Caffeinated Clint
But he has a good reason
I revisited “Highlander II” last night. Oh My God. What a bloody mess that is. You can touch up the effects; you can remaster the sound… you can even turn the shield from red to blue, but it’s still an undeniable bad movie. Considering how great the first “Highlander” film is… watching the sequel is like having your balls thrown to a dog by Lauren German. I can’t fathom why on earth they decided to go that route with the movie… it just doesn’t, well, fit. Sure, there’s a couple of good action sequences but predominantly, it’s hard to see the film as anything other than generic-action-movie starring Christopher Lambert…
…. Oh, and another waste of time for Sean Connery.
He was paid $3 million dollars to reprise his role as Ramirez in the film. These days, no amount of cabbage can make sir Sean do he doesn’t want to do. That’s evident in the fact that he’s just nixed the chance to reprise his role as Indy’s Dad in “Indiana Jones 4”. What’s he going to do instead? Retire.
That’s right. Sean Connery – like Paul Newman, who announced he’d be stepping down from the acting circle this week – is going to retire from film. No “Indiana Jones 4” first, not even that long-gestating “Josiah’s Canon” that he’s attached to.
Connery, 76, said in a statement, “I get asked the question so often, I thought it best to make an announcement. I thought long and hard about it and if anything could have pulled me out of retirement it would have been an Indiana Jones film. I love working with Steven and George, and it goes without saying that it is an honor to have Harrison as my son. But in the end, retirement is just too damned much fun. I, do however, have one bit of advice for Junior: Demand that the critters be digital, the cliffs be low, and for goodness sake keep that whip by your side at all times in case you need to escape from the stunt coordinator! This is a remarkable cast, and I can only say, “Break a leg, everyone.” I’ll see you on May 22, 2008, at the theater!’”
(On a side note, John Hurt has joined the cast of “Indy 4”)
What’s even sadder is that Connery’s last film was “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”. Yep, he’s going out riding that donkey. At least Newman’s going out with “Road to Perdition” credited as his last on-screen gig.
Ah, shit. He’ll be missed. Most definitely. There aren’t many left like Connery… or Newman…. And just think… in a few years Pacino, De Niro and Hoffman will all be retiring too…
Time for a revisit to “Red October” me thinks.
