DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES (2023)

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES (2023)

Tagline: Who needs heroes when you have thieves?

(Action, Comedy, A Portly Dragon) [PG-13]

...how everyone thinks we can solve any problem with magic. There are limits! This isn't some bedtime story; this is the real world!

In this one Edgin is living a modest but honest life with his wife and daughter when he decides to become a thief. On his last job, he ends up in prison with his accomplice Holga while two others from their party Simon and Forge escape. After breaking out of jail Edgin learns of his daughter’s whereabouts and of a relic that can give him something priceless. To accomplish the impossible they must get the band back together with a few new players. 

Let me be clear on this. I am not familiar with D & D at all other than knowing that it’s a role-playing game. I did see the D & D movies from 2000 and actually own them. What I didn’t know until today is that there were two other D&D movies I was unaware of. Back in 2005, we had DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: WRATH OF THE DRAGON GOD, and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: THE BOOK OF VILE DARKNESS. So going into this I was mostly excited to watch this because of the cast. 

For me, Chris Pine (WONDER WOMAN 1984) who plays Edgin is almost always a draw. At the very least, when I hear he is in something, I think about checking that flick out. He is fantastic in this and contrary to some concerns he is not emasculated in this movie. He is literally fighting for something steeped in the core of masculinity. We also get Justice Smith (POKéMON DETECTIVE PIKACHU) who plays Simon and is very good in the role. I also like Michelle Rodriguez and have since RESIDENT EVIL came out. She does a solid job as Holga, but admittedly this isn’t her best effort ever. Sophia Lillis (NANCY DREW AND THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE) is very good in this as Doric, she is also a really awesome Owlbear! Apparently, some rules about D & D get ignored in this movie, but like I said before, I don’t play the game, so I could care less. Frankly, even if I did, I would probably not care. Hugh Grant (NOTTING HILL), Chloe Coleman (65), and Regé-Jean Page (MORTAL ENGINES) are all also very good in this. So overall the casting was just outstanding. 

When we get to the pacing this movie is over 2 hours but when it’s over, you kind of want to just turn around and start watching it again. When other people are saying this thing is a total blast, that’s an understatement. I think the fact that the characters are new, and played to the audience better than something like ANT-MAN: QUANTUMANIA’s M.O.D.O.K because people had expectations. In this one, you expected humor because of the previews and that is delivered in every other scene. The balance of light to dark is near perfection as is the overall tone of the film. We also get drawn in emotionally which for me was pretty unexpected. This is another one of those movies where I was rooting for our thieves/heroes because they are all relatable. 

The score in this thing is spot on and I really liked the cinematography overall. If there are any issues I would say that some of the design work was a bit lacking. Both dragon characters were very “direct to video” looking, but every other creature we got was pretty freaking cool. So I can’t say that this is a critique worth knocking points off for. I loved this one, I don’t think it had any of the weird crap that has been ruining a lot of movies lately and it never feels boring or like it’s dragging.  I would love to check this out again in theaters soon. 

I give this one a solid 7 out of 7. It was the only movie this year that I have walked out of and nearly everyone in the theater was clapping.
 

GRAPHICS ARE THE PROPERTY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND ARE USED FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY.