I was pretty excited when I heard that there an anime film based on “Highlander” in the works, animated by Madhouse Studio and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, who directed one of my favorite anime films, “Ninja Scroll”. As both an anime fan and a “Highlander” fan, I was pretty sure I was going to like it. Then it came out, I saw it, and I turned out to be right. “Highlander: The Search for Vengeance” may very well be the best thing to come from the franchise in a long time, with sword-swinging action, compelling drama and intrigue, a little bit of romance, interesting characters... This movie's got them all, and Kawajiri was the perfect man to direct it, given his previous work. The result is a film that both anime AND “Highlander” fans can enjoy, even if some only like one or the other.
“Search for Vengeance” follows main character Colin MacLeod (the latest Immortal to come from that particular group, and we find out he wasn't even originally a part of it at the beginning) and his quest for, you guessed it, vengeance against the evil Immortal Marcus Octavius. Colin has been chasing after his foe since the 2nd century, when Marcus led the Romans in invading Colin's homeland and killed his wife, Moya. After 2,000 years, his quest brings him to New York in a post-apocalyptic 22nd century, where Marcus rules over the city state that now exists there. To get to Marcus, Colin reluctantly agrees to help the local resistance, which is led by the beautiful Dahlia, who reminds Colin of his late wife. But there are bigger stakes involved, as they learn that Marcus plans to unleash a deadly virus that will wipe out those outside his city so he can bring back the glory and perfection that was Rome.
As a “Highlander” fan, I enjoyed this flick, especially given the people behind it. I enjoyed the fights, I enjoyed the drama, and I enjoyed the story by writer David Abramowitz (who wrote for the TV series), particularly the history between Colin and Marcus using the flashback scenes “Highlander” is famous for. Through them, we learn not only how Colin became Immortal and how Moya was killed, but also how he was adopted into the Clan MacLeod in 11th century (making him the oldest MacLeod Immortal, pre-dating movie hero Connor) and how he got his own katana (another mainstay of the franchise, though Colin's has a standard hilt rather than an ivory, dragon-carved one fans are more familiar with). Kawajiri and Madhouse put a lot of effort into making this flick, working well with Panzer-Davis Productions to give us a satisfying product.
The character aspect and relationship between Colin and Marcus is of an interesting note, especially given how the two seem to be mirror images of each other. Compared to Connor and TV series hero Duncan, Colin is quite the loner, wanting little to do with anything or anyone save finding Marcus. As a villain, Marcus is more in tune with some of the later TV villains, the suave and sophisticated type rather than a psychotic in biker gear like the Kurgan. It probably explains why their feud has gone on for so long, not just because of interfering circumstances (like suddenly ending up on Holy Ground), but because Marcus looks down on Colin and doesn't really take him seriously. The whole thing helps to further drive the story and make you root for Colin, no matter how much of a jerk he acts like.
Another interesting aspect to the film is Colin's mentor, Amergan. Rather than an older Immortal who teaches Colin the ropes then parts ways with him (usually by dying), ala Ramirez from the first film, Amergan is the ghost of a Druid priest who sticks with Colin over the centuries, popping up either as himself or by possessing animals or objects, identified by glowing green eyes. And Colin can't get rid of him, making for an interesting relationship as Amergan also serves as Colin's conscience, trying to make him see how his relentless and obsessive pursuit of Marcus is getting him nowhere. One interesting thing I picked up is that it never, to me, seems to clarify whether Amergan is really a ghost or simply a figment of Colin's imagination, since obviously only Colin can see or hear the guy. It doesn't explain how Colin would've learned how his Immortality worked, but it does make for an interesting debate.
Probably my only gripe about the film is that there's little to connect it to previous “Highlander” works, other than the concept of Immortals and the main character being named MacLeod. There are no references to the previous films or the TV series, so we have no idea how “Search for Vengeance” relates to them and fits into the continuity of the franchise. On the one hand, anime fans who have never seen “Highlander” can still watch and enjoy this movie, since some of the concepts are explained, like what Immortals are, that they can die if they lose their heads and that they can't fight on Holy Ground. What isn't explained, however, is the fact that the Immortals must battle until one remains, hence the catchphrase “There can be only one” (which is said several times), causing both the “Highlander” and anime fans to scratch their heads and wonder further. It doesn't hurt the film, but a reference or two, like maybe a cameo appearance by previous “Highlander” characters or use of the music of Queen, who provided songs to the original movie, would have been nice.
