Highlander 3 the most underappreciated sequel?

[Andrew NDB]

While a concerted argument could be made that H3 is largely too "samish" with H1 (the word "requel" could be thrown out there), there is very little in the movie that is outright negative towards the franchise. I'd venture it has possibly the best love interest of anyone in the films, the Scotland material does for the present what the Scotland material in H1 did for the past. Probably the best fighting choreography of the first three movies as well (which isn't saying TOO much).

[David McMurdo]

It's fine in my opinion. Always enjoyable. I think a lot of the resentment comes from the fact that people realise that it was another opportunity to do something really interesting and they just didn't. It's the Force Awakens of the Highlander franchise, and in the same way that people are now saying "well at least the prequels tried something different", I kind of appreciated that Highlander 2 tried something different after seeing Highlander 3. One thing that really bothers me about it is the sword-fighting, particularly in the last battle. Many moons ago someone on this forum described it as "baseball bat sword-fighting". That was like twelve years ago and the description has stuck in my head all of these years because I thought it was so accurate.

Is that poster genuine?

[Andrew NDB]

One thing that really bothers me about it is the sword-fighting, particularly in the last battle. Many moons ago someone on this forum described it as "baseball bat sword-fighting".

How is that any different than the fighting in H1? And H2, they literally had no one to choreograph anything.

Is that poster genuine?

As far as I can tell.

[David McMurdo]

How is that any different than the fighting in H1? And H2, they literally had no one to choreograph anything.

It isn't really. I think that Endgame is the only film with decent sword-play. It's just worse in that final fight with Kane somehow.

As far as I can tell.

The licence plate made me laugh.

[Hatter76]

Damn, did you really have to use that Sorry Artwork?

[Hatter76]

such mixed feelings on this movie, I do think that it's become underrated to an extent, setting aside the intentions of making money, there were good intentions in making it a direct sequel to the original, throwing out the obvious crud from part 2, and I agree with Andrew about the Love Interest, Though I must admit, the so called Love scene I'm sure plays a role in that, but she is also a stronger character.

The structure of the story is not one that I'm going to give any credit to, However some of the finer Details are quite nice, Certainly the Return to Scotland. The Production Values are pretty good, though the Connor's Loft looked like a place you would go to film Porn, makes Connor look like he's in the business, ENDGAME did a far better Job at recreating the mood of the Loft in the Original.

They Gave a Lambert a Hair-lace again to recreate his Scottish look
Shamefully Endgame only used hair Extensions, and it showed Badly, The Swords were also very nice in this one, where as the ones in Endgame, well, they speak for themselves


Editorially, this movie feels much sleeker and refined, perhaps a little too much at times.

[Donut]

I have a fondness for it. When I first saw the original trailer for it, it looked like a very modern and more dramatic story.
After seeing the movie, i took it as being fairly decent.

The things I like about it:
*Connor's look
*seeing more flashbacks of Connor
*the Japanese elements that were thrown in
*the training montage
*the soundtrack was good for being something that wasn't Queen.
*the concept of Connor having an adopted son
*the special effects were appealing for the time
*it was more along the lines of what I expected a sequel to be about

I enjoy putting in that bluray and watching the interviews and featurettes, along with that original trailer. It makes the film seem more appealing that way.

[Draknoir2]

I appreciated it. It helped me forget HL2.

Two things hurt it as a film for me. First, it was redundant. That's a mix of good and bad - on the one hand it shifted the focus back to where the first movie was but on the other it was just more of the same. Second, I just couldn't buy MVP as a villain. He is just too... nice. Spillover from his other roles, yes, but it's something that was on my mind watching it.

I've got three "Kane" swords, though.

[Andrew NDB]

I appreciated it. It helped me forget HL2.

Two things hurt it as a film for me. First, it was redundant. That's a mix of good and bad - on the one hand it shifted the focus back to where the first movie was but on the other it was just more of the same. Second, I just couldn't buy MVP as a villain. He is just too... nice. Spillover from his other roles, yes, but it's something that was on my mind watching it.

I've got three "Kane" swords, though.

Yeah, H3 was pretty fresh after New Jack City. My only problems with Kane was that, #1) He was way too Kurgan-like... he even sounds like he's trying to imitate his voice, and #2) His motivations and character really are as shallow as "I want to win the Prize" and "I enjoy screwing with people's heads." Which is the same motivations and character as the Kurgan.

That's why I suggested we add into the "Highlander Origins: The Kurgan" comic book about Kane being -- basically -- a big Kurgan fan.

[Aleander]

So hilarious, and so very 90's, this poster. I can't believe how dated it looks.

[Aleander]

How is that any different than the fighting in H1? And H2, they literally had no one to choreograph anything.

The first film had Bob Anderson doing the choreography, and its very distinctly more complex than anything in 2 or 3.

Its not as flashy or complicated as anything McAsh did for the show or Endgame, but thats because its a different style as opposed to be of something part of the iconography. Its swashbackling of the Erol Flynn tradition, instead of being a distinct style for the film.

So, I'd say the first and fourth films are the best, in terms of style and composition, but I like the final battle in 2, as it shows more styles from Connor's side. And for a long time, I thought the third film resembled the show in terms of flashiness, but its obvious that the McAsh touch is sorely missing.

But I enjoy the sword fights in all the films, except the Source, and thats more because the fights there are nigh incomprehensible to understand.

[golddragon71]

I was a pretty new fan to Highlander when this film came out (i think we were midway through season three when it was released.) being such a new fan i have to say I loved it and watched it repeatedly when it was released on home video. after a couple of years though I started looking at it more objectively. noting the similarities (sometimes subtle, other times, glaring)
I still find it watchable however (In fact, I'm watching it now.)
The funny thing about it is that during the time it came out, and while the Highlander store was still an independent entity, I got a sales call from them and I talked to the lady on the phone about the music that was released so far. During the call i specifically cited Loreena McKennit's songs in the soundtrack as being my favorites and cited their original sources (the albums they were from) a few months later, the next catalog to come out had those two albums included as available for purchase. Now maybe they would have included these albums anyway but when i saw that happen I always felt as if i had personally had a hand in helping my fellow fans in finding them a bit easier

[LamBear*]

It is my favorite sequel for very shallow reasons; nothing relating to any of the above posts. I loved the sameness to HL1 and have no problem with the re-hashing of something I liked in the first place.

[The One With The Prize]

My favourite sequel as well. Not that I have a few issues with it, mostly to do with Stenn and Vorisek where I tend to roll my eyes whenever I see them or hear them speak. Another is the scene in the hospital right after the gang shooting Connor. Seems the writers needed some excuse to get Connor into the psych ward but just doesn't work or make sense.

[Takk]

It is my favorite sequel for very shallow reasons; nothing relating to any of the above posts. I loved the sameness to HL1 and have no problem with the re-hashing of something I liked in the first place.

Yeah, people using the sameness as a complaint has always felt weird to me. Formulaic sequels are made because people tend to enjoy what they've enjoyed before, yet so many Highlander fans rag on this film for being just that. What's worse is that some of those fans then turn around and praise The Gathering as being amongst their favorite episodes of the series... I mean, I just don't get it... I never have and I probably never will.

As for me? I've loved this film since the very first time I saw it on VHS, and while it hasn't always been my favorite, it grew on me more and more over time, and has since held that distinction for well over a decade. Whenever I feel like watching Highlander, but don't want to take the time to marathon all the movies or indulge in the series, this is the film I pull out and watch -- by itself -- and I enjoy it every time.

[David McMurdo]

Yeah, people using the sameness as a complaint has always felt weird to me. Formulaic sequels are made because people tend to enjoy what they've enjoyed before, yet so many Highlander fans rag on this film for being just that. What's worse is that some of those fans then turn around and praise The Gathering as being amongst their favorite episodes of the series... I mean, I just don't get it... I never have and I probably never will.

As for me? I've loved this film since the very first time I saw it on VHS, and while it hasn't always been my favorite, it grew on me more and more over time, and has since held that distinction for well over a decade. Whenever I feel like watching Highlander, but don't want to take the time to marathon all the movies or indulge in the series, this is the film I pull out and watch -- by itself -- and I enjoy it every time.

It's definitely the only sequel that feels complete. Like when you watch any other of the sequels, there are points there you think "this should have been expanded upon" or "did I miss something here?" I get the feeling that Highlander 3 is exactly the film it's meant to be, and you either like that or you don't. It doesn't feel like it needs a longer edit or anything. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and everything makes sense, at least as far as its internal logic goes.

[Aleander]

The biggest issue for me is that Connor didn't really win the Prize, only sorta. Like, well... No, I can't say why, cause it doesn't make sense. So Connor could understand and "read minds" of all the people on Earth, but suddenly he really couldn't, because three people in a cave. If the pull was so irresistible, which in the first film it was, why hasn't Connor, after beating Kurgan flown to Japan? OK, make the argument that he avoided to fight Kane... but why? He was undeniably stronger than when they first met, so there was no real reason to avoid him... but wait, Connor clearly asks himself "how could this be happening? They were all dead and the Prize was mine. So who's out there and where is he?" So, clearly he has no clue, which is nice, cause it makes the plot all the much more ridiculous.

This was always going to be a problem for any film that purported to follow the first film but not go out of its way to contradict or embellish it with outlandish sci-fi elements like the second film did, but in the end, its an element of the story that ultimately is rightly scrutinized. It makes no sense for Connor to be having this adventure, under the confines of the original film and only that. Yet, here it is.

Its why, unlike the original film, which works on its own far more than in any retconned fashion ever it could (without the Gathering, there's no urgency to the proceedings, which have no real meaning other than that attributed by the viewer, who shouldn't be doing that in the first place), the third film only realistically could work in a re-edited fashion. Remove the Gathering references, and boom, you have the perfect vehicle to re-introduce Connor in the Series-verse, with a story that allows elements of the first film to be part of the Series canon, but without the whole story. It really should've been like this in the first place, and they blew it big time.

That being said, David does make the excelllent point that all other sequels (hell, even the original) needed expanded/altered versions/cuts before they arrived (if they ever even did) in a better, finalized form. Unlike those, the third film probably is what the director intended it to be - flaws and all.

[Tootsie Bee]

Formulaic sequels are made because people tend to enjoy what they've enjoyed before, yet so many Highlander fans rag on this film for being just that.

The difference is that Highlander doesn't really lend itself to formulaic sequels. It doesn't lend itself to sequels at all, of course, but the definitive ending pretty much kills any room for a sequel that covers the same (holy) ground. Die Hard didn't end with Bruce Willis killing the very last terrorists in the world. Friday the 13th didn't end with the complete abolition of summer camps. There's room for the movies to repeat themselves in those franchises. Really, Highlander offered only three paths going forward: a prequel (which no one ever bothered trying, even though it's the logical choice), a completely unique sequel that rewrote the rules and subverted expectations (see Highlander II), or a loose spin-off that embraced the general premise of the movie without accepting the sequel-proof particulars (see the TV series). Instead, Highlander III goes off the premise that sometimes you think you've eaten every potato chip from the bag only to discover that there's one left at the bottom that you missed. That's hardly a compelling premise or a worthwhile justification for undoing the first film's ending.

[MoreOrLess]

Yeah, people using the sameness as a complaint has always felt weird to me. Formulaic sequels are made because people tend to enjoy what they've enjoyed before, yet so many Highlander fans rag on this film for being just that. What's worse is that some of those fans then turn around and praise The Gathering as being amongst their favorite episodes of the series... I mean, I just don't get it... I never have and I probably never will..

Honestly for me as someone who's always loved the original film much more than anything else in the franchise I think a lot of it comes to down the style of the original, its just one of those one off films that on paper really shouldn't with merging various genres and there looks/styles(fantasy, 80's action, drama, crime mystery, etc) into an effective whole, I don't think Russell Mulcahy himself even had quite the same success(I like The Shadow though) doing that again.

I mean to be fair to Highlander 3 I do think it has ambition to bring some original style to the table with the magical elements but ultimately just doesn't have the quality to it on several levels to get close to the original.