Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 26, 2019

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.

Toby (Adam Driver) is in advertising, overseeing the direction of commercial campaigns. His latest assignment brings him to the wilds of Spain, hoping to complete a shoot while under pressure from The Boss (Stellan Skarsgard), who entrusts his wife, Jacqui (Olga Kurylenko), to the young man for the night while he tends to other matters. During the evening, Toby is put back into contact with a student film he made a decade ago, titled “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote,” which starred Javier (Jonthan Pryce), a modest cobbler. Triggering memories of the production and his attraction to local teenager Angelica (Joana Riberio), Toby’s brain is scrambled, eventually abandoning his responsibilities to reconnect with Angelica, instead finding Javier along the way. Realizing the old man now claims he’s Don Quixote, Toby is whisked away on a dangerous adventure, becoming squire Sancho, with the twosome crossing Spain, eventually getting in deep with Russian vodka kingpin Alexei (Jordi Molla), who keeps Angelica as a sexual plaything.

There’s no fatigue in Gilliam’s direction of “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.” Instead of dragging across the ground while reshooting scenes planned out 19 years ago, the helmer seems more determined than even to secure his vision, finding an apt lead in Driver, who’s completely committed to the cause, becoming the focal point of the picture as Toby is sent on a true odyssey throughout Spain and beyond. “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” doesn’t take many breathers when it comes to detailing Toby’s discoveries, beginning with his moviemaking reunion, putting the man into contact with his youthful dreams of cinematic expression, building a vision with help from Javier, who doesn’t act. He also sparks to Angelica, achieving a romantic obsession that’s reignited a decade later, inspiring the first of many missions for the director, soon faced with the hysteria of Javier, who is now Quixote, ready to carry on with his own appetites for danger.

Gilliam doesn’t treat “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” like fine china, happy to smash the material around, locating his preferred state of chaos as Toby is sucked into Javier’s madness while avoiding professional and personal trouble. The screenplay (by Gilliam and Tony Grisoni) slides in and out of dreamscapes and nightmare realms, toying with fantastical confrontations and painfully earthbound ones, including a few tangles with windmills. It’s a scattered feature, but that’s Gilliam’s way, striving to rattle the production enough to reach a fever pitch, thus encouraging the unexpected. Trouble is, Gilliam always makes this kind of film, leaving surprises few and far between in “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote,” which slowly but surely slides into excess as Toby pinballs around Spain, often dragged along by Javier.

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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 Man Who Killed Don Quixote Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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.

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Featurettes (HD) present "Locations" (2:18), "The Nose" (1:39), "Production Design" (2:31), "Costumes and Makeup" (3:34), and "Working with Terry Gilliam" (1:23).

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included on this disc.

• **Special Note: The Blu-ray of "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" contains two unskippable trailers before the main menu.

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

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.