Lets be fair. This is not Highlander 4, it's the capstone movie to Highlander the Series. The Series has only the name, and the overall plot concepts in common with the original movie, and the others. There really should be no continuity comparisons between this movie and the others, as it follows them only in name, not in story.
The series is it's own storyline, always was. It changed many of the 'established facts' of the original movie to better suit a long running series, rather than a 2 hr film. More or less, the original movie was set late in the 'game', when there were only a handful of the immortals left. The Gathering was near. In the series, the gathering isn't nearing, it's more of a legend. The number of immortals is large (Duncan does quite a bit of thinning, but still there are more), and new ones are being created all the time. This 'game' may run forever. This idea is well suited for a series, something that can last for many many many episodes. You can't string the audience along with 6 immortals for 8 seasons, it would be boring.
Taking the film for what it is, it's all right. I wasn't overly impressed, but it wasn't as annoying or repulsive as 2 and 3. Duncan was a more important character than Connor in the series. Connor was mainly there to introduce the series, and give the pilot a boost. He was really a minor character. In the series, immortals had very complex relationships, and sometimes working together for years. This was in the first movie, but in a more guarded, limited capacity. Ramirez implied he was going to move on once Connor was ready to make his own in the world, and Castagir hadn't seen Connor in 100 years, it being 200 years since they spent any time together. Not as chummy, but not 100% cold shoulder either.
The film works hard to explain differences in the life of Connor from first movie to series/last movie, doing a pretty good job, it does seem rushed, and a little contrived, but it worked. Like most Sci-Fi/Fantasy stories, the more they try to explain 'how things work' the deeper and deeper they dig themselves into a hole. This creates one of the silliest or most confusion elements of the story: transference of Quickening. Which annoyed many viewers.
Overall, for a fan of the series, this should be an enjoyable film. For fans of the original film, it may be disappointing. Personally, I am holding out for a movie version of a rumored screenplay: a biopic of Juan Sanchez Villalobos Ramirez, that Spanish Peacock!!! (Maybe Connery can be talked into it, but I won't hold my breath)
