Movie Review: DnD: Honor Among Thieves

 

Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back to Movie Review.

Ever since we like to playing games, we always love to playing board games, whether you play with your family, your friends or maybe on your own for which-ever reasons. But one game that is a big deal since 1974, is Dungeons and Dragons. Dungeons and Dragons was possibly a game changer for tabletop/board games, its not just a game, its an adventure that you play as an adventurer for the conquest where-ever you go, while you follow the Dungeon Master for narrative and summoning monsters. Like I said, it was a big deal from the past to the present, the latter of which has becoming more complex with many stories, tactics and many others, which is probably explained why I’ve never played DnD, maybe I wanna playing the board game of DnD, just saying. Anyway, since DnD is popular to this day, its no stranger that Hollywood want to cash-in over the tabletop RPG game.

“Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” is a 2023 fantasy action comedy film that was written/directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, produced by Jeremy Latcham, Briand Goldner, and Nick Meyer, and co-written by Michael Gilio and Chris McKay (the latter for story).

If anyone may or may not know, its not the first time we have a movie based on DnD, there’s the 2000 film that was easily the worst one ever, which I won’t even bother to either watching nor talking about it. Anyway, the development all started back in 2013 where Warner Bros are about to make a movie based on DnD, but it was quickly halted due to a lawsuit between Hasbro (the toy company who owned DnD with their subsidiary “Wizards of the Coast”) and Universal Pictures, because they’re about about to making their own DnD movie, which resulting a legal battle for who own the right first, two years later, the judge settled to Hasbro, leaving Warner Bros got their right for their production, however, the script was given for the movie for their plan, but didn’t turned out well, after long years of development hell, the film’s production was changed from Warner Bros to Paramount for new direction, where it was originally going to be Chris McKay and Michael Gilio for co-directors, but it was took over by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, not just co-directors, but co-writers as well.

So, with all that said, will Honor Among Thieves are worth of watch to making me playing DnD, or this film feels like a punishment by Dungeon Master?

Well, lets find out.

The Story

This movie takes place in the campaign called “Forgotten Realms” and I found out its a full on reboot than the follow up of the crappy DnD trilogy. Does the story is actually good? Well, I think so.

The opens in the prison tower that we introduce two heroes, Edgin the bard of The Harpers, and Holga the barbarian. Where upon their origin for they’re in a prison tower, Edgin was in member group of The Harpers for peace against the evil threat like Red Wizards. After giving he and his wife (not Holga) got a daughter Kira, his wife was tragically killed by him that he got arrested. Struggling to be a father, along with having Holga to be like a mother figure (along with having extra party members, Simon the amateur sorcerer and mysterious Sofina to stealing currencies, including getting a “Tablet of Reawakening” in order to resurrecting his wife, but Sofina turned against them, while Simon escaped, but Edgin and Holga are taken to the prison tower in Revel’s End,, after their escape, they ran away to Neverwinter that Edgin wants to reuniting his daughter, but she’s taken care by both Sofina (who happens to be Red Wizard) and Forge (who used to be with Edgin back then) that not only they refuse his apology for his selfish greed, but they turn against him and Holga, but one Edgin and Holga both reuniting Simon and even a new party member, Doric the Tiefling druid,its up to them to find the way to take down both Forge and Sofina to bring back Edgin’s daughter.

The plot is pretty standard fantasy themed family struggle that the main hero wasn’t as good to be a father that he wants his daughter back from the evil caretakers, but even though it may not be as special story, but the execution is surprisingly promising for a very good writing when it comes to DnD’s world, like the world building, the rules and even showcase of treasure and abilities, which I appreciated they’re trying to giving us a development for a movie based on DnD, even though it can be complex like DnD itself, but its worth of giving shot for noobs like me. Of course, the movie also add some sense of humors, which I will admit, its actually chuckle worthy to giving us, especially there are some moment that I actually laughing out loud with the viewers, even though it has a sense of humor, at least its self-aware when it comes to the limits in DnD of skills, magic and others.

While the story is about father getting his daughter back, but its the execution has done pretty good to share us what is about DnD, for the most part.

The Presentation

For a DnD movie costed $150M, it looks pretty cool and even well-presented with its elements.

For started, the filming location is a double-edge sword, ranging from filming outside to filming in the studio with green screen, but in fairness, they’re actually done pretty nice. Aside some moments were filmed in the studio, but they filmed in both Iceland and Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is pretty nice places and fitting for fantasy action film like DnD.

As for the effects and the design, they look pretty good for say the least. The design of the outfits and setting are pretty typical for movie based on DnD, but at least they look somewhat bright and even colorful. Plus, some outfits they gave us either nicely fit for which class the characters are, but some could be questionable either it works or not. Of course, we have other species than humans either done with practical make-up or CG’d in post-production, even though I know some creatures like Owlbear and Themberchaud (aka a dragon if he’s extra chonky), but some that I never heard or lost the names like humanoid bird in the prison tower, a deadly panther with carnivorous plant tentacle, and some others.

As for the effects, they are pretty impressive, imagine the similar effect in MCU, only, you know, fantasy themed like DnD for the lighting, the magic, a background effect and couple others what they give.

And lastly, we have the action scenes, I will say, some action scenes are pretty good to watch for fighting against the guards, obstacle chase away from Themberchaud and the climax of the third act. But as far as I know, its only Holga pulling the action scenes to beat down the guards with her strength and weapons, which is disappointing that we want to see other party members in action, which wouldn’t be until, again, the climax at the third act. I get this is a purpose for Michelle Rodriguez for her action scenes (such as Fast and Furious series), but I wish some other actors deserve a shot for action scenes, but it does cut into some brief humor moments during the action scenes, kinda annoying, but hey, its worth of chuckle.

While some presentation have some flaws, but it looks pretty good for its action, the setting and the designs.

The Characters

You expected the DnD characters will have some generic personalities based on their classes for their adventure? Well, they have a nice personalities for the most part.

Lets starts with Edgin Darvis (played by Chris Pine, aka James Kirk in Star Trek and aka Steve Trevor in DCEU’s Wonder Woman), the bard and leader of his party after being taken to the prison for his robbery of treasures for his own family struggle. I find him a fun character in the movie, even if he can be an unlikely hero as a bard, which most leader are either fighter, a sorcerer or some others to be fitting nicely, but as a bard? Pretty unlikely, but he is the main character of the movie, even though he is a comedic role, but he also wants his heart for his daughter that he cared, despite getting himself into trouble for being a thief. Even though being a bard to be a leader of the group is unlikely, but Chris Pine did a fun work of his role with his heart, humor and even his singing as a bard.

Next up, we have Holga Kilgore (played by Michelle Rodriguez), the barbarian of the group after being exiled from her tribe for marrying an outsider. She’s quite of badass for being a female barbarian for her purpose of the aforementioned action scenes. While she’s for the purpose of action scenes, but she may have a chemistry with Edgin, since despite the bard’s wife died, she’s like a mother figure to Kira, or so we thought, which we do see her interact with Kira, but it was brief. But again, this mainly for chemistry with Edgin to be together to get his daughter back. While her action is all for her and her chemistry is alright, but Rodriguez did a nice work of her role with some humor and her action skills.

After that, we have Simon Aumar (played by Justice Smith), a half human/half-elf amateur sorcerer who’s meant to be the next generation from his Aumar’s family. I find him not bad, even though im assuming he’s meant to have a humor role, but im pretty sure he’s kinda being self-aware when it comes for being a newbie sorcerer. Though I find him passable, Justice did an ok role of sorceress, this is like the third time I mentioned him from Jurassic World to Detective Pikachu.

Next, we have Doric (played by Sophia Lillis),a Tiefling druid in Neverwinter Wood and a member of Emerald Enclave with her special ability to turning into various animals. While I enjoy see her transforming into various animals and even helping out our heroes for the plans, but the problem is… She’s rather a lackluster character that she didn’t have a special personality, even she’s meant to be Simon’s love interest that she rejects him, but again, despite her cool ability, but again, she’s an underdeveloped druid that she could’ve been a promising member. While Sophia did a good work of her role, but the way she’s written feels like the writer has forgotten about her.

Then we have Xenk Yendar (played by Rege-Jean Page) a paladin who escaped from Red Wiward’s “Rise to power” threat in Thay that he became a paladin and guiding our heroes to finding The Helm. He’s a pretty fascinating one that maybe he could be a the 5th and powerful party member in order to rescue Edgin’s daughter against the evil Red Wizard? Well, despite helping our heroes, he has a brief appearance, meaning he only shown in the second act and then he just left. Its really disappointing that, like Holga, he’s both badass and gave us the action against the evil threat, but its shame that he’s all like “Thanks for your help to defend me and getting valuable weapon, gotta go byeee!”. Its a shame for his brief appearance, cause not only he looks cool, but also Page did a nice work of his role.

And finally, we have Forge Fitzwilliam (played by Hugh Grant), a hero turned rogue and con-artist for being the lord of Neverwinter and caretaker of Kira after turning away from Edgin’s party members. I find him a fascinating villain in the movie, he seems to be a nice person for being a caretaker for Edgin’s daughter, but behind his nice mask, he’s like both manipulative, greedy and careless that im probably assuming he’s pretty much inflating his ego for being the leader in the Neverwinter on his way. But of course, Hugh Grant did a pretty good work of his role for his humor and some sarcastic way in his con-artist role.

As for the rest, they may have some promising, but they have either minimal of appearance or lack of development.

There’s Kira (played by Chloe Coleman) who’s Edgin’s daughter for being taken care by con-artist lord, Sofina (played by Daisy Head) who’s one of the Red Wizard and Forge’s henchwoman for her threat at anybody over Forge, and Dralas (played by James Wong) who’s Sofina’s assassin to going after our heroes, and Marlamin (played by Bradley Cooper, aka Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy) who’s Holga’s ex-girlfriend.

While some characters are wasted or underdeveloped, but they’re both good and nice work of acting, for the most part either writing or subpar acting.

And now for my final opinion of this film.

Overall, DnD: Honor Among Thieves is a pretty good movie based a RPG game from Hasbro/ Wizards of the Coast, the story is a pretty good for the setting to some first taste of DnD’s world, the presentation looks great, the action scenes are fun, the writing is good and the characters are good too.

While I appreciated their taste of new DnD film, but sometimes there might be some lack of substance some characters with a lack of development, some brief appearance and some writing could be questionable, despite its good.

Even though its not a perfect movie, but its a pretty good film that you should check out as both fantasy action fans and DnD fans. If you want some first taste of DnD like I do, maybe this film is for you. And this is certainly better than the embarrassing one from 2000.

For my rating, im gonna give this one, 8/10.

So this ends of my movie review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.

Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out