Highlander: Endgame (2000)

Director:

Douglas Aarniokoski

Writers (WGA):

Gregory Widen (characters)
Eric Bernt (story) ...

Release Date:

1 September 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

For centuries, we've been told there can be only one.

Plot:

Immortals Connor and Duncan Macleod must join forces against Kell, an evil immortal who has become too strong for anyone to face alone.

Plot Keywords:

Immortal | Revenge | Good Versus Evil | Katana | Levitation

Cast

Christopher Lambert	...	Connor MacLeod
Adrian Paul	...	Duncan MacLeod
Bruce Payne	...	Jacob Kell
Mihnea Trusca	...	Villager
Lisa Barbuscia	...	Kate MacLeod / Faith
Donnie Yen	...	Jin Ke
Ian Paul Cassidy	...	Cracker Bob
Peter Wingfield	...	Methos
Damon Dash	...	Carlos
Beatie Edney	...	Heather MacLeod
Douglas Aarniokoski	...	Kirk
Jim Byrnes	...	Joe Dawson
Adam Copeland	...	Road bandit (as Edge)
Sheila Gish	...	Rachel Ellenstein
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Vasile Albinet	...	Head guards
Paul Bigley	...	Knave
Gabi Burlacu	...	Monk
Donald Douglas	...	Father Rainy
Oris Erhuero	...	Winston
Christopher Leps	...	Monk number 1
Thomas Lockyer	...	Matthew Hale
Jessica Mann	...	Rachel #1 (8 years old)
Charmian May	...	Lady
John Medlen	...	Hooded monk
David Nicholls	...	Drunk Friend
Daniel Parker	...	Puffer
Vernon Rieta	...	Manny (Hawaiian Immortal)
Tony Swift	...	Malaki
Liviu Timus	...	Executioner

Also Known As:

Highlander 4: The Search for Connor (USA) (working title)
Highlander IV (USA) (working title)
Highlander IV: World Without End (USA) (working title)
Highlander: A New Order (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for bloody violence, some strong sexuality and language. (all new exclusive cut)

Runtime:

87 min | Australia:88 min | USA:101 min (producer's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Scottish Gaelic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (cut version) | USA:R (certificate #37683) | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Singapore:R21 | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | France:U | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Appin, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK

Company:

Davis-Panzer Productions

Trivia:

The original trailer for the film featured Conner MacLeod splitting Jacob Kell in two with his sword and in turn becoming two people. This never happened in the film.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The scene with the changing cab is supposedly taking place in New York, but in one shot you can clearly see several cars that were never sold in the USA: a Mercedes Benz 208 van, some Dacias and a Fiat Tipo.

Quotes:

Jacob Kell: A woman is a temple built on a sewer.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (2004)

Soundtrack:

Bonny Portmore

Much better than both two and three!

After Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) witnesses his adopted daughter being killed in a building that was blown up; the Immortal locks himself up in a place called the Sanctuary to remove himself from the Game (What the Immortals call their quest to be the last remaining Immortal and receive the "Prize") However Jacob Kell (Bruce Payne) who became an Immortal when he was stabbed by Connor after the Highlander's mother was put to death (We see this event in a Flashback to Connor's early life in the Highlands of Scotland) Kell lets Connor live however.

He is being sought out by his fellow clansman Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul) Kell's followers show up in Connor's old Antique Store at the same time as Duncan is investigating. Jin-Ke (Donnie Yen) and Duncan engage in a brilliant sword fight and following that with a high speed Kung-Fu fight (Which puts "The Matrix" to shame I must admit. Pity the fight didn't go on longer, or Jin and Duncan getting a rematch!) The fight ends with Duncan being blasted out of a window and being impaled on a series of poles, Duncan is taken by the Watchers (Watch the TV series and find out!) He is being kept locked up to prevent Kell finding him and taking his head (We'll get to that) Duncan is rescued by his buddy Dawson (Jim Byrnes) and is told that Kell has more than six-hundred heads to his name while Connor and Duncan only have only just over three-hundred between them (The movie never explains where all these Immortals come from, my advice is to not analyse the continuity too much or you'll blow your head off. No pun intended!).

Duncan visits a graveyard of all the Immortals Kell has killed and he finds Connor. Connor then attacks Kell but the psychotic Immortal is far too powerful and Connor quickly realizes that he can no longer carry on. Later (After the gratuitous sex scene with Duncan and his old, old flame Kate/Faith (Lisa Barbuscia!) Duncan and Connor meet on the roof tops Connor explains that only one of them can fight Kell, so Connor wants Duncan to kill him. Duncan refuses and Connor attacks him, in the end however (There can be only ONE!) Duncan tearfully takes Connor's head and gets a massive power up. After a quick bout of training, Duncan tracks down Kell (To an abandoned warehouse/factory of all places!) Another big sword fight takes place (The editing of this fight isn't so good but the fight itself kicks ass!) finally Duncan removes Kell's head (After discovering Connor's unblockable trick isn't all that good!) and the massive Quickening blazes from the sky and gives Duncan even more power (This is one of those visual scenes that didn't come off as good as it could have).

Afterwards Duncan visits the grave of Connor who has been buried alongside his first wife Heather (Beatie Edney) He returns home to discover that Kate/Faith is still alive and the two, probably, rekindle their relationship.

Good Points: There are some tremendous visuals in this movie, sadly some of them come off as a little "Made-For-TV-Movie" at times (The rooftop fight between Connor and Duncan being a prime example!) The Flashbacks to the Highlands had Beatie Edney reprising her role as Connor's wife (Even if only for a few minutes, it was nice to see her again!) Duncan and Jin-Ke's awesome sword and Kung-Fu battle. Kell as the best villain to date, every member of the cast gives the roles their all. Kudos to both Christopher and Adrian for the tearful farewell.

Bad Points: The afore-mentioned weak CGI shots. Kell, on several occasions, violates the "No fighting on Holy Ground" rule and receives no form of punishment (Probably because he is evil already he doesn't get the "Dark Quickening" as seen in the TV series!) Douglas Aarniokoski's direction isn't the best either, hopefully the next installment will return Russell Mulcahy to the director's chair.