Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Starring: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Rege-Jean Page, Hugh Grant, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head, Bradley Cooper
Directed by: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy
2023

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A thief (Chris Pine) assembles a team of misfits to fight back against a former ally (Hugh Grant) who has betrayed them.

Review:

Tim: I was cautiously optimistic about Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. It looked like a fun ride, but this franchise has tricked me before. I still remember 2000's Dungeons & Dragons. I remember watching it at roughly 17 years old- it was flawed, but I had a fun time watching it. I watched it roughly 15 or so years later and I was stunned by how bad it was. I struggled with it mightily and all the flaws became fatal. So, who knows how I'd feel about this one? Fortunately, I really liked it- probably more than I should have. However, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein direct one of those movies that is just pure fun from start to finish. It has flaws, but it's ridiculously entertaining.

The key to this film's success is embracing the comedy side. The whole concept of a Dungeons & Dragons movie is a little ridiculous- nothing against the game itself, but the perception of the game from non-D&D players (for the record, I've never played, but I respect the game and those who obsess about it). This is carried into the film, but in a brilliant way. The movie mixes what I'd call deep love for this piece of IP with a recognition that the whole thing is a bit absurd. So, the approach is- let's tell a fun story in this universe but not be afraid to crack jokes continually throughout the adventure. This is the ideal approach for a story like this and it results in a wildly entertaining ride. I just had so much fun with this movie.

I give the writers- including Daley and Goldstein- so much credit. The script features some of the funniest dialogue I've seen in many years. There's so many great banter moments throughout this film, so many humorous lines, I was laughing continuously. That's rare to find, especially these days, when it feels like a historically low period for comedy. The movie's jokes were never mean-spirited, they were just humorous. The funny thing is that there weren't really too many standout moments- I struggle to recall any gut-busting periods of laughter. This movie isn't one where you swing for the fences and hit the occasional comedy home run, but you have a ton of strikeouts. It's much more the approach of playing the pitches the script gives you and being content with a ton of doubles and singles. They might not be overly flashy, but they are successes nevertheless. In some ways, this might be the best approach- it always holds your attention. This is a huge win for the movie.

The cast definitely makes a huge difference here. Chris Pine is so excellent in this role, I can barely describe it. It's the ideal role for him- he's able to channel his roguish charisma into a truly funny and memorable character. His fast-talking con man brings all of Pine's strengths- his comedic timing is absolutely perfect and he delivers line after line in such terrific fashion, you just love Pine more and more for what he pulls off here. I sincerely hope they make a sequel so we can see him in this role again. Michelle Rodriguez was great, too. She plays the straight woman to Pine's overeager thief. Their dynamic is excellent- their banter, their dynamic is just so incredible, it was great fun watching them together. Rodriguez gets to do several impressive action sequences that are surprisingly effective. I really like Justice Smith- I think he has huge potential as an actor, and he furthered that belief with his performance here. There's something so likeable about his character- he brings this innate intelligence to his characters and you just connect with and identify with him. He was so strong here. I also loved seeing Sophia Lillis. I'll always be a fan of her because of her performance in Uncle Frank, and she showed her acting ability again here. She has great charisma and confidence and it was so much fun watching her. Hugh Grant makes for a tremendous antagonist, especially because he embraces the more buffoonish aspects of the character. I really appreciated Grant diving head on into this character. Rege-Jean Page gets to steal nearly every scene he's in. I loved that he wasn't relegated to a pointless cameo. He made a big difference to this film and nearly everything he did was humorous. His casting was brilliant and they fully leveraged his strengths. Chloe Coleman was okay, but did nothing memorable in her role. Finally, Bradley Cooper's small role is kind of pointless, but mostly hilarious and it definitely makes the movie better.

The directors do an excellent job of balancing the various genres combined in this movie. It's first and foremost an adventure story, and the adventure aspects are truly compelling. It leads with comedy as well, as I've discussed at length. The movie also features some stunningly effective action sequences- not all top tier, but far, far better than I'd expected from a movie like this. There's some nice dramatic moments throughout the film, and moments of fantasy carry the story along, too. These all combine in a wonderful mix that makes this movie feel unique.

I'm a huge fan of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Sure, the story was a bit ridiculous and the movie was undoubtedly overly long (2 hours and 14 minutes?). However, it's directed exceptionally well. It's constantly funny. The visual effects were impressive- they won't blow your mind, but they always add and never detract from the story. The visuals definitely were a huge lift to the film. We so desperately need more movies like this- it's just so much fun to watch.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
Dungeons & Dragons, The Lord of the Rings, Eragon, Star Trek, Uncle Frank, Pokemon Detective Pikachu