The Highlander remake is full steam ahead. Ex-Superman Henry Cavill is taking on the lead role of MacLeod, Dave Batista is picking up the mantle of the villainous Kurgan, Russell Crowe is stepping in for Sean Connery as mentor Ramirez, and Karen Gillan was recently announced as love interest/wife Heather.
Admittedly, that’s a pretty solid assembly of actors. Not to mention that the Highlander remake is being directed by Chad Stahelski, the stuntman-turned-director who has helmed the John Wick series of movies. So, when it comes to the action element, it sure seems like Highlander is in good hands.
But, even with all these stars aligning, there is a problem the Highlander remake won’t be able to solve no matter what: there is no way it will ever be as amazing and unique as the original Highlander.
Highlander Only Gets Better With Age
I’m not here to bury the Highlander remake, but there is simply no reality where it matches up with the 1986 masterpiece. Directed by an energetic Russell Mulcahy, Highlander introduced a fantasy concept that felt incredibly fresh in the cinematic landscape: a race of immortal warriors battle each other across time until there can be only one left. It was a history-traversing epic that didn’t feel like anything else the movies had provided at that time.
And what’s amazing is that Highlander has only improved with each passing year. Mulcahy brought music video kineticism to the film and it has been one of the most powerful parts of the film’s legacy. Pay attention to how Mulcahy integrates unique transitions and sweeping camera moves to make cinematic language as intense as the story and its action.
Time has also proven how resilient the performances in Highlander are. Christopher Lambert utilizes his ethereal aura like no other performance in his filmography, Sean Connery brings unmatched charm to Ramirez, and I’m willing to put up Clancy Brown’s performance as the Kurgan against any villain of the 1980s. It’s an incredible grouping of actors and characters that remains iconic forty years later.
The Highlander Remake Can’t Compete
I want nothing but the best for the Highlander remake. I have an affinity for the franchise and would love to see another good entry in the movie series. However, no matter how good the new movie is, it is burdened by the albatross of unoriginality. No matter how director Chad Stahelski decides to frame the action and fantasy, it cannot match the tactile imagination of what Mulcahy brought to the table.
Cinematically and creatively, there is an inescapable ceiling for the Highlander remake. Granted, it could very well reach that ceiling with the talent it has on its roster. But, there is simply no chance it can ever hold a candle to the one that started it all. Trust me, I’m going into the remake with all the positivity and hope you can imagine. I want that movie to be good. But as good as the Highlander remake might possibly be, it is never going to be Highlander.
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