Long ago, when majestic fire-breathers soared through the skies, there lived a knight who would come face to face and heart to heart with the most remarkable creature that ever existed — the dragon. Dennis Quaid stars with the voice of Academy Award® winner* Sean Connery in the heroic adventure that blazes with fantasy and humor. Dragonheart is an epic adventure that will thrill the entire family.

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Video Quality

Shout! Studios presents Dragonheart with a first-rate 2160p transfer in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio sourced from a new 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative with Dolby Vision/HDR. The film was first released by Universal on Blu-Ray over a decade ago in 2012 from a dated master. That release was during the time Universal was applying horrendous DNR to many of their catalog titles, leaving the original Blu-Ray release standing out as one of the worst-looking discs in many collections. Thankfully, you can toss out your old Blu-Ray discs as this new presentation finally treats the film with respect. Even if you are not yet 4K UHD capable, this new release comes with a Blu-Ray sourced from the same 4K master.

Detail and clarity are incredible thanks to the glorious natural film grain that thankfully remains intact. The grain resolves consistently with nothing ever feeling noisy even when contending with the digital effects work. The CGI Draco looks a bit out of place given the developments in technology in the intervening years, but this is not a shortcoming of the transfer and the creation blends a lot better in this format. The image is rarely impacted by a speck of damage thanks to the remastering, but a few small blemishes remain. The texture on display in the outfits and within the production design is one of the most impressive elements of this image. This presentation is authentic to the original look of the film with the added resolution making elements seem more textured. There are no egregious digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances.

The implementation of Dolby Vision/HDR for glorious color output elevates things to truly dazzling levels with its depth and nuance. Highlights are resolute with no evidence of blooming in the period luminance. Lighting is very deliberate from scene to scene, and this disc handles every slight environmental change with ease. Black levels are in top form with nothing in the way of crush or banding present even in the dark enclaves of the frame. Audiences will now witness enhanced shadow detail with outlines properly represented instead of blending into the background. This presentation is a fetching effort from the team at Shout! Studios.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track which brings the appropriate might to this adventure. The stirring Randy Edelman score has never sounded more full of life as it deftly establishes the tone of the story. There is never any concern that it will overshadow competing sounds, and it maintains a strong balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. There do not seem to be any egregious instances of age-related wear and tear. The soundscape executes the complex sound design elements with ease when they arise. These tracks provide a soundscape that perfectly captures the artistic intent with a fidelity that never falters. Environmental sounds such as the galloping horses hold up well. Shout! Studios has delivered on all fronts for this one. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Rob Cohen provides a steady commentary track in which he discusses the development of the story, bringing this time period to life on screen, the production design, working with the performers, and much more that works well.

The Making of Dragonheart: A nearly 45-minute archival featurette in which various creatives provide interviews to discuss the creation of this epic tale.

- The Genesis of the Project (5:49)

- The Collaboration with Phil Tippett (6:29)

- The Cast (6:17)

- Production (3:12)

- The Special Effects (6:47)

- The Collaboration with ILM (8:27)

- Music and Editing (4:08)

- In Closing (3:48)

Outtakes: A two-and-a-half-minute look at some of the unused takes from the film.
Theatrical Trailers: Two trailers totaling three-and-a-half minutes are provided here.

Final Thoughts

Dragonheart is solid entertainment for those who have a soft spot for sword and sorcery tales. The beats are somewhat familiar and expected, but they are executed with a sense of whimsy that allows you to get wrapped up in the experience. Some of the special effects are a bit dated by modern standards, but this is part of the charm of watching this one. The performers do a decent job of bringing their characters to life, but it is the voice of Sean Connery that will stick with you the most. Despite some shortcomings, it works to bring some nostalgic fun to the screen. Shout! Studios has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a fantastic A/V presentation and a decent assortment of supplemental features. If you have an appreciation for this film, don’t pass this one up now that it finally has a (more than) watchable presentation. Recommended

Dragonheart is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Shout! Studios has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.