A charming thief (Pine) 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 in this hilarious and action-packed adventure.
- Based on "Dungeons & Dragons" role-playing game by Hasbro.
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It must be hard for filmmakers when tackling a game like Dungeons & Dragons to market as a film. Do you appeal to the hard-core D&D zealots, and make a film steeped in the lore of the game, or do you market for a broader audience – and maybe upset your core fans in doing so? With D&D, they actually got two opportunities. The first one, simply titled Dungeons & Dragons, attempted the serious route, even bringing in Jeremy Irons. With the trailer it looks like Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was going to much more playful route. Since that first attempt failed so abysmally, this second attempt has to be better, right?
Chris Pine, who had disappeared from major starring roles following Star Trek: Beyond, is back. Despite his years long absence, he brings the same irreverence he displayed in Star Trek to this film – and bumps it up a few notches. The rest of the cast seems like an odd mix, but the rough and tumble Michelle Rodriguez works well with him and the rest of the motley crew. Even another nearly forgotten actor, Hugh Grant, turns in a fun performance.
The storyline tries to keep things pretty straightforward, adding a touch of heart to the action and comedy. The film meanders along, but in its meandering, brings viewers in contact with all sorts of entertaining characters along the way. It’s funny nearly to the point of absurdity, but doesn’t quite go all the way over the edge, keeping viewers tuned in even while they laugh.
The special effects in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves are impressive, yet don’t quite overwhelm the story. The film, while sprouting transformations, magic and crazy action sequences at almost every step, never quite lets the special effects overwhelm its characters. It’s a fine line (in a sword and sorcery flick especially), yet the filmmakers manage to balance along that line for the entire length of the film.
In the sword and sorcery genre, films have ranged from the absurd (Monty Python and the Holy Grail) to the intensely serious (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring), and have still managed to discover something that keeps viewers sticking around. While this film leans more towards the former than the latter, it has just enough heart to make it stand out amongst the crowd. While the hardcore D&D gamers may find little to like about this film (as it’s almost a tongue-in-cheek poke at their obsession), most should enjoy this lighthearted romp through a medieval land of magic and wonder.
