Highlander: The Search for Vengeance (2007) (V)

Director:

Yoshiaki Kawajiri

Writers:

David Abramowitz (written by) and
Gregory Widen (characters)

Release Date:

5 June 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

In revenge, patience is a virtue. And after a thousand years, Colin MacLeod doesn't give a damn about virtue ...

Plot:

An anime continuation of the HIGHLANDER saga, following immortal Colin MacLeod's quest for revenge in the future.

Plot Keywords:

Immortal | Revenge | Highlander | Hate | Warrior

Cast

Alistair Abell	...	Colin MacLeod (voice)
Dave B. Mitchell	...	Malike / Additional voices (voice) (as David B. Mitchell)
Debi Mae West	...	Dahlia (voice) (as Eid Lakis)
Zachary Samuels	...	Marcus Octavius (voice)
Hank Banks	...	Joe (voice)
Janyse Jaud	...	Kyala (voice)
Jim Byrnes	...	Doc / Rudy (voice)
Kathleen Barr	...	Moya (voice)
Emma Fairley	...	Deborah (voice)
Roger Franks	...	Sergeant (voice)
David Abramowitz	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Rebekah Brown	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Bill Fennell	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Gavin Hammon	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Bob Johnson	...	Additional Voices (voice)

Also Known As:

Highlander: Vengeance (USA) (working title)
Untitled Yoshiaki Kawajiri/Highlander Project (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

Germany:86 min (European Film Market)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | South Korea:15

Company:

Imagi Animation Studios

Trivia:

Alistair Abell auditioned for the role of Colin MacLeod over the phone. Abell auditioned with three other actors, and director Yoshiaki Kawajiri chose Abell when the American producers asked him to choose who he thought was best for the role.

Quotes:

Colin MacLeod: To freedom!
Clansmen: TO FREEDOM!
Colin MacLeod: To glory!
Clansmen: TO GLORY!
Colin MacLeod: In the name of HONOR!
Clansmen: HONOR!

Movie Connections:

Follows Highlander III: The Sorcerer (1994)

A decent continuation of the Highlander mythology

The Highlander mythology was always one of the coolest concepts for a movie - immortal swordsmen battling each other across the ages until one remained. Combine the potential within with the skills of Yoshiaki Kawajiri, the man responsible for Ninja Scroll, and you sound like you have quite a winner on your hands.

The Search for Vengeance is about the plight of Colin Macleod, the eponymous Highlander, and his centuries-long feud with Marcus, a Roman general who murdered Colin's true love. Time and time again throughout history, Colin and Marcus clash with each other until they come to their final showdown amidst a futuristic New York riddled with plague and war.

Like any continuation of Highlander, The Search for Vengeance crafts its own fiction by combining the original's mythology (holy ground, Quickenings, death-by-beheading etc) with several of its own ideas (in this case, demons, robots and spirits). Although some of the more fantastical elements (e.g. Colin's communication with a druid-like ghost) grated a little, they're tolerable enough changes to the Highlander world. In the end, it feels like it leans more towards the animé side of things.

As for the film itself - visually, it's pretty good. The animation is fluid and the action looks great. The constant changing of era (a staple of the Highlander series) works a treat, as you see battles of all kinds across the centuries. The showdowns look a treat as well (I expect nothing less from the maker of Ninja Scroll), as do the battles during the futuristic scenes. I will say that fair chunks of the plot are fairly clichéd and if you've ever really watched prior Highlander material, you can probably predict a fair bit of it.

The last word on The Search for Vengeance - who do I really recommend it to? It's a decent enough watch for anyone with even a passing interest in animé, and it's a more watchable experience for Highlander fans than the film sequels, but outside of those two groups, it'd be a little hard to recommend. In any case, it was a decent watch and if you need a good fix of sword-fighting or animé, this isn't a bad choice.