Movies - Highlander II: The Quickening

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	Movies - Highlander II: The Quickening

Released on January 31, 1991, it is the sequel of the successful Highlander: There Can Be Only One.

Plot

The film's opening scene occurs on August, 1994. News broadcasts explain that the ozone layer will be completely gone in a matter of months, and that the ozone hole has been significantly expanded and covers most of planet Earth. In Africa millions have died, due to the effects the unfiltered sunlight has had on them. Among them is Connor's wife, who makes him promise that he will work in solving the problem presented. (In the original release of the film, this woman is revealed to be Brenda Wyatt, per her tombstone seen in the movie; Highlander III somewhat contradictorily reveals that Brenda died around 1987, with Alex Johnson possibly having died circa 1995.)

In the period following his wife's death, Connor becomes the supervisor of a scientific team attempting to create an artificial shield, which will cover the planet and protect it from the Sun's radiation. The actual head of the team is Dr. Allan Neyman (Allan Rich). In 1999, the team succeeded in its goal, and Earth gained its artificial shield filtering sunlight in place of the ozone layer. MacLeod and Neyman were proud in having apparently saved humanity, and believed they would be remembered for a thousand years. However, the shield has the side-effect of condemning the planet to a state of constant night, and humanity can no longer see the sun, the moon, or the stars.

The film then proceeds to the year 2024. According to a narration by Connor, twenty-five years of darkness have had caused humanity to lose hope and fall into a decline. The Shield has fallen under the control of "Shield Corporation," and its current head David Blake (John C. McGinley), taxing for its services in pursuit of profit. A number of terrorists have emerged trying to take down the Shield. Among them is Louise Marcus (Virginia Madsen), a former employee of the Corporation. Meanwhile, Connor has since begun aging once again ever since his 1985 victory over the Kurgan -- a result of his winning The Prize. He has physically aged into a frail old man, and expects himself to eventually die of natural causes.

Meanwhile, MacLeod has been able to recover his memories from a previous life in his series of reincarnations. A flashback to "Planet Zeist 500 years ago" begins with the last meeting of the members of a rebellion against the rule of General Katana (Michael Ironside). The rebellion's leader, a previous incarnation of Ramirez, chooses "a man of great destiny" from among them, Connor's previous incarnation, to carry out a mission against Katana. At this moment, Katana and his troops attack, and the rebellion is crushed. Katana orders his men to capture "Ramirez" and "MacLeod" alive, and kill the rest of the rebels. The two captives are put on trial by Zeist's priests, who sentence them to be exiled from Zeist and reborn on Earth as Immortals in pursuit of the Prize. Given the choice to grow old and die on Earth or return to Zeist, they choose Earth. Katana is unsatisfied with their decision, but the sentence is executed and the events of the previous film follow. Oddly, both Immortals were born before 1524 on Earth; whether the "500 years ago" message was in error, or their Earth incarnations were somehow born before the death of their Zeist incarnations is left unexplained.

The film then returns to the Earth of 2024. Louise Marcus discovers that the ozone layer has been reformed, and the artificial Shield is no longer needed. The Corporation is aware of this development, but has apparently decided to hide it from the general public in order to maintain its main source of profit. Meanwhile on Zeist, General Katana is still alive. His information seems to indicate that Connor wants to return to Zeist. However, he decides that cannot be allowed to happen and sends his Immortal henchmen Corda (Pete Antico) and Reno (Peter Bucossi) to Earth to kill him in battle.

Louise manages to reach Connor first, and asks for his help in taking down the Shield. To Louise's disappointment, she finds the passionate person she once admired to have grown into "a tired old man." MacLeod explains to Louise that he is dying, and expresses his disapproval of terrorism. Before Connor and Louise can finish their conversation, Corda and Reno locate them and attack. MacLeod soon manages to decapitate them both, and in the process regains his youthful appearance. While he absorbs their energy, Connor summons Ramirez.

In Glencoe, Scotland, the location of his death, Ramirez is apparently revived. He finds himself on a theatrical stage during a performance of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Meanwhile, in New York Connor has found a new lover in Louise Marcus. He attempts to explain to her the concepts of his Immortality, but she finds them confusing. Elsewhere in New York, General Katana arrives, and proceeds to spread havoc.

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