6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
An advertising executive jumps back and forth in time between 21st century London and 17th century La Mancha, where Don Quixote mistakes him for Sancho Panza.
Starring: Adam Driver, Olga Kurylenko, Stellan Skarsgård, Jonathan Pryce, Joana RibeiroDrama | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.38:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Co-writer/director Terry Gilliam has been dreaming of making “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” for 30 years, craving the chance to bring Miguel de Cervantes’s novel to the big screen. Famously, in 2000, Gilliam almost managed to make such a miracle happen, with stars Jean Rochefort and Johnny Depp joining forces to give the helmer’s unusual vision dramatic life. However, a disaster ensued, with schedules, location problems, and actor unreliability shutting down the shoot, crushing Gilliam’s plans to make one of his weirdest movies to date (the experience was chronicled in the 2002 documentary, “Lost in La Mancha”). The project was left for dead, branded cursed, but such toxicity didn’t bother Gilliam, who remained obsessed with the material, emerging in 2019 with a completed interpretation of “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote,” finally freeing himself from the burden of having to prove himself.
The AVC encoded image (2.38:1 aspect ratio) presentation offers clarity with sun-blasted exteriors, finding forays into the wilds of Spain dimensional, identifying intended isolation. Facial surfaces are textured, a Gilliam specialty, with weariness and age open for examination, and costuming is defined, from softer, cottony casual wear to the heavy metal of battle armor. Colors are alert, with inviting desert hues and clothing, keeping primaries bold. Interiors offer compelling earth tones and ceremonial extravagance, highlighting distinct reds and golds. Skintones are natural. Delineation is comfortable, managing evening adventures. Some mild banding is detected.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix contains a full understanding of dialogue exchanges, handling accents and intensity without falling into unintelligibility. Scoring cues are inviting, with a strong orchestral sound, delivering proper instrumentation. Surrounds are interesting with atmospherics, providing a sense of position as the action wanders around the outdoors. Some panning effects brighten up the track, along with mild separation. Low-end isn't terribly active, only giving the more fantastical areas of the picture some heft.
Toby makes contact with culture and danger, and the writing has things to say about the comfort of denial and an elasticity of imagination. Gilliam also feeds his hunger for outrageousness and literary minded displays of courage, embracing Javier's delusion but also celebrating his tenacity. At 133 minutes, "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" rambles on for too long, offering a third act that piles on strained oddity with almost ritualistic concentration. In more than one way, Gilliam has made this movie before, still in the directorial trenches trying to summon as big a psychological mess as possible, lacking control over his own endeavor. He makes a stylish feature with a game cast, but the picture ultimately plays like a private exorcism, becoming a film for single target audience: Gilliam and his multiple personalities.
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