“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.

Another downside of the DVD, at least for the die-hard anime fans, is that there's no Japanese language track. Not surprising considering this was mostly made for American and European audiences (the main source of the “Highlander” franchise's fanbase), but it would've been interesting to hear what some of these characters would've sounded like with Japanese voice actors. The sound quality on the DVD is pretty impressive, especially in 5.1 surround sound, which really brings out the musical score and sound effects if you crank up the volume. And the voice cast sports some familiars to anime fans, such as Janyse Jaud as Kyala, Marcus' sexy femme fatale companion and the film's resident female Immortal, and Kathleen Barr as Moya. There's even a couple “Highlander” alumni amongst the cast. Veteran voice actor Scott McNeil, who voices Amergan, MacLeod Clan leader Gregor and Marcus' chief scientist, had a couple of guest appearances on the TV series, as a street punk in Season 1 and as Duncan MacLeod's cousin Robert in Season 4. But the best is Jim Byrnes, who played Watcher Joe Dawson in the TV series, and returns here to voice a couple characters: resistance members Rudy, who runs a bar (Joe ran a bar in the TV series) and the Doc. Not quite the references and connections some fans were hoping for, but close enough.

Now you can't have a DVD without bonus material. “Search for Vengeance” doesn't have much, but what it does have is rather interesting. “East Meets West: Filmmakers Crossing Borders” is a short interview with the crew of the film (including writer David Abramowitz, producers Peter Davis and William Panzer, and director Kawajiri) discussing how the project came about and the difficulties in adapting a Western franchise into an anime. “A Talk With Kawajiri” is just that, a short interview with the director regarding his desire to make a good movie and do his own thing with this project while staying true to the franchise. An interesting thing about this is that, while Kawajiri is speaking in Japanese, rather than subtitles, an English translator talks over the director's words. The English is louder so you can focus on it, but one has to wonder why not use subtitles? “Stills, Drawings and Studies” is gallery of design and production art, as well as photos of the animation studio and crew, stills from the anime movie and also stills from the original “Highlander” film. After that we get the original teaser trailer that made the rounds when the project was first announced, the official trailer that premiered prior to the DVD's release, and some trailers for other Manga Entertainment releases. Like I said, not much, but enough to satisfy those who like some extras with their DVDs.

All in all, “Highlander: The Search for Vengeance” is a must have for both anime fans who want some killer sword-swinging action and the “Highlander” fans who want a great movie from this franchise. Since it may be awhile before we get another half-decent “Highlander” film, this is sure to wet a lot of whistles.

• Released by: Manga Entertainment
• Rating: None
• Length: 80 Minutes
• Score: 8 out of 10