Review of Highlander II: The Quickening (1991) by Clem666 — 30 Jul 2023

Highlander 2, also known as "Highlander II: The Quickening," proves to be a disappointing sequel that falls short of after its poor predecessor. Despite its noteworthy strengths, the film suffers from several shortcomings that hinder its overall impact.

The movie takes us to the future, precisely in a year from now, where we find Connor MacLeod, portrayed by the still-queen Christopher Lambert, to be a mere shadow of his former self. The twin villains introduced are simply lame, lacking the charisma and depth that made the original film's antagonist so captivating. Furthermore, the decapitation scenes, a signature of the franchise, feel poorly executed and rather ridiculous, undermining the gravity of the battles.

One of the most puzzling aspects of the film is the return of Ramirez, played by Sean Connery. How he is still alive and part of the plot remains a head-scratcher and is never adequately explained, leaving the audience perplexed. Adding to the film's mediocrity are the awkwardly placed and silly love and sex scenes in the street, failing to add any meaningful depth to the characters or the story.

The metro scene is yet another letdown, lacking the thrill and excitement that one would expect from a Highlander movie. As the plot progresses, rules appear seemingly out of thin air, contributing to the film's disjointed narrative and leaving me wondering about the filmmakers' decision-making process.

And what is the deal with the propeller room? The concept is poorly introduced and leaves us feeling disconnected from its relevance to the overall storyline. How did Sean Connery mater this giant helix? And again no explanation to that.

The movie's attempt to portray a katana fight is laughable, lacking the authenticity and finesse that one would expect from such a scene. Sadly, the female lead comes across as an empty shell, devoid of personality or character development, making it hard to empathize or connect with her journey.

On the bright side, Highlander 2 does redeem itself with some great final images that offer glimpses of the potential the film could have had if handled better.

In conclusion, Highlander 2 disappoints on multiple fronts, with its poorly explained plot points, lackluster performances, and overall weak execution.