Is there honor among thieves? Come grab your popcorn and find out! My new movie review for Dungeons & Dragons is on YouTube. This one was fun!
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Click to watch my Dungeons & Dragons (2023) movie review on YouTube.
Click to watch my Dungeons & Dragons (2023) movie review on YouTube.
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) is a fresh feeling fantasy that nails the spirit of fandom’s favorite role playing game, and they do it with wit, style, and clever plot twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat for this action-packed adventure.
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For those of you who prefer to read a review, here’s a written version of my review:
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves might be my favorite film of the year so far. As a dyed in the wool geek, I’ll admit that I am a little biased here, but WOW! What a great film!
So, here are the three things that you need to know about this film:
1. It is going to defy your expectations.
2. They nail the fantasy elements without falling into trite, overused tropes, and stale plot lines.
3. The cast … including Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriquez, Rege-Jean Page, and Hugh Grant … is spot on.
Over the years, we’ve seen so many badly portrayed D&D scenes in movies and films that this could have just been a corny mashup of wizards, soldiers, and damsels in distress. Let me assure you that it’s not the same ‘ol fantasy fare that has been served up time and again.
What we get here is a savvy script from Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, and Michael Gilio with the core story written by Chris McKay and Michael Gilio. These guys pulled together a fantasy epic that checks every box and feels like the stories we would expect from a well-run D&D campaign. Anyone who has spent time sitting around a table rolling multi-sided dice while putting together campaigns, characters, and battle plans, knows that this could have easily gone the way of Willow or any of the countless low-budget fantasy films that have turned out cringe-worthy at best.
Dungeons and Dragons takes the fantasy film genre a step forward by blending in contemporary social themes with the fantastic humor that you could expect from something like a Terry Pratchett novel set inside of a GOT season that has escaped to Middle Earth. There is so much to recommend in this film from the great set design to the informed directing, clever Easter eggs, and spot-on acting that pays off with perfectly timed punchlines.
I love that Dungeons & Dragons delivers what the audience wants along with some surprises that they didn’t know they needed. I highly recommend the film for a wide audience. It’s great for a family and friends outing or even a date night. Young children might get a little scared by some of the scenes.
In this time of streaming, Dungeons & Dragons is absolutely theater worthy. Go see this film on the big screen (it was designed for the silver screen), and while you are there don’t forget the popcorn and drinks to support your local theater. And, on a more serious note, I can almost guarantee you that it’ll be on the 2024 Hugo Award ballot for Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form).
I really enjoyed Dungeons and Dragons. It’s a terrific film packed with fun, adventure, and laughs. I think you’ll love it too. Oh, and be sure to stay for the mid-credits’ scene. You’ll be glad you did.
