- Date of Release: 31 March 2023
- Genre: Action, Fantasy, Adventure
- Language: English
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Introduction
It is still a Wednesday and the weekend is still a fair mile away. But before that, I decided to watch and review Dungeons & Dragons : Honor Among Thieves, a film that I had previously skipped during its theatrical run. And I did have my reasons for doing so despite a glowing word of mouth. Firstly, fantasy as a genre is amongst the least of my favourites. While being a critic, I do not have the luxury to choose and selectively view films, I hate to admit that I have never quite been enamoured about the fantasy genre. This is especially true when the drama is set in a medieval time with fantasy as a backdrop. This was one of the reasons why I had to move away from Game Of Thrones despite it being a great watch for many(yes, true story). So while opting to view Dungeons & Dragons : Honor Among Thieves(based on a game), my red flags were up, more so because of the acquired taste that I did not have for the genre(as opposed to its content). So then does Dungeons & Dragons : Honor Among Thieves manage to impress, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Dungeons & Dragons : Honor Among Thieves follows the story of an unlikely group of thieves who must avenge the treachery that they did face while recovering a lost relic from one amongst them. The story does have all the right ingredients for an entertaining ride with bouts of magic and fantasy. And the screenplay standing at about 135 minutes does make for a fun watch, something that I was pleasantly surprised myself.
The tone of the drama is set in its opening sequence wherein you are introduced to two of the many protagonists. A trial cutting to their flashback ensues and you are then privy to their character motivations amidst the events leading up to them landing at a sort of a ‘prison’. Yet in that trial sequence, there is an inherent sense of quirkiness that you often make you chuckle. This, while you are prepared that something important is going to transpire. Simply the buildup here while acquainting the audience with the theme of the drama to follow, was in my opinion a genius start to the drama. The grand escape followed by a predictable twist in the tale adds fodder to the drama which was honestly quite enjoyable.
The proceedings are thoroughly entertaining, given that a group of misfits do have a unique trait of their own. Yet the goofiness of the group never lets the drama to get heavy headed at any given point of time. Given what is at stake, you are invested in the journey of the bandwagon with dollops of humour that does make for a hilarious watch. For instance, that entire sequence at a graveyard is one of the best comic sequences that I have seen in a while. Yes, the tropes of the drama with characters going from one destination to another might seem predictable but it does make for a supremely entertaining watch.
The events leading up to the final act with multiple obstacles in play did have me invested further. The entire sequence at the arena was thrilling and quite enjoyable with the right kind of magic thrown in. In between, there are also instances of a few characters blooming in what was a good character arc written for them. I still did feel that the final act could have been further layered given how simplistic it eventually did turn out to be. But the ending did have an emotional streak to it that did make for a nice little teary moment to close the film. The post credit scene is not to be missed out on as well. It is hilarious to the core, thus summing up a screenplay which did spring up a pleasant surprise here(for me personally).
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are quirky and do make for a hilarious and entertaining watch. The BGM does provide the right kind of an atmosphere for the drama to flourish. The cinematography and the VFX are outstanding and I could sense that multiple sequences were designed for a big screen experience. The editing is crisp and sharp too. Director John Francis and Jonathan M Goldstein put their best foot forward by constantly keeping the drama engaging and entertaining right throughout.
Performances
The performances are excellent here. I did wish that the antagonists did have a little more screen time just to raise the stakes a little more. Hugh Grant as Forge and Daisy Head as Sofina are brilliant despite a limited screen time. Rege-Jean Page as Xenk, Chloe Coleman as Kira and Sophia Lillis as Doric are wonderful to watch. Justice Smith as Simon is an absolute delight to watch and he is subtly brilliant with his comedy. Michelle Rodriguez as Holga is exceptional, particularly in the combat sequences and she has a wonderful screen presence. Chris Pine as Edgrin is outstanding with his comic timing and he nails his character with the right mix of emotions.
Conclusion
Dungeons & Dragons : Honor Among Thieves does spring a surprise with its quirky brand of comedy that makes it an entertaining adventure fantasy caper. Highly Recommended!
