Honest Thief Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Honest Thief Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 6, 2021

Liam Neeson is one of the best actors of his generation, demonstrating a command of a diverse selection of roles, but over time the actor has become typecast as a specialty Action star. When he dazzled audiences with the taut Action/revenge film Taken, his stock soared, even beyond the success he found in films like The Phantom Menace and Batman Begins. For Honest Thief, Neeson picks up the baton once again in a film that could easily be considered almost a Taken spin-off. In Writer/Director Mark Williams' film, Neeson plays a thief who has a change of heart when his heart finds love, only to find himself in the right as he battles the wrong side of the law. It's a solid premise but falls into trite Action beats that the star capably carries through its predictable, procedural second half.

Tom Carter (Liam Neeson) is one of the world’s best thieves, and nobody knows it. For years he’s gotten away scott-free without so much of a trace of his identity made known to the authorities. He’s been dubbed the “In-and-Out Bandit” and, over time, has stored up millions in stolen greenbacks. One day, he meets Annie Wilkins (Kate Walsh), an employee at the small storage facility where Tom has chosen to keep his haul. They date for a year. Tom keeps his bank robbing a secret and decides to give it up for true love. But he fears being caught and having everything he loves taken from him. He phones the authorities to confess to his crimes and ask for a reduced sentence in exchange for returning the money – he hasn’t spent a dime of it – in hopes that he can trade a couple of years for a lifetime of freedom. Tom speaks with Special Agent Sam Baker (Robert Patrick) who disbelieves his story. But he’s just convincing enough to warrant a follow-up with a pair of agents, Nivens and Hall, (Jai Courtney and Anthony Ramos), who find the stash in the storage unit and decide to take it for themselves. When their plot to kill Carter takes a wrong turn, the thief, along with Annie, are forced to go on the run against the pair of rogue agents who now have just as much to lose.

Neeson is good in the lead role, playing a variation on the type for which he's known. In Honest Thief, his two "particular skills" are, well, honesty and thievery. Both get him into trouble, the former with his own self, the latter with (the criminal element of) the law. He can't catch a break in the movie; if it's not his conscience nagging him, it's bullets flying in his direction. That balance is key to the film's success. It's quite telling that his Tom Carter never spent even a small portion of the money; Neeson turns on a different gear in a key scene when he explains why he robbed banks, which is infinitely more satisfying than how (though certainly his methods, on paper and broken down to basics, prove viably interesting, too, even as one can easily come up with a dozen reason why his tactic wouldn't work in 2021). And that's the mark of a good actor. Neeson switches gears with frequency in the film, and even if there's not much breathing room for him to explore changes of heart, his ability to turn on a dime and reveal another side of the character -- through all of the evolving emotional and physical requirements the role demands -- is easily the film's best asset.

As for the rest of the movie, there is some heavy cliché at work, particularly as the film transitions from a character reflection to an Action film. When the bullets start flying, the script starts painting by numbers, but it at least does so proficiently, aided by some tight cinematography and choreography – though nothing too radical or unrealistic – and again aided most obviously by Neeson’s screen commanding work. The film enjoys a handful of solid support performances, particularly from Courtney and Ramos, the former of whom is bad from the get-go, the latter of whom wrestles with his conscience throughout the film.

Honest Thief Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Honest Thief's 1080p Blu-ray reveals some light noise even in some well-lit scenes, but only the most noise sensitive viewers should be bothered. The picture is otherwise in excellent presentation shape, showing no compression artifacts and no other source eyesores. Whether color or clarity, the picture approaches reference level. It's sharp and efficient in essentially every shot. Basics command the screen with faultless skin and clothing detail accuracy, both revealing their intimates without flub or flaw. Backgrounds are tight and support foreground elements, like money, guns, storage tubs and other odds and ends in storage, and so forth enjoy tangible and tactile definition. Colors are strong, too, finding neutral contrast and impressive depth. Skin tones are accurate and blacks present with no obvious issues.

Honest Thief Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Honest Thief's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack delivers an honest 90 or so minutes of sonic excellence. Musical fidelity and fluidity are both top rated. Score is not just clear, it's also seamlessly spacious and effortlessly flows through the stage, from higher notes to rumbling lows. Balance is excellent as the surrounds carry just the right part of the load to immerse the listener into the score, not overwhelm the listening area. Action elements – car chases, gunshots, and similar fare, which appear with some frequency through the second and third acts – enjoy robust depth and effortless stage filling presence. Gunfire is particularly impressive for hard-hitting depth, and a key explosion later in the film offers satisfying boom and subwoofer extension. Light location din – phones ringing and so forth in an FBI office in the 66-minute mark – are seamlessly integrated. The track is essentially faultless. It's loud and aggressive yet maintains essential integrity while stage fill, utilizing every square inch, effortlessly draws the listener into the experience. With clear and effortless front-positioned dialogue, the track never finds a stumble.

Honest Thief Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Honest Thief contains no supplemental content. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with a slipcover.

Honest Thief Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Honest Thief is a perfectly serviceable Thriller. It's very watchable, predictable at times but sporting a good enough foundation, supported by a thoroughly enjoyable, if not rote and typecast, Liam Neeson in the lead role. The film is technically well executed, too. Story is the relative weak point, but the support pieces carry the movie to success. Universal's Blu-ray is featureless but the disc does deliver strong video and near reference audio. For many this might be a one-and-done watch, so it comes recommended as a buy on a steep sale.