Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves 4K UHD Review

A Bard’s Tale

If Jim Abrahams and David/Jerry Zucker (the geniuses behind the all-timer Airplane) made a Lord of the Rings parody, it likely shares numerous similarities with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. While not completely in their wheelhouse (Honor Among Thieves has a heart and occasional drama), the fun had with this longstanding world and franchise is much so.

Honor Among Thieves works because it understands Dungeons & Dragons, which contrary to some beliefs, isn’t inherently about the fantasy monsters and sorcery necessarily. Those are core parts, yes, but it’s the social avenues the roleplaying affords to bonded groups. Better than anything else, that’s where Honor Among Thieves scores as Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez nail the camaraderie needed to conquer D&D’s various game night perils. Except they don’t have a board. Or figurines. It’s their lives.

Honor Among Thieves can find a word of mouth audience. It’s that sort of movie

The only genuine surprise in this movie is its success. It’s routine fantasy and the laughs bend sarcasm to the extreme, following Marvel’s form factor. The magic and visual effects work as they do in any other fantasy fable. That means Honor Among Thieves has additional pressure in making the characters work as they do. It does.

It’s everyone too, not only Pine and Rodriguez. Hugh Grant’s best role in years is the ludicrously cold, indifferent Lord Forge, the pitiable secondary villain, yet utterly detestable for his crass ingenuity. Traditional roles turn against the norm, in particular a dragon attack that squeezes every drop of possible comedy from the premise. By the end, Honor Among Thieves pays homage to Ray Harryhausen as two monsters duel, albeit with plain digital effects. That said, practical suits and animatronics galore usually fill the screen.

With a “steal from the rich” routine, Honor Among Thieves isn’t thematically deep, but the core is entirely about teaming up, listening to one another, trust, and bonding. The script makes a dramatic yet proper, utterly satisfying choice in the final act to solidify that theme, and for marketing reasons, keeps the potential for a sequel alive. Sadly, the middling box office returns will undoubtedly limit those possibilities, but Honor Among Thieves can find a word of mouth audience. It’s that sort of movie.

Video

Pulled from a pure 4K source, Honor Among Thieves shows dazzling detail at times. A few spots appear slightly edgy, lacking the firmness seen elsewhere. That’s generally minor. The rest looks precise, clear, and pristine, even with the slightest noise visible. That’s minor too.

The color palette stretches wide, from striking earth tones, chilly dungeons, and super heated flames. Flesh tones impress. A touch of generic orange/teal aside, Honor Among Thieves delights in saturation and density.

Paramount’s Dolby Vision pass adds a great spark, especially when it comes to flames, magic lightning, and other such effects. While not the most potent disc in contrast terms, there’s still pop around the frame. Black levels handle their end of the process, thickening the shadows to true black and nearly always staying there.

Audio

While volume sounds pinched – but only on the higher end – Honor Among Thieves’ Atmos mix doesn’t spare the surrounds or heights. In towns, the activity spreads to every speaker, creating a generous ambiance. Same goes for winds brushing leaves or other similar touches. Overheads engage regularly, tracking the action whether that’s arrows, fireballs, or monsters.

Adjusting the volume a touch might give Honor Among Thieves more pop, but that will balloon the already thick, hearty low-end. It’s mighty, and Honor Among Thieves doesn’t appreciate subtlety. Every chance, whether it’s from an explosion, monster roar, or destruction, bass is always a part of this mix.

Extras

Generic featurettes detail the lore, the cast, monsters, production design, and weapons. Each one is short and routine. A gag reel offers some fun though, as do some deleted scenes.

The following six screen shots serve as samples for our subscription-exclusive set of 58 full resolution uncompressed 4K screen shots grabbed directly from the UHD: