Highlander

"There can be only one."

1986 1h 56m EN

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 3,051

AdventureActionFantasy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

He fought his first battle on the Scottish Highlands in 1536. He will fight his greatest battle on the streets of New York City in 1986. His name is Connor MacLeod. He is immortal.

“There can be only one.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon Prime VideoSubscription

fuboTVSubscription

Peacock PremiumSubscription

PhiloSubscription

Screambox Amazon ChannelSubscription

Amazon Prime Video with AdsSubscription

Peacock Premium PlusSubscription

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Christopher Lambert
Connor 'The Highlander' MacLeod
Roxanne Hart
Brenda J. Wyatt
Clancy Brown
Victor 'The Kurgan' Kruger
Sean Connery
Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez
Beatie Edney
Heather MacLeod
Alan North
Lieutenant Frank Moran
Jon Polito
Det. Walter Bedsoe
Sheila Gish
Rachel Ellenstein

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Russell Mulcahy
Writers: Gregory Widen, Peter Bellwood, Larry Ferguson
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 68% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

40 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Highlander Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Russell Mulcahy, shot by Gerry Fisher. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Michael Kamen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Peter Honess shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Christopher Lambert and Roxanne Hart and Clancy Brown carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Russell Mulcahy directs. Gerry Fisher behind the camera. Michael Kamen scores. Peter Honess cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 68% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
240 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
4Part of the "Highlander Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by Russell Mulcahy, shot by Gerry Fisher. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Michael Kamen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Peter Honess shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Christopher Lambert and Roxanne Hart and Clancy Brown carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "There can be only one.".
10IMDB entry: tt0091203 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 22 themes, including "new york city", "martial arts", "swordplay", "immortality".
12Released under 22 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Gerry Fisher
Original score: Michael Kamen
Editing: Peter Honess
Production design: Allan Cameron
Costume design: James Acheson
Makeup / hair: Sandra Exelby
Stunt coordinator: Victor Magnotta
Runtime: 116 min · 1h 56m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $19,000,000
Box office: $12,900,000
Return: 68% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Highlander (1986)

Part of

Highlander Collection

Following the exploits of two immortal Scottish highlanders Conner and Duncan Macleod. Born of different times and fighting throughout the centuries to gain the mystical prize. Spanning history friendship, devastating relationships and legendary battles each immortal learns that there seemingly never ending life is more of a curse than a gift. But for the sake of mankind they must go on fighting to survive until only one remains

Also by

Russell Mulcahy

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2026-05-14
★ 7/10
So what - we've got Frenchman (Christopher Lambert) playing a Scotsman; a Scotsman (Sean Connery) playing a Spaniard and an American (Clancy Brown) playing a maniacal Russian - what could possibly go wrong? Well, actually despite the odd casting, this isn't an half bad fantasy adventure that introduces us to a group of immortals who are having to deal with the "quickening" - a process that has driven them throughout history to combat (and decapitate) others of their race in search of the ultimate "prize". Lambert is "Connor McLeod" who has come a bit late to this party and is ostracised from his Highland village after he miraculously survives battle wounds that would have slain an elephant. Luckily, he encounters and gets a bit of training from the thousand year old wily and flamboyant "Ramirez" (Connery) so he can be fit to fight the 'Kurgen" (Brown) - their mightiest (if not brainiest) warrior. The script is pretty dreadful, to be honest - but the story is fun. It's got loads of action, some of the best sword fights since Errol Flynn, and even a soupçon of romance as modern day science tries to explain his longevity. It is infinitely better than any of the derivatives it spawned - and a great Queen soundtrack makes for an enjoyable couple of hours of escapism with some fine Scottish scenery thrown in too.

Production companies