#REVIEW: “DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES”

Review by Nicholas Porteous for Mr. Will Wong

How does one go about adapting an open-ended, decades-old tabletop RPG–devoid of any well-established characters, where the narrative completely changes from game to game depending on the players–in a world of medieval fantasy epics like Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and their countless spin-offs and would-be clones? Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves’ answer to this riddle is wonderfully straightforward: don’t take it too seriously. DND has always been an intrinsically-funny property. On its face, the world and mechanics of the game feel dramatic and high stakes, but the true joy of Dungeons and Dragons comes from that delicious balance of playing into the awe-inspiring scale of its lore and characters while simultaneously being aware of the reality that you’re actually a bunch of nerds sitting around a table with pencils, paper, a map and tons of dice–making most of it up as you go along. In any given session, it’s far more common to encounter hearty laughter than shocked gasps or heartfelt tears. It’s a brilliant decision, then, to make this movie a comedy.

Mind you, Dungeons and Dragons is still very much a rip-roaring adventure full of narrow escapes, cunning plans, and world-threatening villains–but it also completely succeeds at capturing the spirit of improvised chaos that sets the game apart from other high-minded fantasy fare. Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and their band of misfit adventurers hop, skip and jump from mission to mission with an excess of verve and vigor. Hugh Grant is an obvious, scene-stealing highlight as Forge–he’s having almost too much fun being the big, playful asshole we all kind of know he truly is. There are some exceptionally satisfying schemes, and few of the many quests ever feel like they might overstay their welcome.

The Movie is SO comic that it risks becoming completely frivolous and hollow, like something in the vein of Thor: Love and Thunder, and there are a few off-key moments that dip into sentimentality and feel as though they might be from another movie. Not every payoff lands–but the sheer density of adventure and pluckiness of pace keeps any given flaw or half-baked segment from sticking out. I couldn’t help but be utterly charmed by the spell of Dungeons and Dragons, and despite the ongoing cinematic climate of endless franchises and mythologies, I would welcome another entry–be it a TV show, sequel, spin-off etc–in a Dungeons and Dragons series. The universe that Honor Among Thieves forges over two hours is just that much fun.

Paramount Pictures Canada release DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES March 29, 2023.