Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Director: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Writer: Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Michael Gilio
Based on: the role-playing game
Cast: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Hugh Grant, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head, Bradley Cooper, Tom Morello
Seen on: 4.4.2023

Content Note: fatmisia

Plot:
After his wife was killed, Edgin (Chris Pine) turned to a life of thievery – which ultimately got him imprisoned together with Holga (Michelle Rodriguez). But the two of them are going to break out and set some things straight. Just how much they need to deal with, though, only becomes clear once they’re out. And it also becomes clear that they won’t be able to do it alone. So they assemble a team with unpredictable sorcerer Simon (Justice Smith), activist druid Doric (Sophia Lillis) and the honorable paladin Xenk (Regé-Jean Page), hoping to get justice. Or at least revenge.

I know next to nothing about Dungeons & Dragons. It was always something I thought could be fun to play but never did. Maybe someday. In any case, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a fun introduction to the world behind it. In fact, it is simply a highly entertaining film that had me laughing practically the entire time.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is by no means perfect. Some of the jokes are way too obvious. There is a dead wife, as if no other motivation was possible for the main character (though at least they really lean into the emotional aspect of it and let Edgin grieve and move on). There is a sequence with a fat dragon that is so utterly fatmisic, it is one of the few moments where the film really couldn’t make me laugh.

But for the most part, the film was just so much fun. The plot is haphazard, but in a way that feels intentional and in tune with the source material – a role-playing game where a lot is up to chance and the dice. The world feels full – and I imagine it feels even fuller if you know the game itself.

But probably the best thing about it is the cast – they all ham it up and it just works beautifully. All of the central five get a sense of depth (even if the film is focused on Edgin and Holga), but more importantly, they all get their own sense of humor – and really establish themselves as a team for the audience.

This makes the film a really good time, in an easy and undemanding way. It doesn’t revolutionize anything, but it is an excellent introduction – and I would be happy to watch more films of its kind. And maybe I’ll actually play the game at some point, too.

Summarizing: I laughed my ass off.