Movie Review: Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Going into the movie, I wanted to have an experience that mirrored what happens at the typical D&D table. The game to me is as much about time spent with friends and family as it is about rolling dice and following rules. Role-playing is a cooperative experience that can get downright silly and that is what makes it fun. Even character creation has been transformed into a group experience with session zero. I wanted to see the typical dysfunctionally manic parties that I have come to love up there on the silver screen. So how did they do?

The Movie

I went with a group that included people who played the game, some people who had not played, and one person who hates D&D (but loves fantasy and movies). The consensus was that it was fun. I really enjoyed the movie myself. Just like a real D&D adventure, it is less Lord of the Rings and more Community. The acting was very good with Hugh Grant as a stand out, chewing up the scenery as Forge. Regé-Jean Page as the Paladin Xenk was also very good with his all too short role. Maybe next time he can be a player character and not an NPC.

Some of the CGI was a bit too glossy and in your face, but that might have been intentional given the tone of the movie. It did not throw me out of the movie, but there were a couple of skyline shots that looked too fake to be real.

The use of magic in the movie was more about being clever than it was as a crutch to get the main characters out of a tight situation. As Simon says in the movie, “…everyone thinks we can solve any problem with magic. There are limits!” Magic creates barriers for the characters which is not always solved with a bigger spell, but rather by finding a better way to use the resources that they have. There were several magic items that were introduced during the movie and then used creatively in the final battle.

The movie goes with a comedic tone, which I think was the right choice. Just like in the game, the silliness plagues all the side quests and character interaction. But, the party gets very serious when the big boss battle starts. The party is made up of characters that are equals parts ridiculous, tragic, and heroic.

It was Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope in the sense that George Lucas had a bigger story in mind but was unsure of how much he was going to be able to do. So, he created a self-contained story that could stand alone with a couple of strands left hanging for future stories. Honor Among Thieves definitely follows that blue print. This movie has a beginning, middle, and end without leaving the audience with a cliff hanger, but with a couple of storylines still open.

My only real gripe with the movie is covered in the Spoilers section below. It did take a bit to get going and get me immersed in the story, but that might have been my trepidation about how good the movie was going to be (I saw the last D&D movie released in theaters and was majorly disappointed in how that movie turned out). On a scale of 1 to 10, I’ll give the movie a 7.5. I will definitely buy the movie when it becomes available and happily add it to my collection.

How D&D Was It?

If you have rolled a twenty-sider in 5th edition then you will recognize several things from the game. There are too many to mention, and I’ve only seen the movie once so I’m not going to be able to pick them all out. Here are a couple of things I noticed.

I’m not well steeped in the history of the Forgotten Realms but I recognized more than just a few references to the people and places that make up that world. I will admit that I was hoping for a cameo from Drizzt given the number of places that the characters went to that include places that the drow has been to as well.

The intellect devourers was a great inside joke since the party is made-up of Wisdom, Charisma, and Strength based characters. No real intelligence to be found in this party.

They captured the concept of concentration without drawing too much attention to it. Twice spells were interrupted or caused to fail because the caster took damage or was distracted. They kept the spell casting to the Sorcerer and Wizard so as not to confuse the audience (and probably to save a little bit on the effects budget). Neither the Bard nor the Druid cast a single spell, but there is plenty of wild shaping for the Druid throughout the adventure. If a second movie is made, then I hope they expand the spellcasting beyond the Sorcerer.

SPOILER (You’ve Been Warned)

I did not feel a strong connection to Edgin’s wife (I don’t even know the character’s name). In Guardians of the Galaxy when Peter’s mom died I felt it despite only just being introduced to the character. I think because Edgin’s wife’s introduction is couched in a comedic scene, along with their life together, her death does not feel as impactful. This is why when Holga is killed in the final battle, you know that Edgin is going to revive Holga and not his wife. They could have told the story in this movie of how Edgin fell from the Harpers to give you a stronger connection to his backstory, but that story would’ve ended with him in prison. That is not a way to start a series if there is not guarantee of future movies.