We all have our geeky side. Whether it’s Star Wars, Batman, sports, cars, you name it, we all dive a little too deep into fandom. I’d consider myself a savvy geek, but I sadly/happily have very little history with the world of Dungeons & Dragons. My only experience is playing a short game on my podcast a few years back and seeing the franchise-maiming movie that came out 20 years ago.
This franchise is something of a phenomenon. There are entire entertainment networks dedicated to it. Also, there’s a good chance that 1 in 6 of your friends holds secret games at their house every other Saturday night. Yet, this property is a very hard sell to a casual audience.
Some very credible writers have chosen to tackle D&D with Honor Among Thieves. This movie tells the story of a charming thief (Chris Pine) and a band of unlikely adventurers that he gathers along the way, all to retrieve a lost relic. This fantasy tale seems to veer too far into being a fetch-quest, but as cheesy as it sounds, the real quest is the magical/powerful friends you find along the way.
This is the kind of movie that almost tells you to walk in without expectations. That’s easy for me to do, not being a fan of the tabletop experience. However, even true fans must realize that adaptations rarely do justice to that which they hold dear. Thankfully, the way this story is told, it’s like asking a well-spoken friend how people can enjoy the game so much, and they explain it by leaving out the character sheet, polyhedral dice explanations, and stats.
The biggest surprise about this movie is that it’s good. The fantasy genre is largely untapped recently on the big screen, but we’ve seen all the tropes play out before. Somehow, this movie is able to exceed the standard quality we normally get. There are several positive elements in this movie, but deep down it’s just plain entertaining with a little bit of heart to boot.
Writer/Directors John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein (Game Night) had decades of material to work with, but didn’t let that overly complicate a plot. They instead wrote a story about a gang of misfits who have the unlikely task of saving their world. They’re not the best nor brightest, but it’s their mission regardless. I think, by keeping this story so simple (essentially being an origin story for this reluctant family) it mirrors the experience for long-time fans and feels simple enough for viewers who just want a solid adventure flick.
As a downside, Honor Among Thieves is overly quippy and overly long. The levity helps the pacing, but removes any attempt at stakes. Most of the characters are ready with the perfect comeback at any given time. Without the natural charisma of Chris Pine, this would all come off as hollow. Thankfully, he carries the majority of the screen time and his glibness is effortless. In a movie that teetered on the edge of having too many jokey main characters, Regé-Jean Page is a welcome character. His demeanor is ever noble and he’s quite literal in each interaction.
To add to the witty script, there are a handful of clever action scenes. The CG isn’t anything game-changing, but I was shocked that the studio spent so much money on a movie that isn’t exactly a sure thing. There isn’t ever a feeling of genuine thrills from these scenes, but the cleverness comes from the luck that the characters seem to find just when they need it.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves doesn’t change the game for fantasy movies, but this will be such a fun family flick to watch on Saturday afternoons. The story is simple and spends most of the time gathering the team, that a sequel feels only right and wanted. This is a solid matinee movie that is better than it has any right to be. It rolled a 15, but we have to add 2 points for charisma. B
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