Product Info

Studio

Paramount Pictures

Director

John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein

Genre

Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Rated

PG-13

Theatrical Release Date (NA)

Mar 31, 2023

Film Length

2hr 14min

Purchase From

Fans of the Dungeons and Dragons tabletop roleplaying game and its Forgotten Realms fantasy setting will love seeing the world of Faerun play out on the big screen in all its glory in Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Meanwhile, newcomers to the franchise may just find themselves wanting to schedule a game night after enjoying this epic, comedic adventure.

Roll the Dice

The story follows Harper-turned-thief Edgin Darvis (Chris Pine) and his barbarian companion Holga Kilgore (Michelle Rodriguez) as they gather a band of unlikely adventurers to pull off an epic heist. Paladin Xenik Yendar (Regé-Jean Page) arrives at an opportune time and the egotistical Forge Fitzwilliam (Hugh Grant) makes an excellent conman and villain.

More familiar faces join this action-packed adventure played out across the rich land of Faerun, from the bustling Waterdeep to the depths of the Emerald Enclave. It moves quickly, taking you from one marvelous location to the next, sometimes in dizzying fashion. This film wasn’t made for long trudging walks in the mountains. It was made for magic, action, and laughter. It delivers.

If this sounds like every adventure ever played with dice, that’s because it is! The movie follows classic Dungeons and Dragons storytelling themes, but it manages to deliver them in ways that are not boring or predictable. Instead, the film introduces Dungeons and Dragons concepts like spell casting and wondrous items in ways that are easy to understand, without getting bogged down in explanations.

Work of Art

The magic of this film isn’t in the CGI creatures or the fantastical unique settings or even the magic, all of which are well executed. This film works because the people who made it clearly love Dungeons and Dragons. It shows in the writing, the acting, and even the costuming. It all just feels right.

The film has great pacing and dialogue, and even though the plot is predictable, it’s still worth watching for the emotional payoff. The movie’s touching backstory keeps the narrative moving forward, too. It’s the many small surprises around every corner that keep the plot interesting in what could otherwise have been a very formulaic summer blockbuster.

A Bard’s Memorable Tune

Meanwhile, expect to hear the sweeping soundtrack from this movie in every game shop and Dungeons and Dragons campaign for a long time. The musical arrangements by Lorne Balfe match the grandeur of other fantasy epics to which this movie is sure to be compared. 

Indeed, the most surprising moment of the movie was at the beginning: The music swelled, the map of the Sword Coast scrolled across the screen, and a hush fell over the audience for a moment, as everyone in the theater was swept away to this magical and fantastical world.

The Final Showdown

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves likely will not break any new ground at the awards shows, but it’s a near-perfect summer blockbuster worth watching again and again.

An early screening provided for this review. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves releases in theaters on March 31, 2023. Tickets on sale now.