The original HIGHLANDER, in electrifying 4K! When Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) is slain in battle in the Scottish Highlands, his kinsfolk don’t mourn the tragedy of his death – they mourn the seeming witchcraft that’s brought him back to life. But MacLeod can’t die, and neither can Juan Ramírez (Sean Connery), who befriends Connor and shows him what it means to be immortal. Time dissolves, the centuries pass, and Connor and his fellow immortals are drawn to New York City, where one will be awarded the Prize while the rest lose their literal heads. This is the timeless tale that launched a film and TV franchise, beloved by millions of fans worldwide. There can only be one!

For in-depth thoughts on Highlander, please see my colleague Martin Sexton’s previous op-ed on it here.

For additional thoughts on Highlander, please check out my previous piece here.

Video Quality

Lionsgate presents Highlander with a pretty stellar 2160p/Dolby Vision transfer that easily destroys any previous release of the film. The ancient Blu-Ray release from over a decade ago has always been a disappointment for the format, so fans are sure to rejoice that this has finally been given the respect it deserves. This new transfer is derived from a restoration conducted by StudioCanal a few years back which turned out great. Previous bits of damage have been nearly eradicated with next to nothing popping up that would stand out as a blemish. There are no signs that any grain reduction has been applied, as you get a pretty favorable sheen that mostly resolves well. In fact, some sensitive viewers may find the picture to be overly grainy, but it looks terrific. It helps reveal textures in the costumes, within the vastly different environments and in the makeup effects that help bring this one to life.

The Dolby Vision HDR really shows its worth as it finds the nuances of the visual palette. The stylistic intention of the feature is well represented as each setting appears to be featured without fault. Skin tones look natural and color saturation does not falter in any meaningful way. White levels offer greater stability without veering into blooming. The black levels reveal a greater amount of depth and detail in darker environments. Detail and clarity will make a big impression along with the natural film grain which remains intact. There is at least one moment where the picture goes really soft, but according to the commentary it is an issue with the original source. This film has never been treated as well as this, so fans should delight in the upgrade from Lionsgate.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with both a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track which handles the material without issue, but not to the level you may want. The environmental sounds are delineated effectively alongside everything else. The low end response is not too substantial throughout most of the journey, but it does spring to life with the soundtrack a bit more. Nothing about these tracks is particularly bad, there is just a sense of restraint throughout. This has always been a movie that has underwhelmed when it comes to audio in one way or another. At least on this disc there does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear.

The dialogue stays pretty focused on the front channels with only the occasional spread such as the opening voiceover. Overall, the soundscape captures the precise sound design of the film with perfect fidelity. The track showcases the clanging of swords against one another well. The score and other pivotal music is used perfectly to establish the unique mood of the story, and this track handles it without issue throughout the duration of the film. There is never a moment where it threatens to clip competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. While not quite a barnburner, Lionsgate has given this film a solid audio presentation that serves the movie well enough. There are optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

Lionsgate has provided Highlander with an optional sleek new Steelbook available exclusively at Best Buy that is truly lovely in person. The case comes with a removable clear slipcase with an animated depiction of a sword with “MacLeod” engraved in the middle and “There can be only One” on the blade. The artwork underneath is an animated depiction of various sequences in the movie including Connor versus Kurgan, Connor and Brenda, and Ramirez. The rear features an animated depiction of Connor in warrior garb. The interior sports an animated depiction of Connor in the past on one side and sword fighting on the other panel. The release also comes with four art cards. Photos can be found at the end of the review. The on-disc content is as follows:

4K UHD

Audio Commentary #1: Author Jon Melville, who wrote A Kind Of Magic: Making The Original Highlander, offers a terrific commentary track which delivers a really informed overview of the production of the film, how the project evolved, the backgrounds of the performers and those who were nearly cast in the film, details about the locations, the pivotal nature of the music as it concerns the narrative and more.

Audio Commentary #2: Director Russell Mulcahy provides an entertaining commentary track in which he discusses how the opening voiceover was recorded in a bathroom, the run-and-gun nature of shooting at a real-life wrestling match, the talented crew behind the scenes, the shooting locations, the hands-off nature of the executives, writing themselves into a corner for future sequels, and much more that is worth a listen.

Audio Commentary #3: Russell Mulcahy, producer William Panzer, and producer Peter Davis provide another really fun and informative commentary track which offers ample details about the production of the film which further highlights how quickly things were cobbled together.

The Immortal Attraction of Highlander: A terrific, nearly 57-minute retrospective on the film with participants such as Russell Mulcahy, Christopher Lambert, Clancy Brown, Beatie Edney, screenwriter Gregory Widen, music supervisor Derek Power, and stills photographer David James, and many more. In this piece you get to understand the origins and inspirations of the project, the casting of the feature, the music of Queen, the stunts, the film’s legacy and more.

A Kind Of Magic – Music Of The Immortals: A nearly 15-minute featurette with music supervisor Derek Power and composer and author Neil Brand in which they discuss the unique identity of the music, the contributions of Queen, the motivations behind the music as a supplement to the storytelling, and more that is enlightening.

Capturing Immortality – Interview with Photographer David James: A 13-minute featurette with James in which he discusses his role on set, his relationship with the director and cast members, the look of the film and more.

There Can Only Be One Kurgan – Clancy Brown Remembers Highlander: A nearly 15-minute conversation with Brown about his memorable villain, developing the look of the character, some of the obstacles that were faced during production, his friendship with sword master Bob Anderson, and much more that keeps you very entertained.

Blu-Ray

Audio Commentary: Director Russell Mulcahy

Interview with Director Russell Mulcahy: A 23-minute interview with the director in which he discusses his entrypoint into the movie business, transitioning from music videos to feature films, getting involved with Highlander, the unique challenges of working with Sean Connery, the collaborative nature of the set, the shooting locations and more.

Interview with Christopher Lambert: A 21-minute conversation with the star of the film in which he discusses the place of the film in his output, what attracted him to the project, the sensitivity of the story, the hair-raising stunts in the film, working with director Russell Mulcahy, the visual style of the feature, the music of Queen, his memories of his fellow cast members and more.

The Making Of Highlander: A four part, two hour documentary on the creation of the film which delves into nearly every aspect you would want from the script and story development to the actual production, subversions of the genre, the release and more with various clips from key creative people involved with the production. There are so many great insights to be gleaned.

Deleted Scenes: A six-minute collection of unused material is provided here without the recorded sound, but with a score accompaniment. There are both personal moments and action scenes within this.

Archival Interview with Christopher Lambert: A nine-minute archival interview with Lambert in his native French with English subtitles in which he talks about his character and the experience of being a part of Highlander.

Trailer: The two-and-a-half minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Highlander is rightfully considered a classic of the ‘80s. There are more than a few deliciously cheesy moments, but that is part of its appeal. The mythology is intriguing, the characters allow you to become emotionally invested, and it has a distinct style that sets it apart from more standard action-fantasy fare. Sean Connery always spices up a movie, but Clancy Brown might just be the real scene-stealer in this journey. His villainous turn is one you will not forget anytime soon. This is just a great bit of entertainment. Lionsgate has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a gorgeous A/V presentation and a terrific array of special features. Fans can also find a lovely SteelBook package exclusively at Best Buy. If you are a fan of the film, this new release is a no-brainer. Highly Recommended

Highlander is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in a Standard and SteelBook edition.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.