Xtreme Vogue London Desk: Sarah Marshal
Star Cast: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sofia Lillis, Hugh Grant, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head, and ensemble.
Director: John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein
What’s Good: It could be about a highly complex fantasy drama, but Dungeons & Dragons never take itself seriously in a good way. It’s a playful and an entertaining adventure.
What’s Bad: It does get generic at certain points, only to be revived by Chris Pine’s comic timing.
Loo Break: It’s a fun, harmless watch. Go ahead if you cannot ignore nature’s call.
Watch or Not?: Yes, you must. This is an escapist movie that is entertaining and doesn’t expect a lot from you in return.
Language: English
Available On: In Theatres Near You.
Runtime: 134.37 Minutes
User Rating:
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Script Analysis
Even if not played, almost everyone born to the internet and pop culture knows what Dungeons & Dragon is. A game that has defined childhood for multiple generations in the west and found itself in the public conscious across recently because of Netflix’s Stranger Things. Remember that game Mike, Dustin, Will, and the gang play? So when Paramount decides to make a movie out of it and take Honour Among Thieves as their theme, there is an entire fandom looking at them.
Written by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves knows what legacy it is representing, and that everyone is not Craig Mazin to crack the depth of a material that finds its roots in a game. Add to the fact that it is set up in a landscape that directly shares similarities with a cult as big as Game Of Thrones. So the smartest thing that the makers do is to make this one into a comedy that is true to the core but also very contemporary in its approach.
The idea takes cues from the game where a father (Edgin, Chris) has to not just save his daughter but also his entire town from the wizard who wants to eat it up, literally and metaphorically. The movie makes his quest the central conflict and shapes an entire story around it. But it is a severe subject because, at one point, Edgin even says he is a robber who robbed his daughter of her father. But to balance this seriousness, there is enough irreverence at play here. It is a fine line to walk because either of the two elements overpowering can kill the show. But the minds that created D&D the movie are the ones that created Spider-Man: Homecoming, Horrible Bosses, Game Night, and more, making it clear that they know their job.
The artistry is also in how evidently simplified this world it, even with its complex theme. It is a fantasy land, and magic is involved, but the director duo chooses to include believable elements to help the audience digest it much easily. The only place that the movie dips is when it becomes a bit too much predictable and even becomes a sitcom rip-off for a brief time to no good use.
Star Performance
While these are some very good performances, there will always be a complaint; that movie never focuses on the bonds it introduces in the first place. Like how it introduces Simon and Doric as a potential couple but never takes them seriously enough to invest. Or how Olga is given a very good emotional trajectory, but Edgin’s arc lacks the depth it deserves
Chris Pine has once upon on a time brought humour to the Star Trek world, so bringing that to Dungeons And Dragon: Honor Of Thieves is an easier task for him. The actor has to play a part that has to balance humour and emotions both. While the script doesn’t do much to help him shuffle, the actor does his best.
Michelle Rodriguez, as Olga, is a beast, and she knows what is expected from her. She gets the most complex parts to play because she is an outcast who was removed from the community for loving a man from a different race. She is strong, but also has a vulnerable beating heart, and you can see all of it in Michelle’s performance. Justice Smith as a trainee wizard, is fun, and you root for him in the limited time. So is Sofia Lillis. Hugh Grant is as Hugh as he can be, and Daisy Head plays the antagonist well. While there is no room for her to do much, she manages to get noticed.
Direction, Music
John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein, as directors, try to add as much realism as they can to this fantasy land. They shoot on real locations and include action that is never over the top but still very much dramatic. The way they balance out it all is worth mentioning. The visual humour in this world works. An obese dragon, a graveyard where dead soldiers are woken up to ask questions, and more. It all lands well. But not the cameos that are very loosely used.
The music is peppy and fun, so are the visuals including CGI, camera technique, and the costumes.
The Last Word
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a movie that is cleverly pitched and also gets very good performers to execute it. You can watch this one for two hours of entertainment.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Trailer
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves releases on 31st March, 2023.
