As the popularity of tabletop role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons skyrocketed over the years, it’s no surprise a movie of the fandom came with it. However, due to the flop of 2000’s “Dungeons & Dragons” film, there’s no doubt there was a lot skepticism for this year’s release “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.”
Despite the previous movie’s disappointment, well-known actors such as Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith and Sophia Lillis star in the new film.
According to the official site, dungeonsanddragons.movie/synopsis, the movie’s plot unfolds when “A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.”
The movie doesn’t break the illusion of the story being a role-playing game, so even if the movie-goer isn’t familiar with D&D, it’s a good movie that shows a group of adventurers going through their journey in a fantasy world.
However, there are background and side characters, areas and small creatures that veteran D&D players can easily point out throughout the film and be excited to see those big and small details. There are also moments where you can see the events going at the table, such as a good or bad roll, failing a save and the most random, yet witty, of plans in hopes it’ll work.
They have a well-paced storyline and SGI for spells and scenes. Most of all, there is emotion and a lot of jokes throughout the movie, perfect for those who enjoy comedy movies.
However, the movie has its flaws. While the actors and characters are well-loved, some might consider them bland in the D&D setting and the classes can be seen as stereotypical.
For the world and story, it can be seen as something that’s been done before and can lead to obvious storytelling and ending. Some may consider there to be too much talking rather than the action they’d hoped for. Even D&D players may complain about how overpowered one character is and the number of times they used a spell that is seen very infrequently.
Despite its flaws, for students who enjoy D&D or simply enjoy a comedy action movie, don’t be afraid to try “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.”
Outreach Coordinator | Distribution Manager
Categories: Art & Life, Movie Reviews
