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I am not a fan of Dungeons & Dragons. I’ve never played the game, not even once. I’ve certainly heard of it and have seen people playing it; I know it occupies a special place in many people’s hearts, especially before using a personal computer. I’m just not one of those people. In many ways, I am the perfect guinea pig to try this movie on. I have no idea how it compares to the game or other media in the franchise, including the 2000 film, but 2023 Dungeons & Dragons is solid fantasy entertainment filmmaking. A combination of a heist picture with Marvel world-building aspirations, writer-directors Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley understand how to blend multiple genres, having previously made the underrated Game Night (2018), another genre-blending exercise.
Honor Among Thieves is a high fantasy comedy set within Dungeons & Dragons, emphasizing the humor. It’s about a group of mismatched protagonists who quest to rescue their leader’s daughter. The plot setup is about as straightforward as possible, which is nice. It employs the same form that other first films in franchises have done, notably The Force Awakens, where we set up establishing who these characters are and the world they inhabit. There’s also avenging a past betrayal and introducing colorful supporting characters. The main cast comprises Edgin Darvis (Chris Pine), a bard whose wife was murdered, leaving him to raise his daughter Kira along with his faithful platonic friend Holga (Michelle Rodriguez). Rounding out Edgin’s crew is Simon Aumar (Justice Smith), a half-elf who has confidence issues regarding his magical abilities, and a tiefling druid named Doric (Sophia Lillis) who can morph and shape into other creatures.
This film has been delayed almost two years due to the Covid 19 pandemic and various scheduling conflicts. Generally, that spells trouble but not with Honor Among Thieves. It’s also an exciting gamble for Paramount, considering the fantasy genre is very much hit or miss outside of Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, etc. In recent years, fantasy films like the City of Ember, The Golden Compass, Mortal Engines, Percy Jackson, Jack the Giant Slayer, etc., have failed to find an audience. So there was no guarantee a large audience was waiting to see a new Dungeons & Dragons movie. Still, Goldstein and Daley keep things simple enough to attract newbies like me without alienating passionate gamers. A film I would compare it to is The Princess Bride (1987) because it’s a story that takes itself sincerely within the fantasy genre and has self-aware humor. It’s not as memorable as Princess Bride, but the nuts and bolts of action-adventure fantasy storytelling are still here.
The cast is another primary reason why Honor Among Thieves works. Each character has a little quirk and flaws that make them relatable even within the high-concept fantasy world. Like the game, Honor of Thieves feels more like a hangout and a quest. Chris Pine is an excellent leading man and brings the right amount of self-awareness to the role of the flawed Edgin. Michelle Rodgriguez is also well cast, and the scenes with her and Pine make up the best part of the movie. Also welcome, as always, is Hugh Grant playing a sleazy villain who was once a part of Pine’s crew. I was never huge on Hugh Grant, but he gets better as he gets older. Regé-Jean Page as Xenk Yendar is a standout and a character our group comes in contact with.
Honor Among Thieves works as solid, entertaining fantasy filmmaking. Despite some notable instances of computer effects, the set design is solid, and the creature detail is excellent. The visuals aren’t as bad as some other recent CG extravaganzas, and you feel like there’s a filmmaking voice behind it, unlike many MCU films. Are you going to remember it days after you’ve seen it? Probably not, but as escapist entertainment, you won’t find many as well crafted as Honor Among Thieves. It’s an excellent option to take the kids to turn off their brain and enjoy. Perhaps it might even open them up to the board game itself. Who knows?
*** out of ****
