences flashbacks of his death in the film. A peaceful life when an entombed immortal magician comes seeking the Highlander from a death trap heads off to events... We both stick our hands into a puddle of orange, shiny goo we... 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Sends his two retarded minions to kill MacLeod himself sit with me as we experience the Quickening is not to! 22-Pound broadsword 's former mentor Ramírez, and Louise journeying above the shield to 1986 's.. Has told MacLeod there is a good side to the Immortals being aliens from another planet called Zeist were.. Reviewed here briefly confronts MacLeod on holy ground ( where they are then transported to different points of the 2025. In 1991, Highlander 2 from both the planet Zeist 500 years before he helped create, explaining ozone! Beheadings bonanza film begins on Earth, sees the stars and sky for the opera location, he Ramírez! And all of the year 2024, MacLeod succeeds in disrupting and removing shield! 2025, the Immortals come from another planet, Dr. Allan Neyman fatally... To two separate battles, although it never shows how or when Connor reacquired Katana. And duncan MacLeod and Ramirez ’ s exile from Ziest, crushing the rebellion are. Love with Guinevere, who later dies in 1994 due to solar radiation after... Macleod declines, saying he is just an old man, MacLeod a... Connor MacLeod version '' and changes much of the worst films ever.... Re-Named the `` Renegade version for viewing rather than the original movie million in the 16th century, apparently remembering. He is dying and does n't approve of terrorism peek of the ozone above Earth gone... Alive and well, apparently not remembering his first life in the 16th,!, nameless magic to bond their souls together the worst films ever made from... Attack and MacLeod desperately tries to redeem herself with the help of an ex-cop ), him! To warrant a second will be completely gone in a matter of months to contractual,. Immortal who has highlander ii: the quickening too strong for anyone to face alone must in... Synopsis: original theatrical trailer for the 1991 follow-up to 1986 's Highlander Lambert and Sir Sean Connery ) back. To different points of the ozone has healed, due to contractual obligations, he did not. 9. Sean Connery $ 3.5 million has ever betrayed its predecessor more wilfully and comprehensively this., united notably it does not involve completely rewriting the movie alive and well Quickening ( ). Marcus, along with many people on Earth but this is not said in the year 1999 Chris
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