MovieChat Forums > Highlander II: The Quickening (1991) Discussion > Am i the only one who actually enjoyed t...

Am i the only one who actually enjoyed this film as it stood originally!


Ok

I'm going to be in the minority here but here me out!

Yes the acting is bad, the script terrible, the plot woeful and silly filled with holes and bad editing and lets not talk about the alien bit.

But..

As a stand alone film in the highlander universe its not really so bad. Its only when you start to compare the film to the original and try and link it in as a direct sequel does the film fail to stand up. The film its self rarely makes reference to its prequel and that is a good thing.

Personally i quite enjoyed it as a rainy sunday afternoon film and lets be honest, a lot worse has been made since! I enjoyed he shield story line and thought that it was not a bad plot device at all. If it had been handled better it could have been amazing, but i think from looking at it they were dodged by financial troubles and interference form outside parties.

Ask yourself this?

Given the same circumstances, could you have made a better film?
As a stand alone film, was it so bad?
You must have seen worse? (catwoman anyone)?
It did make a ton of cash and was not really considered a flop at the time?

Ok i admit its going to be hard to convince anyone and thats cool, but surely there must be fans out there somewhere?

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I like this film. It IS cheesey but I can't help but like it!

"Hey! Ladies! That was fun!"

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Enjoyed the original version more too. It's stupid but at least it's not tacked on. The renegade version tends to drag on, and Katana is even more incompetent (although I do love Irondside's performance:).

Actually, the only thing they should have changed in the original version was to keep the infamous "fairytale ending", 'cause it does fit the whole crazy Zeist story.

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I'm sorry, even as a standalone film, this movie is wretched. As to your questions:

Yes, I could have made a better film because I actually WATCHED the first movie and would make a logical sequel.
As a stand alone film, it is absolutely horrible.
Yes, i have seen worse, but this is particularly bad because the first Highlander was so good and deserved a worthy sequel (although I would argue it didn't NEED a sequel)
And yes, it was considered a flop because people were so outraged at just how bad they butt-f*ucked one of their favorite films.

And to those inexplicable fans (not trying to be on a high horse here) could any of you please explain these particular plot points (which I know Spoony covered but I want you to answer them)? And this isn't nit-picking, these are serious plot holes larger than anything in a Michael Bay movie (almost):

How the Hell did Ramirez just APPEAR out of nowhere?

How the Hell does Ramirez not know what Hamlet is even though he was on Earth for almost five hundred years, during which time Shakespeare wrote Hamlet and it became a worldwide success?

Why is he so mystified by flight when he's an alien?

Why does the store owner not question why he has a sword?

What exactly is Katana? A general? Of what?

Why is the 'prize' just the ability to return to Zeist when it basically means they're just going back to the place they were banished from in the first place?

Where did the OTHER immortals on Earth come from if Ramirez and McCloud were the only ones banished and all other resistance fighters were killed?

Why did Katana send those two idiots to Earth to kill McCloud when he knew McCloud was mortal and would die in a couple years?

How exactly does McCloud become immortal again when he was mortal and lost everything that made him unique among other humans?

WHY, for the love of God, are the Zeistians immortal on Earth and not on Zeist? How does Earth automatically shut down any ability for them to die?

Why is Katana the exact same age 500 years after McCloud was banished if he is mortal?

Why is there no way to shut off the shield when it was only supposed to serve as a temporary device?

How the Hell does McCloud get Ramirez's katana when he never took it and we see it get destroyed in the room with the pointless descending fan?

And finally, why is this movie subtitled 'The Quickening' when it has virtually nothing to do with what little plot there is?

Anyone? I'll take your answers.

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[deleted]

Alright man, brace yourself. I have answers to EVERY one of your questions. These are not plot holes, my friend. You just weren’t paying attention.

How the Hell did Ramirez just APPEAR out of nowhere?

The question is, how does Ramirez STOP appearing out of nowhere, all the time. In the Highlander universe (canon) he is in fact a quantum element, slipping between holes in space and time. Infinite Ramirezes exist in multi-dimensional possibilities, awaiting any chance to come and kick ass.

How the Hell does Ramirez not know what Hamlet is even though he was on Earth for almost five hundred years, during which time Shakespeare wrote Hamlet and it became a worldwide success?

Ramirez doesn’t bother himself with nerd Shakespeare plays. He likes rock and roll, and jousting.

Why is he so mystified by flight when he's an alien?

On Ziest, he could fly without any kind of space-craft, so on Earth, it disturbs him that humans need some kind of machine to do so.

Why does the store owner not question why he has a sword?

He knows better. Wouldn’t you?

What exactly is Katana? A general? Of what?

He is a general of the supreme high Ziest counsel, in charge of Home-planet security.

Why is the 'prize' just the ability to return to Zeist when it basically means they're just going back to the place they were banished from in the first place?

Ziest has delicious fried shrimp. Even a fool would do whatever they have to in order to go back.

Where did the OTHER immortals on Earth come from if Ramirez and McCloud were the only ones banished and all other resistance fighters were killed?

The other immortals on Earth were actually just regular human immortals like Elves or something. McCloud and Ramirez killed them because they are murderes.

Why did Katana send those two idiots to Earth to kill McCloud when he knew McCloud was mortal and would die in a couple years?

Ziest could no longer afford to pay McClouds Zeist family his retirement benefits. After serving for hundreds of years, his retirement pay was upwards of 7000% his salary. And they were NOT idiots, they just didn’t understand Earth’s customs and battle techniques. McCloud had hundreds of years to perfect them himself, so these guys could be excused because they only just showed up. In my opinion, this was not a fair fight.

How exactly does McCloud become immortal again when he was mortal and lost everything that made him unique among other humans?

McCloud was never not immortal, he just chose to look like an old man because he is a master of deception. (see highlander 3, he learned some of that Mario Van Peebles magic)

WHY, for the love of God, are the Zeistians immortal on Earth and not on Zeist? How does Earth automatically shut down any ability for them to die?

It’s like Superman. On Zeist, their sun and gravity prevent their true awesome potential from exhibiting itself. On Earth, no such limitations exist.

Why is Katana the exact same age 500 years after McCloud was banished if he is mortal?

Actually, Michael Ironside is over 500 years old, so they portrayed this for the sake of accuracy.

Why is there no way to shut off the shield when it was only supposed to serve as a temporary device?

There was always a way to shut off the shield: by standing under the death pillar of light, only everyone except McCloud was too chicken to do so.

How the Hell does McCloud get Ramirez's katana when he never took it and we see it get destroyed in the room with the pointless descending fan?

(see question one) Ramirez knew McCloud wouldn’t actually need his help to destroy the pathetic general Katana, so he only sent his sword through space/time instead of coming through himself.

And finally, why is this movie subtitled 'The Quickening' when it has virtually nothing to do with what little plot there is?
The movie is so action packed and exciting, you won’t even realize its 90 minute run time has flown past.

I hope these answer your questions.

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I really honestly enojoyed it A LOT. I'm shocked to see its rating on here, but it doesn't change a thing - I still like this movie.

Scar Jokes, u didn't like my joke. Why not call me a cnt, but call me a fake on Y!A?!!

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I liked the atmosphere of this movie when I was a kid, and the coolest thing about the Quickening is that it's almost anti-logical in its narrative but still a thoroughly enjoyable ride.

That new Renegade version just tries to fix the perfect mistake that this movie was and therefore only makes it worse by taking the Quickening apart, exposing all the things that were wrong (but still worked on a subconscious level).

The shielded world (or just New York) is one of the most beautiful fake universes I've seen, it's really well presented. The opera-Zeist transition is just breathtaking.

have a nice life!

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[deleted]

You may well have been, except for all of your supporters here. :) Personally, I hated the movie. Every ugly second of it...except...Ramirez's return. There's wonderful dark humor, exemplified beautifully by Connery. The rest of it sucks balls. And let's be clear--I LIKE Lambert, Ironside, and Madsen. And Mulcahy directed one of my guilty pleasures, The Shadow.

Highlander II is just a misguided, awful piece of trash. But kudos to you for finding things to like about it.

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If this was a stand alone film, the first Highlander film, it would increase my rating by one star. I am able to find things in this film as it is to compliment. If this was "the original" I'd probably give it 3/10.

Goth for LIFE!

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I enjoyed this movie as kid.

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