!!! Spoilers !!!
Released in 2007, Highlander: The Source is the fifth and so far the last movie in the Highlander franchise. For some markets, it was titled Highlander 5: The Source.
This is the only one of the five movies that do not include Christopher Lambert, as his character Connor MacLeod was beheaded in the film Highlander 4: Endgame.
Directed by Brett Leonard, Highlander: The Source follows the continuity Endgame and of the 1992-1998 TV-series Highlander: The Series, with Adrian Paul reprising his role as the Duncan MacLeod, an immortal swordsman from the same clan as Connor.
Highlander: The Source was never released in United States movie theatres. Instead, it was broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel on September 15, 2007. The plan was to make a trilogy of Sci-Fi Channel original movies, but The Source was not well received and no sequels to it were made.
Continuity
Highlander: The Source is set in a future version of Earth.
At the Highlander Worldwide Convention in 2009, TV series producer David Abramowitz referred to Highlander: The Source as a “bad dream” Duncan had. It is therefore unclear if the film is to be considered canon or not.
Short facts
- Release: 13 September, 2007
- Director: Brett Leonard
- Starring: Adrian Paul, Peter Wingfield, Jim Byrnes, Thekla Reuten
- Length: International version 99 minutes, U.S. Version 86 minutes
- Country: USA
- Language: English
- Story: Mark Bradley
- Screenplay: Mark Bradley, Steven Kelvin Watkins
- Producers: Adrian Paul, Peter S. Davis, William N. Panzer
- Cinematography: Steve Arnold, Dmitrij Gribanov
- Editor: Les Healey
- Distribution: Lionsgate
- Budget: $13 million
- Box office: $213,205 worldwide
Trailer
Plot
Intro
The movie is set in the near future on Earth, a world characterized by failed states, violence and chaos. Some smaller groups of people still have access to advanced technology, including a group of immortals who are on a quest to find the legendary Source of Immortality.
The group includes the ancient immortal Methos, the warrior Zai Jie, the computer hacker Reggie, and Giovanni – a Cardinal representing the Vatican.
Death of Zai Jie
When Zai Jie believes he has located the Source, he is killed by the Guardian of the Source; a monstrous and mysteriously fast immortal.
Recruiting MacLeod
As Reggie realizes the planets are moving into an aligment by unatural means, Methos asks his old friend Joe Dawson to find Duncan MacLeod as the group needs his help.
Simultaneously, Duncan is roaming the wastelands. His mortal wife Anna Teshemka has recently left him due to his inability to father children. Right after being in a brief fight with the Guardian, Joe finds him and recruits him to the group.
The Monastery
The group reunites in a monastery, to meet an ancient immortal called the Elder. Anna Teshemka is also there, and reveals she has been having visions related to the Source.
The Elder is an immortal, but their body actually decays. He explains that another group of immortals found the Source in ancient times and slayed the Guardian. The slaying resulted in two of the three survivors being cursed. One of the became the endlessly decaying Elder and the other the new Guardian. It is hinted that the third may have been reincarnated as Anna. The Elder says Anna´s visions means she knows the way, but also explains that all of them will grow weaker as they get closer to the Source.
The Guardian shows up and attacks Reggie and Joe on holy ground. To protect Joe, Duncan throws his katana at the Guardian, but the Guardian uses the sword to kill Joe and then leaves. After burying Joe, the rest of the group leaves to find the Source.
The island
The group travels to an island off the coast of Lithuania, which is controlled by cannibals.
Duncan replaces his katana (which was damaged by the Guardian) with a pair of butterfly swords.
Anna reveals that she has not started a family with any mortal man, because she wants to have children with Duncan.
The Guardian slashes Reggie, and he dies of his wounds because they are so close to the Source now.
Duncan and Methos decides that the expression “There can be only one” actually means that only one immortal can claim the full power of the Source.
Closer to the Source
The group is captured by cannibals, but Anna is freed by the Guardian who forces her to come to the Source with him.
Giovanni escapes and heads alone to the Source, believing it is his destiny to be “the one”.
Duncan frees himself and Methos, and Methos says Duncan´s incorruptible nature means he is “the one”. Methods distracs the cannibals to allow Duncan to flee.
Giovanni is beheaded by the Guardian.
Cosmic convergence
Duncan finds Anna in a sandpit, with the cosmic convergence happening right over them.
The Guardian challenges Duncan, who is now as fast and strong as the Guardian.
Anna communes with the Source – an energy well, but Duncan can not get to her because of an energy barrier.
Duncan immobilizes the Guardian, who then asks to be killed. Duncan refuses, thereby avoiding a transfer of the curse. The Guardian vanishes in a strong light.
Having proven his purity, Duncan is permitted to get close to Anna and connects to the Source. The movie ends with an image of a future.
DVD ending
The DVD ending has an added dialogue between Duncan and Anna. She reveals that they will have a son together, and he proclaims that “he is the one”.