Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)

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

Director:

Russell Mulcahy

Writers:

Gregory Widen (characters), Brian Clemens (story)

Stars:

Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Virginia Madsen

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Lambert	...	MacLeod
Sean Connery	...	Ramírez
Virginia Madsen	...	Louise
Michael Ironside	...	Katana
Allan Rich	...	Neyman
John C. McGinley	...	Blake
Phillip Brock	...	Cabbie (as Phil Brock)
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

Storyline

The second "Highlander" movie, again with Christopher Lambert and Sir Sean Connery. It's the year 2024, and all of the ozone above Earth is gone. To protect people from dying, MacLeod helped in the construction of a giant "shield", several years ago. But, since there isn't anyone left who's Immortal after MacLeod's victory in the previous movie, he has stopped being an Immortal. Now he is just an old man, until one day some other Immortals arrive on our planet. You see, the Immortals come from another planet.

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Plot Keywords:

horatio character | highlander character | tubi tv | immortal | katana | 

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Taglines:

In all their centuries on Earth, nothing could prepare them for...

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, and some sexuality and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was released on November 1, 1991, the same month that Freddie Mercury died of complications from A.I.D.S. He and his bandmates in Queen had enthusiastically contributed several original songs to the soundtrack of Highlander (1986).

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Goofs

When Katana drives the subway at high speed, obvious spark generators are visible in front of it.

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Quotes

Hamlet: Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft.
Ramirez: Sir... whatever you gentlemen felt for each other when your friend was still alive... is certainly none of my affair.
Hamlet: [breaks character, turns] What's your fucking game, shithead?
Ramirez: Shithead? What's a shithead?

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Crazy Credits

The look of the Colon Opera House appears due to the strict requirements of Highlander II and does not represent the normal look of the Opera House.

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Alternate Versions

In 1991, Highlander 2: The Quickening was released in North America with a running time of 89 minutes and 53 seconds. The Renegade Version features an additional 19 minutes and 34 seconds of restored footage, bringing the final running time to 109 minutes and 27 seconds. Below is a list of scene changes (may contain spoilers):

• 1. PROLOGUE TEXT: A new prologue eases the viewer into the year 2024, the world now inhabited by Connor MacLeod. The new text establishes that the Earth's Ozone Layer has been severely depleted and, in response, the planet has been encased in an electromagnetic shield to protect the population from deadly radiation. After 25 years, however, the necessity of maintaining the shield is being questioned.
• 2. CONNOR AT THE OPERA HOUSE: As originally scripted, the Renegade Version opens outside an opera house. A restored shot of a water pail overflowing with rain dripping from the ceiling brings us into the crumbling facility, where we find an aging Connor looking through a program. Connor's P.O.V. reveals that this evening's production of "The Valkyrie" is being performed "in the presence of Dr: Alan Neyman President, TSC." Connor locates Alan with his opera glasses, and the two old friends wave to each other. Later in the scene, Connor recalls a long ago battle between his forces and those of the evil Immortal, Katana, presented through a series of flashbacks that are cross cut with scenes from the opera being performed on stage. Katana's dialogue about wanting all of the rebels' heads has been cut from the Renegade Version.
• 3. KATANA AND CONNOR IN THE CAVE WITH THE EELS: Prior to grabbing an eel out of the water, Katana now addresses this additional line of dialogue to Connor: "My friends in here remind me of you and Ramirez'
• 4. THE SENTENCING OF CONNOR AND RAMIREZ BY THE PRIESTS: A restored shot of Connor in his opera box is followed by a shot of a huge set of double doors on the opera house stage. Through the computer magic of CGI, the doors open into the past, where Connor and Ramirez stand before the Priests awaiting judgement. New dialogue in this scene tells us that Connor and Ramirez are rebels who possess an unholy Immortality like Katana. Their punishment is exile into the future where they must do battle, "For there can only be one." The victor will have the choice to "grow old and die in the future or return here with his freedom and his faith restored.
• 5. CONNOR WATCHES A SHIELD CORPORATION "NEWSCAST" ON HIS CAR TELEVISION: Connor leaves the opera house and watches a news story broadcast by The Shield Corporation (TSC) on his car's television. New dialogue by the newscaster reveals there are rumours of a management shake-up at TSC. Connor's friend Alan has become increasingly isolated, and the fact that he is "unavailable for comment" makes Connor concerned for his safety. The same footage was seen in the American versions, but before Connor goes to the opera. In that version, there is an extended scene in which Connor drives while considering how the world has deteriorated under the Shield, much like the Renegade Versions new prologue.
• 6. CONNOR TRIES TO CALL ALAN VIA VIDEO PHONE: Worried about his old friend, Connor stops at a video pay phone to call Alan but fails to get past the TSC receptionist. Connor decides not to leave a message. Several street punks show up and harass Connor for money to use in a street corner oxygen dispenser, but they run off when they realise who they're dealing with. Connor returns to his Porsche.
• 7. TWO GUARDS AT TSC DISCUSS FISH IN THE LAKE: A restored long shot of the Shield generator bears the title "Shield Control" Two guards standing above the generators man-made lake hear a noise - the sound of Louise's underwater commando squad coming to the surface. The two guards report in to the security guard, but when he sees nothing unusual on his monitor, he tells them the sound was just some fish making noise, prompting the guards to argue about whether or not any fish could live in the lake.
• 8. LOUISE DISCOVERS THE RADIATION LEVEL ABOVE THE SHIELD IS NORMAL: This sequence contains the same footage as the American version, but reordered to make the scene flow more naturally. Now when Louise attempts to determine the radiation level above the Shield, it seems as if 30 seconds have passed while she and her team wait to get an accurate reading. There is also additional dialogue from one of her cohorts as he tries to convince her to get moving before they're all caught.
• 9. KATANA AND THE PRIESTS WATCH CONNOR ON A VIDEO SCREEN: When Connor arrives at his favourite bar, Katana and the Priests observe him from the distant past on a holographic projection bearing the caption "New York City
• July 16, 2024." Katana and the Priests discuss the fact that Connor hasn't made his choice whether to return to the past or remain in the present a revelation that angers Katana, who leaves to locate his assassins.
• 10. KATANA SENDS CORDA AND RENO TO THE FUTURE: Corda and Reno argue that since Connor is old and will die soon, there is no need for them to go after him. Katana disagrees and sends them to find and kill Connor anyway.
• 11. CONNOR'S WOUNDED HAND MAGICALLY HEALS IN THE BAR: Speaking newly added dialogue, Connor asks the woman harassing him if she is the type of person who knows when to stop. After the woman attacks and wounds him with a bottle, Connor's injured hand magically heals itself. Distressed, Connor says "Oh no, not again!" Connor's healing now appears as a direct result of Corda and Reno's arrival in the present.
• 12. CONNOR AND LOuISE MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME: Outside the bar, Connor has his initial encounter with Louise, where additional dialogue reveals that Connor knows he is becoming Immortal again. This dialogue was cut from the American version because Corda and Reno don't arrive until after this conversation and, therefore, Connor is not yet becoming Immortal.
• 13. EXTENDED FIGHT SCENE BETWEEN CONNOR AND CORDA: The battle sequence between Connor and Corda, is extended before Connor falls onto the top of the train. An additional shot of the train coming out of a tunnel sets up its arrival during the fight scene.
• 14. CONNOR AND LOUISE KISS... AND MORE!: The restored footage of this section features an extended scene in which Connor and Louise make love against a wall after their first kiss.
• 15. RAMIREZ'S FIRST FLIGHT: The scene of Ramirez's airplane flight across the Atlantic has been split into two parts. In this shot, Ramirez is seen through the airplane window looking worried. The scene bears the title "Somewhere over the Atlantic."
• 16. CONNOR AND LOUISE TALK ABOUT THE BLUE SKY: Louise asks Connor if he has ever seen the blue sky, since she is too young to remember it herself. He describes what it was like and she expresses her wish to see the sky at least once before she dies.
• 17. KATANA WATCHES RENO DIE: From the distant past, Katana watches Connor defeat Reno.
• 18. THE PSYCHIC COOK TV COMMERCIAL: As in the American version, Katana smashes through the roof of a speeding subway car when he arrives in the present. Restored footage inserted before his arrival shows us the state of television in 2024 as a TV monitor features a tacky promo for a program entitled "The Psychic Cook."
• 19. MOTHER AND BABY ON THE SUBWAY: Aboard Katana's subway car, extended footage reveals a mother with a baby in a carriage. As Katana hurls the train through the tunnel at blinding speed, there is also additional footage of several passengers being thrown against the back of the car and more blood and gore than in the original release.
• 20. CONNOR ARRIVES AT TSC: Connor drives up to the TSC entrance in his Porsche. He is allowed to enter the building after a hand scanner at the security desk validates his identity.
• 21. ALAN AND CONNOR DISCUSS THE SHIELD LAUNCH (RESTORED FLASHBACK 1): The first flashback restored to its correct position in the film occurs when Connor and Alan discuss the day the Shield was launched. In the restored footage, Connor and Alan look at a miniature model of Shield Control (although the plaque still reads "December Installation"). Connor puts on a pair of goggles he finds next to the model and his movement triggers the flashback transition. The camera follows his movement and continues around his body coming to rest on a younger Connor and Alan watching the Shield launch in 1999. In the American version, the 1999 Shield launch scene was placed at the beginning of the film in an attempt to arrange events chronologically :
• 22. ALAN AND CONNOR DISCUSS THE OZONE LAYER: A new transition from The Shield launch flashback (see description 21) occurs as the camera tilts down from the ceiling to reveal Connor and Alan in Alan's office. Alan communicates to Connor, via computer screen, that the Ozone Layer may be back to normal. Alan tries to give Connor the coordinates he'll need to get above the Shield to take a proper ozone reading, but he has only given Connor half of the information when he is interrupted by Blake.
• 23. KATANA TAKES A CAB: This scene, in which Katana is driven to an empty warehouse by garrulous cabbie Jerry Pritchett, contains both extra footage and dialogue. Jerry's added dialogue concerns the decayed state of the world and the availability of his sister. In the American version, this scene is immediately followed by Katana's arrival at Blake's board meeting - as if the empty warehouse and the Shield Corporation were the same place.
• 24. RAMIREZ'S NEW TWO SIDED CONVERSATION WITH A FEMALE AIRLINE PASSENGER: This is the second part of Ramirez's flight across the Atlantic. It bears the title: "Still somewhere over the Atlantic." Ramirez's conversation with a female passenger now includes an added line of dialogue from her. Now, when Ramirez says "Forgive me for asking yet again, but, ah, how do we remain so high above the earth with safety?" She replies "By drinking!"
• 25. KATANA CALLS TO CONNOR FROM THE TOP OF AN EMPTY WAREHOUSE: Standing atop the warehouse, Katana says "My kind of town. I'm waiting MacLeod. Come to me. I'm waiting." This visual was originally placed at the end of the American version after Blake is killed, without the additional dialogue.
• 26. RAMIREZ JOKES WITH FEMALE PASSENGER: The producers used Ramirez' "off the wall" line of new dialogue at the end of his Helen of Troy monologue. He says, "But on the contrary, Virginia, all of the most beautiful women had dark hair: Helen of Troy, Cleopatra, Nephertiti, Joan of Arc, to name but a few. In fact, it's well known that the dark haired ladies..." Well you've got to hear it.
• 27. BRENDA'S DEATH IN NEW YORK, 1998 (RESTORED FLASHBACK 2): Connor visits the grave of his dead wife, Brenda. In a new voice over, Brenda tells him she is sorry to be leaving him so soon. There is a dissolve into a shot of the setting sun (used as the opening shot of the American version) bearing the title: "New York, 1998." Totally new footage follows, revealing Brenda in a hospital bed, burned and covered with bandages, the victim of radiation poisoning. She makes Connor promise to help save others from the radiation that is killing her. This promise becomes Connor's motivation for building the Shield. Brenda dies while holding his hand. As he walks away, the camera pulls back to show a vast hall full of radiation victims. This shot was also found in the American version, but at the beginning of the film. This sequence also includes new music.
• 28. CONNOR ENTERS THE WAREHOUSE: Connor arrives at the empty warehouse in his Porsche and opens the door. A long shot from inside shows Connor walking in through the doorway.
• 29. ALAN IS SENT TO MAX AND BLAKE HOLDS A BOARD MEETING: Now correctly re-ordered in the Renegade Version is the scene in which Blake sends Alan to MAX, as well as the scene of the board meeting where Blake discusses "re-shuffling the deck" at TSC. In the American version, these scenes were reversed. At the end of the restored board meeting scene, Blake now has additional dialogue, saying "Ah, Wilson, could we get on this Highlander thing as soon as possible?"
• 30. CONNOR AND RAMIREZ DISCUSS THE SHIELD COORDINATES: Connor tells Ramirez about the system failure and reveals the Shield coordinates he received from Alan. Ramirez points out that they need the second half of the coordinates before they can go above the Shield.
• 31. CONNOR AND RAMIREZ ACQUIRE MAX SECURITY UNIFORMS: After the doctor faints, a restored shot shows Connor and Ramirez catching him, followed by another restored shot where they take the guards' uniforms.
• 32. ALAN REVEALS THE REMAINING SHIELD COORDINATES AND DIES: The scene in which Connor and Louise find Alan in MAX contains both additional footage and dialogue. After giving Connor the remaining Shield coordinates, he tells Connor to go above the shield to confirm that radiation levels are normal. Before Alan dies, Connor assures him they were right to build the shield.
• 33. KATANA AND BLAKE DISCUSS LOUISE: As they watch Alan's death via video screen, Blake reveals to Katana that Louise is the leader of COBALT. Katana mocks her. Blake vows that Louise and Connor will never make it out of MAX alive.
• 34. CONNOR AND LOUISE STEAL A TRUCK FROM MAX: Connor and Louise escape from MAX by Knocking out a guard and commandeering a truck. Katana tries to block their path as they drive out of the parking lot, but Connor runs him over.
• 35. CONNOR FIGHTS KATANA ON THE TRUCK: Connor and Louise follow Alan's coordinates into a deserted area. Katana climbs onto the roof of the speeding truck where an extended fight scene ensues. The fight moves from roof to hood and ends when Katana is thrown from the truck.
• 36. CONNOR AND LOUISE AT THE SHIELD CONTROL ACCESS TOWER: Alan's coordinates lead CoNNor and Louise to the Shield access towel. They pass a sign reading "Danger Shield Ceiling - Authorized Personnel Only." There are several shots of Connor and Louise climbing a long ladder, surrounded by sparks and explosions.
• 37. KATANA AND BLAKE DISCUSS CONNOR: When Katana tells Blake his life will be very predictable once Connor is dead, Blake expresses concern that Katana is being overly confident. Katana asks if Blake is betting on him, Blake answers that he always plays the favorite.
• 38. CONNOR AND LOUISE CLIMB ABOVE THE SHIELD: Connor and Louise emerge onto a mountainside where they discover the blue sky. There are several shots of mountains and clouds as they discover the Ozone Layer has repaired itself
• Connor decides that the Shield must come down and that there is only one way to do it. This sequence was filmed in southern Argentina near the ski resort town of Barriloche.
• 39. BLAKE AND KATANA DISCUSS CONNOR'S NEXT MOVE: Blake worries that Connor, who has been missing for 24 hours, has gotten above the Shield. He fears TSC will end up in Chapter 11 if the truth about the Ozone Layer is revealed. Katana is convinced that all of Connor's roads lead back to him. Blake smugly points out that Katana is wrong, as he points out Connor and Louise speeding through the desert en route to the Shield generator. Katana kills Blake for suggesting he has made a mistake. The American version of this scene is much shorter, with Blake telling Katana he is wrong after Connor and Louise escape from the exhaust fan room in MAX. Katana's reaction in both scenes is the same.
• 40. GUARDS PATROLLING OUTSIDE OF SHIELD CONTROL: New footage of The Pyramid's exterior and floodgates is followed by a shot of two guards standing on a platform. The final shot of the sequence reveals the bridge over the floodgates is crawling with guards.
• 41. THE WORLD WITHOUT THE SHIELD: When the satellite above the Earth explodes, there are two new shots of the earth and the city covered by the Shield. These are followed by an extremely wide shot of the Shield as it disappears from the Earth's skies. The two restored shots that follow show open night skies over Jerry's, Connor's favorite bar and over the city skyline.
• 42. CONNOR AND LOUISE KISS AS SHIELD CONTROL BURNS: Connor and Louise kiss on the edge of a lake as the Shield generator burns in the distance. In voice over, Ramirez reprises his thoughts: "Most people have a full measure of life and most people just watch it slowly drip away. But if you can summon it all up at one time, in one place, you can accomplish something glorious." The films final image is that of the planet Earth, now no longer covered by the Shield.

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Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob: Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (2016)

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Soundtracks

Who's that Man - Part I
Performed by The Magnetic AKA
Additional guitars by Brian Tatler and Ian Hayden
Produced by Sean Harris

User Reviews

New effects and this cut is at least watchable

Highlander Connor MacLeod must reveal the truth about the Earth's anti-ozone shield while fighting some immortals sent from the past.

It lacks the danger and finesse of the original, but thankfully the new Highlander 2 edit with updated effects makes this troubled and poorly executed sequel at least watchable, compared to the original theatrical release.

Michael Ironside and supporting cast give distracting, larger than life theatrical performances. Sean Connery lights up the screen, and Christopher Lambert is notable especially in the aged make-up. Virginia Madsen comes off in the best light, although she is not given enough to do, going from strong feisty conservationist to love interest in a blink of an eye. Nevertheless, the script is poor and the editing is still choppy. The film has a serious pacing issue which no amount of re-jigging can correct.

It has some redeeming qualities, the sets and score are excellent and director Russell Mulcahy gives some fantastic sweeping shots. The new cut now makes sense; for example why MacLeod becomes immortal again, hinting that he has forgotten a past, prior the setting of the first film, and gone is the idea that Ramírez and Connor come from another planet.

If you must watch Highlander 2, avoid the 'The Quickening' version at all cost and watch the 2010 blu-ray release. Although it's far from a kind of magic.

Details

Country:

UK France Argentina

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 November 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Highlander II: The Renegade Version

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,280,490, 3 November 1991

Gross USA:

$15,556,340

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$15,556,340

Company Credits

Production Co:

Davis-Panzer Productions, Harat Investments, Lamb Bear Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min 109 min (director's cut) 86 min (DVD) 100 min (theatrical) 100 min (theatrical)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo DTS (director's cut)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1