The Honorary Consul Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.0

The Honorary Consul Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 20, 2026

John Mackenzie's "The Honorary Consul" (1983) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include new program with director of photography Phil Meheux; new program with first assistant director Simon Hinkly; new program with makeup artist Nick Dudman; new audio commentary by critic Matthew Asprey Gear; vintage promotional materials for the film; and more. In English, with optional Engish SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The boozer

Anyone who has spent time with Graham Greene’s novel would easily tell that John Mackenzie’s film The Honorary Consul a.k.a. Beyond the Limit is not a faithful cinematic adaptation of it. Greene’s novel is a political exposé that uncovers what it perceives to be important truths about the decline of England’s influence on the world stage. The drama that its characters are entangled in is just a ruse for its messaging. The Honorary Consul rebalances the politics and the drama, while also adjusting several crucial elements of the latter to make it even more attractive to a mainstream audience. Richard Gere’s performance does plenty to enhance the change as well. Interestingly, all of this was done with Greene’s involvement. Apparently, Greene even preferred this interpretation of the original material from his novel.

In a small town somewhere in northern Argentina, near the border with Paraguay, Dr. Eduardo Plarr (Richard Gere), an English-Paraguayan physician, while heading home after a long day of exhausting work, is asked by a stranger to help him take care of a man who has had too much to drink. In an empty local bar, Plarr meets Charley Fortnum (Michael Caine), the local honorary British Consul, who is a hardcore boozer. In the days ahead, while continuing to interact with Forthum, Plarr seduces his local wife, Clara (Elpidia Carrillo), after seeing her work in the town’s popular brothel, and the two begin a secret romantic relationship. Around the same time, Plarr also befriends one of the most powerful men in town, Colonel Perez (Bob Hoskins), and reconnects with a former priest-turned-communist guerrilla leader (Joaquim de Almeida) with whom he grew up in Paraguay.

Mackenzie quickly transforms Gere’s character into a conventional star and conveniently traps it in a polarized reality where the forces of good and evil are engaged in a fierce battle for superiority. At the right time, while attempting to learn more about his father, a communist sympathizer imprisoned in Paraguay, Gere’s character, despite wanting to remain neutral, is then forced to choose a side, allowing Mackenzie to reintroduce some of the political messaging from Greene’s novel. On paper, all of this sounds rather good.

But before Mackenzie’s camera, Gere’s character routinely appears unwilling to be a conventional star capable of leading with authority, instead leaving the impression that he is just casually enduring everything that comes his way. It is odd because there is a lot, including a botched kidnapping that is supposed to reset his entire philosophy of life. Caine is trying to do better with his character, but in the end, he only sells him as a disillusioned, aging boozer who is slowly drinking himself to death. Hoskins is badly miscast, so his character does not even look right next to Gere and Caine’s characters.

The supposedly cynical finale is the only bit that prevents The Honorary Consul from being a complete disaster. It effectively proves that people can choose to avoid reality, but they cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality.

The Honorary Consul Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Honorary Consul arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

It is easy to tell that the master used to prepare this Blu-ray release is old, likely from the DVD era. However, it is not easy to describe the quality of the visuals it produces. Indeed, some of these visuals convey the typical limitations that older masters are known for -- delineation and clarity fluctuate, while grain exposure appears uneven. However, there are many areas where close-ups and outdoor panoramic shots can look very good. At times, even the dynamic range of these visuals can be surprisingly good. Color reproduction and balance are difficult to evaluate, too. However, it is primarily because The Honorary Consul features plenty of stylization work that gives it a certain period appearance, and because select primaries and nuances are manipulated in specific ways. Considering that the master is old, I think that the overall temperature and color balance are quite nice. However, it is not difficult to conclude that a future 4K master will introduce meaningful adjustments in the saturation levels, darker nuances, and even the overall temperature of the visuals. There are no traces of recent problematic digital corrections. However, grain exposure should be more convincing. Igae stability can be improved because I noticed several bumps and wobbly frames. A few blemishes and even a few small marks pop up here and there, so the visuals could be healthier, too. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

The Honorary Consul Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I would describe the lossless track as good. However, it has inconsistencies, too. For example, during the kidnapping footage, in a few places, the dynamic intensity is uneven. Also, I think that the music could and should sound fuller and better-rounded, creating additional dynamic contrasts. The dialogue is clear and easy to follow, and there are no serious distracting age-related anomalies.

The Honorary Consul Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Mexican Light - in this new program, director of photography Phil Meheux explains why Richard Gere was an imperfect choice to play the main character in The Honorary Consul and discusses his interactions with John Mackenzie during the production process and elsewhere, repeateadly clarifying that he was a straight shooter. Meheux also speculates that there was a minor rivalry between Gere and Michael Caine during production and explains why Mexico was chosen as the best location to replace Argentina. In English, not subtitled. (19 min).

• Final Cut - in this new program, additional editor David De Wild recalls his interactions with John Mackenzie during and after production of The Honorary Consul was completed in Mexico, and comments on a few small changes that were made. In English, not subtitled. (8 min).

• Blood and Smears - in this new program, makeup artist Nick Dudman explains how he was hired to work on The Honorary Consul and recalls his interactions with Richard Gere -- whom he was tasked to take care of during the production process -- and Bob Hoskins in Mexico, as well as how some of the more difficult scenes were done. In English, not subtitled. (17 min).

• Honorary Replacement - in this new program, first assistant director Simon Hinkly explains how he was asked to replace another person who had started working with John Mackenzie in Mexico, and comments on his interactions with several cast members during the production of The Honorary Consul. Hinkly also mentions an accident involving Michael Caine, who had been given an aspirin, which made him very sick. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Matthew Asprey Gear.

• Image Gallery - presented here is a collection of vintage promotional materials for The Nonorary Consul. With music. (3 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for The Nonorary Consul. (2 min).

The Honorary Consul Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Phil Meheux confirms that various people around John Mackenzie were unsure if Richard Gere could evolve into the English-Paraguayan physician and temporarily replace his American accent with a British one. However, Gere's accent is not what makes his character unconvincing. Michael Caine and Bob Hoskins do not look right in The Honorary Consul either. The entire adaptation of Graham Greene's novel, which has its fair share of issues, is problematic in ways that make it awfully difficult to sell its reality and characters as authentic. Imprint Films' Blu-ray release is sourced from an old, shaky master, but it has several nice, exclusive new bonus features. It is included in Directed by John Mackenzie, a four-disc box set.