Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves - A one-shot adventure that rolls more critical hits than fails.

 

Any TTRPG gamer worth their proficiency bonus knows a good adventure is worth its weight in Electrum. As a die-hard D&D gamer who has spent his fair share of spell slots traversing the multiverse, I know a solid one-shot when I play it. If you couldn't follow that last part, then this blog ain't for you - noob. If, however, you're a movie buff who also happens to spend their weekends slaying a few haughty Beholders whilst strumming a jaunty tune on your enchanted lute, then take a short rest and regain your hit points while I regale you with this review of a film worthy of a seasoned Dungeon Master! 

 

WARNING: Potential spoilers and surly Displacer Beasts ahead!

             

When I first heard rumblings of yet - another - cinematic Dungeons & Dragons iteration, I was, admittedly, less than enthused. Previous film versions of the classic tabletop RPG have been insultingly sophomoric -- glorified fan films that lacked heart, neglected a plot and were plagued by insipid writing and ridiculous effects. For years, Dungeons & Dragons remained an adventure best experienced in the minds of thousands of those who played it while huddled around dining room tables. I can gladly report that while the game can never truly be equaled, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a film that remains surprisingly faithful to the heart of the classic game while taking us on a refreshingly lighthearted fantasy adventure. 

     

The film opens as charming thief Edgin (Chris Pine) and hardened barbarian Holga (Michelle Rodriguez) escape from prison via an unwitting accomplice (Jarnathan!). The two adventurers set in motion a plan to reunite with Edgin's daughter, Kira, and find the Tablet of Reawakening with which to resurrect Edgin's murdered wife. Things quickly take a turn when it's revealed that their old associate Forge (played to villainous perfection by Hugh Grant), now controls the bustling town of Neverwinter. Charged with raising Kira while Edgin was imprisoned, he has poisoned her mind with lies while conspiring with a treacherous Red Wizard to secure his fortune. 

Rather than aid Edgin and Holga, Forge has them arrested -- hoping to cash in on their bounty. The adventurers artfully escape execution, embarking on a quest straight out of the Dungeon Master's Guide as they enlist old and new friends to help locate the Tablet, depose Forge, and thwart the Red Wizard's secret plan for vengeance and death (or un-death, in this case).

Rounding out the band of rouges is the insecure sorcerer, Simon, a stoic Tiefling druid named Doric, and a humorless Paladin, elegantly played by Regé-Jean Page of Bridgerton fame. Each character is well-defined and given solid motivation -- a must-have for every good D&D session. Personal obstacles abound, just waiting to be overcome in the typical RPG fashion: finding the hero that lies dormant within. Even side characters (or NPCs in D&D speak) are given a healthy backstory, including a "small" cameo by Bradley Cooper that was a good chuckle. 

The climax of this film involves a Hunger Games-style tournament that requires our heroes to tap into their unique skills and work together while facing off against foes and obstacles familiar to any D&D veteran (Gelatinous Cubes. I hate these guys.) Edgin and Co. survive the test of wits and give Forge his well-deserved comeuppance before taking on the Red Wizard in a showdown worthy of anything Gary Gygax could have imagined. Ultimately, Edgin sacrifices his chance to resurrect his wife, using the Tablet of Reawakening to bring a mortally wounded Holga back from the jaws of death, saving the true mother figure to his daughter.          

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves succeeds for several reasons. First off, it knows its audience. The film is peppered with geeky humor and enough direct references to the hit RPG to satisfy anyone who knows a Gnoll from a Kenku while still being loyal to the casual fantasy filmgoer. Secondly, it's arguably a feel-good family film without the usual curse of one-dimensional characters and a paper-thin plot. Sure, sometimes the visual humor skirts dangerously close to dad jokes but it's never misplaced or tonally unsuited (what I refer to as the Rian Johnson syndrome). Thirdly -- and perhaps most importantly -- this film is just good fun! Irreverently self-aware in the vein of Guardians of the Galaxy, it never asks anything more of the audience than simply sitting back and enjoying the fantastic voyage. 

The whopping two-hour and 14-minute run time may seem more daunting than slaying a Planetar, but as it's chock full of solid action sequences and rollicking humor, it almost seems criminally short. While the CGI in this film isn't the best I've ever seen, it certainly isn't the worst, either. Refreshingly, the digital wizardry doesn't overpower the magic of the practical effects - an art form I thought was certainly lost to the ages. While the visuals are still impressive, it's the story where this film really shines. Honor Among Thieves is the one-shot campaign I wish I had written and even more so the one I wish I could play! 

That is, perhaps, the magic of this film: it plays like an actual D&D campaign, complete with the unexpected and unexplained. Things don't always go as planned and many times the heroes are just making it up as they go but, in the end, they find the strength they need to succeed lies with one another. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves has sword fights, it has magic, it has mythical creatures, and strange and exotic lands, but the most important thing it has... is heart. In short, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is why we go to the movies. 

Stick around for the end credits song, "Wings of Time" by Impala. It's an ear worm that rolls a nat 20 for awesomeness!           

CineGrade: B+