4 out of 5 stars
I probably wasn’t the best choice of reporter to review “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.” I’ve never been a part of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, nor do I have any knowledge about the world of DnD.
Despite all of this, I do like a good fantasy movie, and I love getting paid to write about what I thought of it. As a viewer of the mainstream non-DnD public, I thoroughly enjoyed this film.
“Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” follows Edgin (Chris Pine), a thief attempting to find an ancient relic with a band of fellow outcasts. Throughout their adventure, he must keep his daughter safe while staying true to his quest for the relic and keeping people safe.
Chris Pine’s character delivers the charming humor audiences have come to expect from him, but some of the most sparkling performances were given by Sophia Lillis as Doric and Daisy Head as Sofina. The most exciting parts of the film featured the two of them, and I was delighted to recognize Lillis from the “It” franchise.
I left the theater feeling satisfied after the movie was over. I loved getting to see a new sort of fantasy world, especially one with such charming characters. The inclusion of so many different creatures throughout the universe is sure to keep audience members captivated throughout the film.
On the way home, I prepared to write a review that mentioned how there seemed to be almost no references to the actual Dungeons and Dragons game. There was only one reference that was obvious to me, but when I did a little more research on other opinions on the film, I was shocked to find out that apparently this film is chock-full of references to the actual DnD gameplay.
According to episode 540 of “Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy,” “This movie loves D&D, and you can feel it in every fiber and grain of the film,” but audiences who have never laid hands on a D20 die will be able to enjoy this movie without feeling left out. It has a great story behind it, is tons of fun and is reminiscent of how Marvel movies used to feel before the jokes became more saturated in newer releases.
The movie’s biggest problem is what appears to be lazy cutting. With a run time of two hours and 14 minutes and a complex storyline, there was likely an effort to cut a few minutes of transition. This resulted in multiple moments where it felt like the story’s flow got cut off and suddenly jumped in time. This style of editing seemed to be consistent throughout the film but lacked nuance.
“Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” is a great option for anybody who likes fantasy films, regardless of their involvement in the actual Dungeons and Dragons universe. The story is sweet, the characters are multi-dimensional and it’s a fun watch. The film offers something to all audiences, both Dungeon Master and civilian.
Photo from rollingstone.com.