10 Movies Like Highlander To Watch Before Henry Cavill’s Remake

Although the Highlander reboot is one of the upcoming movies by John Wick director Chad Stahlehski and set to feature A-list actor Henry Cavill in the lead as Connor MacLeod, there are plenty of movies in the action, fantasy, and science fiction genres that are very similar to the 1986 original. Written by Greg Widen, the 1986 Highlander follows the immortal Scottish swordsman, Connor, as he embarks on a quest to defeat his fellow immortal swordsmen and prevent the ruthless barbarian Kurgan from attaining “The Prize.” Supporting Highlander‘s unique premise is a meticulously crafted world filled with distinct personalities, dazzling special effects, and amazing sword fights.

The Highlander reboot is one of many projects Stahelski is working on, as the director steps back from the beloved John Wick franchise to deliver high-octane action and thrills to audiences with different characters and time periods. Given Stahelski’s success in the action movie genre with the John Wick series, and Cavill’s star power steadily rising since his breakout role in 2013’s Man of Steel, it’s safe to say the Highlander reboot is in good hands. While Stahelski and Cavill’s Highlander is exciting, there are plenty of movies that either influenced or were influenced by the original movie, thus sharing similar themes, tones, and even aesthetics.

12 Dragonslayer (1981)

Dragonslayer shares similar fantasy elements and dark themes with Highlander

Writer-director Matthew Robbins’s 1981 dark fantasy movie, Dragonslayer, centers around the protagonist, Galen Bradwarden, and his quest to defeat a powerful dragon named Vermithrax Pejorative, and stop him from feasting on virgin women in a nearby village. Dragonslayer and Highlander share very similar settings and aesthetics as both movies are set in a dark fantasy world and feature incredible sword fighters braving insurmountable odds. Additionally, Highlander‘s quickening effects and Dragonslayer‘s Vermithrax fire-breathing effects both heighten the sense of danger in each movie. However, despite Galen’s boyishly innocent looks and Connor’s famous pedestrian appearance from 1985, both protagonists share the same sense of valor in their respective stories.

11 The 13th Warrior (1999)

The 13th Warrior’s epic scale, atmosphere, and sword fights are reminiscent of the first two Highlander films

The 13th Warrior is one of the few action movies like Highlander to see a theatrical release well after Highlander‘s 1986 release, thus contributing to The 13th Warrior containing many subtle visual references to the 1980s cult classic. Based on Michael Critchton’s 1976 novel, Eaters of the Dead, The 13th Warrior sees Antonio Banderas as Ahmad ibn Fadlan, an Arabic traveler and warrior renowned for his skill with a blade, accidentally involved in a political dispute. In addition to The 13th Warrior‘s familiar setting and action, the movie shares a similar theme of its protagonist unwittingly involved in a large scale war, and desperately fighting to resolve it.

10 Escape from New York (1981)

Escape from New York’s Snake Plissken’s is just as much an unconventional hero as Conor MacLeod

John Carpenter’s sci-fi action film, Escape from New York, sees Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken, a criminal who once served in the US Army during World War III. After he’s offered a shot at an erased criminal record, Snake agrees to rescue the President from utter peril. Escape from New York and Highlander‘s futuristic aesthetics are very similar, but, their similar reluctant hero-style protagonists are even more similar. While Snake wants to take advantage of clearing his name, he’s reluctant to assist the country he feels betrayed him. Alternatively, Connor’s reluctance to build relationships with people because of his immortal status makes it difficult for him to bond with people.

9 Conan The Destroyer (1984)

Conan the Destroyer’s fantasy aesthetic and sword fights fit perfectly in Highlander’s mythos

The sequel to Richard Fleischer’s 1982 epic sword and sorcery movie, Conan the Barbarian, Conan the Destroyer sees Arnold Schwarzenegger reprise his role as the titular, muscle-bound hero as he and a ragtag group of adventurers embark on an epic quest to rescue Princess Jehnna from evil forces of Akiro and his cronies. Featuring many new and old faces, Conan the Destroyer‘s fantasy aesthetics combined with its complex fight scenes and well-choreographed action are perfectly seen on display in Highlander. Additionally, Conan’s sense of duty and impeccable skill with a blade are additional similarities between Conan the Destroyer and Highlander.

8 Red Sonja (1985)

Red Sonja’s bravery and grit perfectly matches Connor MacLeod’s

Red Sonja centers around the fearless warrior known as Red Sonja, and her quest to avenge the death of her family, enact her own brand of justice against the men who defiled her as a young girl, and rid her kingdom of the merciless evil Queen Gedren. While Red Sonja‘s female-centric cast and themes give the movie a unique perspective on the epic sword and sorcery genre, it still contains many of the attributes rife in the genre. In relation to Highlander, Red Sonja‘s familiar geography is noteworthy, but Red Sonja’s characterization as a fearless and determined warrior is perhaps the greatest similarity that Red Sonja shares with Highlander.

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6 Mortal Kombat (1995)

Christopher Lambert’s work as Raiden and Mortal Kombat’s premise connect the movie to Highlander

Paul W. S. Anderson’s Mortal Kombat is the first live-action movie adaptation of the popular video games series of the same name that centers around skilled martial artists from around the world competing in a deadly tournament to decide the fate of the world. Despite Mortal Kombat‘s mixed reception, Christopher Lambert’s work as Raiden is a consistent source of praise from audiences familiar with the genre both new and old. This is because, in spite of the movie’s overall inconsistent tone, Lambert grounds the action with a performance that’s reminiscent of Sean Connery’s Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez mentor character from Highlander.

Furthermore, Lambert’s casting as Raiden, Mortal Kombat‘s thunder god, is a subtle nod to Highlander‘s quickening effect seen whenever an immortal is beheaded, thus acting as a nice Easter egg for audiences familiar with Lambert’s work. However, a more substantial connection between Highlander and Mortal Kombat is each movie’s atmosphere and premise. Both franchises include powerful warriors engaging in centuries-long battles to decide the fate of the universe, and each movie is set in dystopian settings that highlight their themes. With their cult status among cinephiles and similar themes, Mortal Kombat and Highlander have much in common beyond Lambert’s appearances in both franchises.

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4 The Blade trilogy (1998, 2002, 2004)

The Blade trilogy’s themes and atmosphere hearken back to Highlander’s musing about prophecies and fate

The Blade trilogy sees Wesley Snipes as Eric Brooks, better known as Blade, work with various individuals to combat the evil vampiric forces that threaten to bring about a new age run by bloodsuckers by utilizing various swords, guns, and futuristic technology. Furthermore, Blade‘s postmodern visual aesthetics, while still retaining many tropes and conventions appropriate to medieval vampire lore, share a common visual flare with Highlander‘s blend of Scottish mythology and the sensibilities of 1980s New York City. Additionally, Blade’s status as a Daywalker, that is, a half-human, half-vampire hybrid, essentially makes him an immortal, similar to Connor’s immortal role as a Highlander.

3 Equilibrium (2002)

Equilibrium’s sword fighting and futuristic aesthetic are reminiscent of Highlander’s

Kurt Wimmer’s Equilibrium sees Christian Bale as John Preton, a law enforcement agent tasked with enforcing the law against anyone who expresses any form of emotion, rising against his superiors in a totalitarian city-state after the events of World War III. Notable for its heavy use of the filmmaking technique Gun-fu, that is, characters using guns similarly to bladed weapons, Equilibrium‘s highly stylized action and complex themes are reminiscent of Highlander‘s. Moreover, the two movies share a common theme of their protagonists going against the grain, thus compelling every other character in their respective factions to hunt them down and bring them to justice.

2 Excalibur (1981)

Highlander and Excalibur share similar themes of bravery and fate

John Boorman’s Excalibur is an epic medieval fantasy film that sees the legendary king of Brittain, Arthur, rise to the challenge of fulfilling his destiny while uniting the Britons around the Round Table of Camelot and combating evil magical forces. Filled with a rich lore, beautiful set design and cinematography, and inspired performances by its cast, Excalibur‘s aesthetic of knights combating evil magicians and sorcerers combined with its themes of fate share the strongest similarities between itself and Highlander. Furthermore, both Excalibur and Highlander feature well-choreographed sword fights that display their protagonist’s growth throughout the course of their respective stories.

1 The Duellists (1977)

Highlander creator Gregory Widen was directly influenced by The Duellists while enrolled at UCLA

Based on the 20th century play, The Duel, by Polish-British novelist Joseph Conrad, The Duellists is the debut film of Ridley Scott, and is a period drama that sees two highly skilled swordsmen with completely different temperaments engage in lengthy sword fights that span the course of several years. While The Duellists‘s European setting and sword fights are enough to draw a connection between it and Highlander, the concept of two bitter rivals engaging in combat over the course of multiple years is the most substantial influence. By Widen’s account, The Duellists was a big inspiration on Highlander, with Highlander switching the setting from a few years to centuries.

Source: Empire