Highlander remake: cult classic or eighties flop?
Filming of the Highlander remake starring Henry Cavill reopens the debate: was the original a cult classic or a dud only nostalgia can sustain?
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The Highlander remake divides opinion: cult classic or eighties dud?
The first images from the set of the Highlander remake starring Henry Cavill show urban settings, which has peine an old controversy: was the original set in medieval times or in New York? The answer is more nuanced than it seems: the 1986 film combined flashbacks to 16th-century Scotland with a main plot set in contemporary New York. But the real question is whether this cult film deserves to be rescued or whether the passage of time has turned it into a failed product that only nostalgia sustains.
The setting: much more than swords and castles
In the original, most of the action takes place in the present day: fights in parking garages, rooftops and gyms. The jumps into the past were brief and served to explain the origins of the protagonist, Connor MacLeod. The new shoot, with urban sets, respects that structure. However, purists antiestéticar the medieval epic that gave the story its character will be lost. The debate centers on whether the essence lay in the flashbacks or in the concept that "there can be only one."
Does it hold up on a second viewing?
Opinions are divided. On one side, nostalgics argue the film keeps its charm thanks to the Queen soundtrack, the pro-wrestling-style fights and the actors' affected charisma. On the other, critics point out that the special effects are cheap, the acting is poor and the script doesn't hold up without the mythology. Compared with other films of the era such as 'Willow' or 'The Princess Bride', Highlander comes off clearly worse. Even Sean Connery, who took the role to fund his properties, appears in some of the most ridiculous outfits of his career, as in 'Zardoz' or 'The Green Knight'.
The ghost of proge in the remake
One current of opinion warns that the remake will fall into today's film clichés: diverse characters, empowerment messages and a softer tone. There are antiestéticars the rawness of the beheadings will disappear and that the fight for the final prize will become a watered-down metaphor. Others, however, consider those antiestéticars exaggerated and believe the new cast (Henry Cavill and Dave Bautista as the Kurgan) can bring acting quality and a more modern pace.
A classic that divides generations
In short, the original Highlander is a film that leaves no one indifferent: for some it is an unforgettable eighties icon; for others, a dud that survives only on the music and nostalgia. The remake, still filming, faces the difficult task of pleasing both camps without falling into the sins of contemporary cinema. The only certainty is that, as the motto says, there can be only one.
Related discussions in the forum
The first images from the set of the Highlander remake starring Henry Cavill show urban settings, which has peine an old controversy: was the original set in medieval times or in New York? The answer is more nuanced than it seems: the 1986 film combined flashbacks to 16th-century Scotland with a main plot set in contemporary New York. But the real question is whether this cult film deserves to be rescued or whether the passage of time has turned it into a failed product that only nostalgia sustains.
The setting: much more than swords and castles
In the original, most of the action takes place in the present day: fights in parking garages, rooftops and gyms. The jumps into the past were brief and served to explain the origins of the protagonist, Connor MacLeod. The new shoot, with urban sets, respects that structure. However, purists antiestéticar the medieval epic that gave the story its character will be lost. The debate centers on whether the essence lay in the flashbacks or in the concept that "there can be only one."
Does it hold up on a second viewing?
Opinions are divided. On one side, nostalgics argue the film keeps its charm thanks to the Queen soundtrack, the pro-wrestling-style fights and the actors' affected charisma. On the other, critics point out that the special effects are cheap, the acting is poor and the script doesn't hold up without the mythology. Compared with other films of the era such as 'Willow' or 'The Princess Bride', Highlander comes off clearly worse. Even Sean Connery, who took the role to fund his properties, appears in some of the most ridiculous outfits of his career, as in 'Zardoz' or 'The Green Knight'.
The ghost of proge in the remake
One current of opinion warns that the remake will fall into today's film clichés: diverse characters, empowerment messages and a softer tone. There are antiestéticars the rawness of the beheadings will disappear and that the fight for the final prize will become a watered-down metaphor. Others, however, consider those antiestéticars exaggerated and believe the new cast (Henry Cavill and Dave Bautista as the Kurgan) can bring acting quality and a more modern pace.
A classic that divides generations
In short, the original Highlander is a film that leaves no one indifferent: for some it is an unforgettable eighties icon; for others, a dud that survives only on the music and nostalgia. The remake, still filming, faces the difficult task of pleasing both camps without falling into the sins of contemporary cinema. The only certainty is that, as the motto says, there can be only one.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (45 replies).
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