Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)

Director:

Russell Mulcahy

Writers (WGA):

Gregory Widen (characters)
Brian Clemens (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 November 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

It's a kind of magic.

Plot:

In the future, Highlander Connor MacLeod must prevent the destruction of Earth under an anti-ozone shield.

Plot Keywords:

Immortal | Ozone Layer | Highlander | Sequel | Flashback

Cast

Christopher Lambert	...	Connor MacLeod
Sean Connery	...	Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez
Virginia Madsen	...	Louise Marcus
Michael Ironside	...	Gen. Katana
Allan Rich	...	Allan Neyman
John C. McGinley	...	David Blake
Phil Brock	...	Cabbie
Rusty Schwimmer	...	Drunk
Ed Trucco	...	Jimmy
Steven Grives	...	Hamlet (as Stephen Grives)
Jimmy Murray	...	Horatio
Pete Antico	...	Corda
Peter Bucossi	...	Reno
Peter Bromilow	...	Joe
Jeff Altman	...	Doctor
Diana Rossi	...	Virginia
Randall Newsome	...	Max guard
Karin Drexler	...	Brenda
Max Berliner	...	Charlie
Eduardo Sapac	...	Holt
Michel Peyronel	...	Kid #1
Sebastian Morgan	...	Kid #2
Bruno Curichelli	...	Zeist Chief Justice
Daniel Trovo	...	Justice #2
Diego Leske	...	Justice #3
Julio Breshnev	...	Voices (voice)
Jonathon Slator	...	Supervisor
Theodore McNabney	...	TV reporter #1 (as Ted McNabney)
Patricia De Biaggi	...	TV reporter #2
André Gere	...	TV reporter #3
Jorge Ochoa	...	Stage manager
Jorge Varas	...	Latin supervisor
Alan McCormick	...	Teenager
Miguel Fernández Alonso	...	Roy
Roderick Cameron	...	Security technician
Nora Zinsky	...	Cabin attendant
Ezequiel Eskenazi Storey	...	Max leader
Jacques Arndt	...	Scientist #1
Nicolas Deane	...	Scientist #2
Helen Buck	...	Asian technician
Andres Geringer	...	Russian technician
Matt Johnston	...	Cobalt man
Héctor Malamud	...	Psychic chef
Pedro Loeb	...	Gen. Katana's aide
Americo Gallo	...	Gravedigger
Dana Swain	...	Safety spokesperson
Nicolas Frey	...	Yuppie #1
Eduardo Nutkiewitz	...	Yuppie #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mausi Martínez	...	Ciudadana oriental
Russell Mulcahy	...	Shield Control technician
Paul Bucossi	...	(uncredited)
Harry K. Garvin	...	Alarm technician (uncredited)

Directed by
Russell Mulcahy

Writing credits (WGA)
Gregory Widen		(characters)
Brian Clemens		(story) and
William N. Panzer		(story) (as William Panzer)
Peter Bellwood		(screenplay)

Produced by
Donald P. Borchers	....	line producer: additional photographic unit
Chris Chrisafis	....	line producer
Robin S. Clark	....	co-producer (as Robin Clark)
Guy Collins	....	executive producer
Jack Cummins	....	line producer
Peter S. Davis	....	producer
Jean-Luc Defait	....	producer
Ziad El Khoury	....	producer
Stephen Kaye	....	associate producer
William N. Panzer	....	producer (as William Panzer)
Mari Provenzano	....	associate producer
Alejandro Sessa	....	co-producer
Mario Sotela	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Stewart Copeland

Cinematography by
Phil Meheux

Film Editing by
Hubert C. de la Bouillerie
Anthony Redman
Charles Simmons		(uncredited)

Casting by
Pamela Basker
Fern Champion
Sue Swan

Production Design by
Roger Hall

Art Direction by
John Frankish
John King		(supervising art director)
Cliff Robinson

Costume Design by
Deborah Everton

Makeup Department
Greg Cannom	....	special makeup
Roland Blancaflor	....	special makeup effects technician: Cannom Creations Inc (uncredited)
Alberto Moccia	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
John A. Amicarella	....	additional post-production supervisor
Joe Camp III	....	production manager
Craig Holt	....	post-production supervisor (2004 video re-release)
David Pauker	....	post-production supervisor
Aron Warner	....	production manager
Alicia Alexander	....	production manager: additional photography (uncredited)
Sabina Sigler	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
J. Stephen Buck	....	first assistant director
Jack Cummins	....	first assistant director
Carlos Gil	....	second assistant director
Randall Newsome	....	second assistant director
Claudio Reiter	....	first assistant director (as Claudio Reitter)
Mike Topoozian	....	first assistant director
Arthur Wooster	....	second unit director
Michael Schroeder	....	first assistant director: additional photography (uncredited)

Art Department
John Naulin	....	body armor construction (uncredited)

Sound Department
Tim Drury	....	boom operator
Richard Shorr	....	sound effects
Richard Shorr	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Nick Finlayson	....	senior special effects technician
Christian Gruaz	....	prosthetic assistant
John Richardson	....	special effects designer
Chris Corbould	....	special effects floor supervisor (uncredited)
Neil Corbould	....	special effects workshop supervisor (uncredited)
Ray O. Hardesty	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Kate Murray	....	special makeup effects (uncredited)
L. Danielle Villegas	....	effects camera assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Mario Ghersi	....	computer graphics
Allen Gonzales	....	visual effects: animator
Jason Korber	....	digital compositor (2004 edition)
Sam Nicholson	....	visual effects designer
Jesse Silver	....	visual effects matte department supervisor
Larry Arpin	....	optical effects (uncredited)
Geeta Basantani	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Jared Jones	....	digital compositor (2004 edition) (uncredited)
Alan G. Markowitz	....	optical effects cameraman (uncredited)
Jeff Nicholson	....	optical effects (uncredited)
Laura Vineyard	....	visual effects production coordinator (uncredited)
Joshua Weisel	....	visual effects production assistant (uncredited)
Raulette Woods	....	visual effects: Stargate Films (uncredited)

Stunts
Sandy Berumen	....	stunts (as Sandy Beruman)
Kurt Bryant	....	stunt coordinator: additional unit
Thomas Dewier	....	stunts (as Tom Dewter)
Andy Gill	....	stunts
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunt double: MacLeod (as Tom Huff)
Jeff Imada	....	stunts
Matt Johnston	....	stunt double: Katana
Eddie Matthews	....	stunts
Carl Milinac	....	stunts (as Carl Milnac)
Arturo Noal	....	stunts
Frank Orsatti	....	stunt coordinator
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts
Roxanna Palouzzi	....	stunt double: Louise
Kristyn Randall	....	stunt double: Louise (as Christy Randall)
Jerry Spicer	....	stunts
Mike Stone	....	stunts
Rocky Taylor	....	stunt double: Ramirez
Steve Walters	....	stunts (as Steve Walter)
Danny Weselis	....	stunts
Minor Mustain	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Phil Abraham	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Mike Frift	....	camera operator: second unit
Harry K. Garvin	....	camera operator
Etienne George	....	still photographer
Ian Jones	....	Steadicam operator
Steve Mcleod	....	best boy
Terry Potter	....	gaffer
Rick Raphael	....	Steadicam operator
Julio Serna	....	video supervisor
Peter Turner	....	camera operator
Kevin Fraser	....	key grip: second unit (uncredited)
John Joleaud	....	gaffer: USA (uncredited)
Jamie Thompson	....	cinematographer: USA (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lois DeArmond	....	costume illustrator (uncredited)
Marisa Urruti	....	assistant to costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Albert Coleman	....	first assistant editor
Sharon McGeeney	....	negative cutter
Brian Ralph	....	negative cutter
Clay Walker	....	post-production assistant
Maria Montoreano	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Michael Dittrick	....	music editor
Seth Kaplan	....	music supervisor
Jonathan Sheffer	....	orchestrator
Blake Martin Moulin	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)
Jeff Seitz	....	music scoring mixer (uncredited)
Jonathan Sheffer	....	conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Mark White	....	transportation
Geno Hart	....	transportation coordinator (uncredited)
William R. Peck	....	driver (uncredited)
Adam Pinkstaff	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Chris Casady	....	director of animated effects
Jill Gurr	....	script supervisor
Martin Larumbe	....	location manager
Frank Orsatti	....	sword master
Andy Birmingham	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Mark Carlton	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Yvonne Eastmond	....	assistant production accountant (uncredited)
Julie Hansen	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)
Alejandro Levi	....	location scout (uncredited)
Catherine M. McDonald	....	travel and shipping coordinator (uncredited)
Adam Samuelson	....	louma crane technician (uncredited)
Gustavo Tieffenberg	....	location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Lamb Bear Entertainment

Distributors

• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Future Film (1998) (Finland)
• Hemdale Film (USA) (laserdisc)
• Highlight Film (Germany)
• Interstar (USA)
• Maple Pictures (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• RCA (video)
• Republic Entertainment
• Republic Pictures Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Seymour Borde & Associates
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (Argentina) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Stargate Digital (digital effects)

Other Companies

• Atlantic Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Highlander II: The Renegade Version (UK) (director's cut) (USA) (video title (director's cut))
Highlander - Le retour (France)
Highlander 2 (Argentina)
Highlander 2: The Quickening (USA) (video box title)
Highlander II (USA)
Highlander, le retour (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, and some sexuality and language.

Runtime:

91 min | USA:109 min (director's cut) | Argentina:92 min | UK:86 min (DVD version) | UK:100 min (theatrical version) | Sweden:100 min (theatrical version)

Country:

France | UK | Argentina

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | France:Unrated | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 (director's cut) | Finland:K-18 | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (cut) | USA:R | Norway:15 (video premiere) (1991) (cut) | Norway:(Banned) (1990-2003) (cinema release)

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company:

Lamb Bear Entertainment

Trivia:

During the course of filming Christopher Lambert cut his finger to the bone in the first sword fighting scene and Michael Ironside dislodged his jaw in the dome fight.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Katana has knowledge of league draft rules and the Wizard of Oz, despite never having visited Earth, but he has a screen he uses to monitor McLeod, so he could have learned about them through it.

Quotes:

Conner MacLeod: You'll have to excuse me. I've gotten some disturbing news.
Louise Marcus: Did somebody die?
Conner MacLeod: Unfortunately not.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Highlander 2: To Be or Not to Be a Sequel (1997) (V)

I think Ebert said it best.

Ah, friends. Come sit with me as we experience the Quickening. If we both stick our hands into a puddle of orange, shiny goo, we'll be shocked, and yet, united. 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. Well, at least, I think it is. The film begins on Earth in the year 1999. Then, it heads off to the planet Zeist 500 years before. Following that, we're back to Earth in the year 2024. 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. Immortals don't come from nowhere, they come from the planet Zeist. The entire original HIGHLANDER movie was lies! Lies! Lies!

And if you believe that, I've got some $200,000 property for you down in sunny North Carolina.

Connor MacLeod, the main character of the original film (played by Christopher Lambert), is old and dying. When, in 1999, the Earth's ozone layer was nearly completely gone, MacLeod created The Shield Corporation, which then created a shield which would protect the Earth from the sun's violent rays. 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. General Katana (Michael Ironside) is pretty pissed. MacLeod's still alive. So he sends his two retarded minions to kill MacLeod. The extremely elderly MacLeod somehow starts dancing around like Dean Martin and beheads both of them. The power of their lifeforce makes him young once again and free to kiss terrorist Louise Marcus (Virginia Madsen) and then try to take down the world's anti-Ozone shield. 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. But for some reason, he needs help. So the producers paid Sean Connery $3.5 million. Behold! Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez is resurrected from the dead and comes back (for nine minutes of screen time) to help MacLeod shut down the shield.

If you haven't figured it out by now, HIGHLANDER II is completely messed-up.

I haven't seen a sequel this bad in who knows how long. It contradicts the entire HIGHLANDER mythos, and thus was ignored in every other sequel and television series that followed.

But there is a good side to the film. I think Ebert said it best in his review of the film: he describes HIGHLANDER II as being "a movie almost awesome in its badness". How awesome do you hear that? 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. In the words of the Immortal Ramirez, "If you can summon it all up, at one time, in one place, you can accomplish something glorious."

Whatever that means.

NOTE: There are two versions of the film. The theatrical version, called the Quickening, has just been reviewed here. The director's cut has been re-named the "Renegade Version" and changes much of the film's story. The film has also been completely re-edited. The Quickening version runs 89 minutes, while the Renegade version runs 109.

HIGHLANDER II: THE QUICKENING by Russell Mulcahy. * 1/2 out of ****.