HIGHLANDER - THE SEARCH FOR VENGEANCE
Release Date: June 5
Starring: Alistair Abell
Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Length: 85 minutes

There can be only one, huh? The makers of Highlander never took that line seriously as they’ve churned out four movies, two TV series, numerous novels, comic books, and a 1994 animated series. Now, the Highlander franchise heads into the world of anime with mixed results.

Legendary anime director Yoshiaki Kawajiri (”Ninja Scroll,” “Neo-Tokyo”) re-imagines the Highlander legend in the direct-to-DVD movie “Highlander - The Search for Vengeance.” The story follows Colin (not Connor) MacLeod of the clan MacLeod from the 2nd century, where he fights the Immortal Roman bad guy Marcus to the late 22nd century, where he fights Marcus, the Immortal leader of post-apocalyptic New York City. For 2,000 years the Highlander has been fruitlessly seeking revenge on Marcus for killing his wife, but once he hooks up with Dahlia, a woman very reminiscent of his dead wife, it looks like he might have a chance.

There are plenty of superficial similarities to the original “Highlander” movie. Like the original, the movie interweaves the Highlander’s past with his present. There’s a spirit who guides MacLeod, reminiscent of the character Ramirez, played by Sean Connery in the first film. But “The Search for Vengeance” (written by David Abramowitz) doesn’t add anything new to the Highlander mythos. In fact, there’s a bunch of stuff missing. The line “There can be only one” is often repeated, but its significance is never explained. In the original the Immortals fight each other for a “prize.” The last Immortal with his head still intact wins. Yet there’s no competition or prize in this story. So why can there be only one? Other key Highlander concepts aren’t explained either, like the Immortals, the Quickening, or the beheadings. It should leave non-Highlander fans scratching their heads. Also, there’s no music by Queen, which is a disappointment when I watch any movie, but particularly Highlander flicks.

It’s not all bad, though. There are some amazing (and violent) scenes and visuals, especially the swordfights. And I always love when cartoon characters curse and get naked. Not as bad as “Highlander: The Quickening” but certainly not as good as “Highlander,” “The Search for Vengeance” is an uneven but still enjoyable addition to the saga of that sword-wielding Scotsman we all love.

DVD GOODIES
Contains the featurettes “East Meets West: Filmmakers Crossing Borders” and “A Talk With Kawajiri,” as well as trailers and production stills. PRICE: $12.99

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