Unlike the immortal characters in the film, Highlander: Endgame might have a short life.

The fourth incarnation of Highlander films, brings together Duncan (Adrian Paul) and Connor (Christopher Lambert) Macleod for the first time in a motion picture. The movie follows Duncan and Connor as they attempt to destroy an enemy that is more powerful than they can possibly imagine. This new fiend is Jacob Kell, an immortal that has stopped following the code of conduct and battle that is strictly adhered to by most of his kind. Duncan and Connor must combine their strengths and skills in order to defeat this rogue.

Why do the writers feel the need to revamp the storyline and histories of the Highlanders each time a film is made? The first film, Highlander, was originally meant to be the final showdown of good and evil. Then came Highlander 2: The Quickening, which is mostly discounted due to the fact that it explains the immortals in the film as not even being human. Highlander: The Final Dimension came along and presented itself as the final battle for the ultimate prize. Lastly Highlander: Endgame is supposed to be what really happens to the Macleods in the end, but of course this doesn’t really happen. Although this final film was meant to tie up all the loose ends of the never-ending Highlander story, a lot is left open.

All Highlander films/series have the trademark aspect of showing flashbacks of what has happened to the heroes throughout their long lives. This is almost a necessity in order to understand the motives of the immortals, and most of the time these flashes take up only a small amount of the screen time. They are also worked into the plot very well. Endgame, on the other hand, switches back and forth between reality and history so frequently that the audience may find it difficult to keep track of what is happening in the present.

The storyline starts off quite strong but weakens as the film progresses. The characters are rushed through development as the film attempts to cram as much story as possible into the time is has on the screen. This gives the film an overall cluttered feeling and a sense that the story may have benefited from the extended amount of time that a miniseries could have offered.

Overall Highlander: Endgame isn’t something that one should go out of their way to see. Wait for home video on this one.

Rating: C+