Thunderheart 4K review
Jan 27, 2026- Permalink
Michael Apted’s Thunderheart is a neo-Western mystery released in 1992. It stars Val Kilmer as Ray Levoi, an FBI agent of Sioux heritage who is sent to investigate a homicide on a Native American reservation. He’s there to assist lead agent Frank Coutelle (Sam Shepard), and in turn the two are aided in their investigation by tribal police officer Walter Crow Horse, portrayed by Graham Greene. Fred Ward and Sheila Tousey round out the lead cast. Drawing inspiration from the Wounded Knee incident in 1973, the film is also a political thriller as the investigation uncovers events surrounding abuses of power and Native American activism. Levoi realizes his assignment is more than what he initially thought. Sony has now released the film on 4K and thanks to Allied Vaughn, I had a chance to look at it.
The 2160p HEVC / H.265 encoded native 4K digital transfer with Dolby Vision and HDR10 is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The video presentation has great clarity, from details on faces and clothing, to worn down buildings and the rugged terrain of South Dakota. The colour palette can range from primaries to the sun-bleached landscape. Black levels are deep with no loss of detail in darker scenes and there’s a pleasing grain structure. Shot by cinematographer Roger Deakins, Thunderheart looks great.
On the audio side of things, there’s an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack as well as an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. Subtitles are available for English and English SDH. The soundtrack is front-focused though the surrounds do get some work for occasional action and atmospheric cues. James Horner’s score supports the story well and dialogue is clear and prioritized well in the mix.
The Thunderheart 4K is a bit slim on extras and given the relatively recent passings of Kilmer and Greene, it would have been nice to see something updated. On video, we do get a few minutes of standard definition press kit soundbites from cast and crew and a trailer. There is an informative commentary by screenwriter John Fusco. A digital code is included.
The Thunderheart 4K has a great cast, looks and sounds great, and though light on other extras, the commentary by John Fusco is interesting. Recommended.