Loosely based on the second quest of Don Quixote from the classic novel by Miguel Cervantes, the 2007 full-length animated comedy/adventure Donkey X, or Donkey X ote (international title), tells the story from the perspective of the donkey, Rucio, (voice of Luis Posada) owned by Sancho Panza, (voice of Andreu Beunafuente) the wealthiest man in La Mancha, and Don Quixote's former squire. With a taste for adventure, Rucio can't wait to join the quest when Don Quixote (voice of Jose Luis Gil) receives a challenge to duel the Half Moon Knight in a festival in Barcelona, to reclaim his lost love, the beautiful and mysterious Dulcinea.

A surprisingly young and handsome Don Quixote, and his reluctant horse, Rocinante, along with Sancho Panza and Rucio set out for the journey to Barcelona, that leads them through a series misadventures, including an encounter with a sorcerer and a vicious villain in an iron mask, not to mention a lion. They are joined on the journey by Rocinante's zany pet chicken, who adds a bit of humor to the treacherous and lively journey.

Although there are some bright moments in this film, it suffers, overall, from a lack of focus. Other than the action and adventure aspect, it is totally lacking any type of organized plot and theme. It's difficult, at times, to tell whether it is a story about the legendary Don Quixote, or the cynical donkey Rucio, who wants to become a horse. At any rate, the character of Don Quixote in this quest, beares  very little resemblance to the middle aged, dreamer in Cervantes' classic. Furthermore, the character of Rucio is an all too obvious attempt to capitalize on the popularity of the Donkey character in Shrek. Unfortunately, the character in this film lacks the charm and personality of the wise-cracking donkey, so brilliantly portrayed by Eddie Murphy.

In fact, there are really no outstanding vocal performances by the relatively unknown cast, resulting in an ensemble of entirely forgettable characters. Produced by Phase 4 Films, the animation, on the other hand, is bright and crisp, with amazing 1080p 3-D detail, and some stunning visuals, rivaling the quality of Pixar and Dreamworks. The film also features an outstanding orchestral soundtrack featuring the London Symphony Orchestra recorded in Dolby Digital 2.0.

Unfortunately, Donkey X contains a bit too much adult oriented humor for young children, and the plot is a bit too unfocused and episodic to appeal to most adults. While I would not recommend running out to purchase it, the Blu-Ray version is worth renting for the quality of animation alone, although it includes no bonus features, other than the movie trailer.

Unlike Cervantes' novel, Donkey X will not likely earn classic status in the animation genre. It is a beautifully animated, mildly entertaining, 90 minute medieval romp, with sketchily (excuse the pun) developed characters, and very little substance.

My Rating: **1/2

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older