User reviews

My 'Dungeons and Dragons' knowledge isn't very vast, but I have always really liked the idea of it, despite never playing the game, so, I decided to see 'Honour Among Thieves' on a somewhat of a whim, I felt like going to the cinema, this was playing, I heard good things, so, I thought why not.

This film was an utter surprise, my expectations were rock bottom, I thought it would be passable at best, but, instead I got one of the best blockbusters I have seen in years.

The film follows a thief called Edgin, played by Chris Pine, as he gather a crew to rescue an old artefact.

In a landscape dominated by some of the most abysmal of blockbusters, 'Honour Among Thieves', stands out as, while nothing exceptional, it showcases a level of filmmaking quality usually absent in these types of blockbusters, especially in DC and Marvel's recent efforts. There feels like there is genuine passion here, an effort to make something visually distinctive, it actually feels like a filmmaker's vision.

The script, while riddled with clichés and some pacing issues, is surprisingly tight, and most importantly: funny and engaging. This film has several great laughs, but more surprisingly some genuinely impactful emotional beats, which the comedy never intrudes upon. Its characters are all distinct and memorable, they don't feel like cardboard cutouts of film protagonists.

The cast are also great, and have great chemistry, Chris Pine in particular surprised me with his fun and charismatic performance.

In short, 'Honour Among Thieves' is by no means perfect but it is a throughly refreshing and fun blockbuster that felt lost to time, I would recommend to D&D fans and non-fans alike, it's a real winner that I would love to watch a sequel to.

I didn't expect much, as I know nothing about the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing universe. The trailer was nice, so I thought I'd give the movie a chance, and it turned out to be one of the best films of the year! Everything is well-done - the actors, the story, the action, the twists, the universe, absolutely everything! And of course, for once a good original film comes out, there's no promotion, at least not in France... I read that the film is a box office failure, and it's all the producers' fault for completely missing what could have been a very profitable franchise...

Don't hesitate, go watch this movie, you won't regret it.

I heard some rumblings that this one might be better than it's early year release date and it has easily become my first real surprise viewing of the year and I think it deserves to be ranked amongst some of the best fantasy films in the genre. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a fantasy film with a journey/heist at its center that takes a likable group of thieves (really just misunderstood heroes) through imaginative locations, encountering creative characters/creatures, and giving us some memorable action set pieces with castle chases and even pudgy dragon fights. Calling it a Guardians of the Galaxy for the fantasy genre is a bit simplistic, but it's also not that far off. Another way to put it would be that this is to Lord of the Rings what Shrek was to Disney Princess films. The director/writers here were the writers from 2018's Game Night so that might help give you a clue as to the layered humor to expect and also hope for a juicy Jesse Plemons role in a future sequel.

Three things make this fantasy-action-comedy stand out to me. First, it's just a fun story to watch filled with actors who genuinely feel like they are enjoying their roles. Chris Pine gives a charismatic lead performance here that brings a lot of comedy and still finds some strong dramatic notes. Pine plays the character a bit like if Jason Bateman had been cast as Star Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy instead of Chris Pratt. There's a moment Chris Pine breaks into a song and it's not just played for laughs - it's meant to be for levity and it really works. Hugh Grant, like in Paddington, gets to sink himself into another smarmy villainous role and there's even a delightful little surprise cameo that had me rolling. Second, the film is bursting with creative imagination and features plenty of practical effects to pull it off. There's lots of real-life locations, practical builds, and costumes mixed in with stages/CGI to ground the film. Also, you never feel like they over rely on magic just for the sake of getting some CGI moment into the trailer. Finally, the relatively simple stakes of the film, recapturing a lost family, are refreshing for such a big blockbuster. Sure, they backdoor a bit higher stakes during the overstuffed finale (some trimming and focus would have really helped to nail the landing here) but it's light and takes a backseat to the family stuff. On one hand, it's heartening to have only one entry here and just let this story and world be a one off. On the other hand, they've developed such likable characters and such an interesting and fun world that it would be a shame not to revisit it. If that's a problem, that's a pretty good one to have.

D+D is what the adventure-comedy/fantasy genre needs to take notes from. In a world saturated by superhero films and remakes/retreads of old favorites, this was a breath of fresh air. It was fun, funny, and generally entertaining. The characters made sense, and the funny parts weren't focused on awkward or cringe situations that are totally unnatural, unlike most modern films.

The casting of Hugh Grant here is inspired. He's been doing some tremendous work in all of the films he's been in lately, and it is awesome to see him taken seriously as an actor beyond just his old rom/com days. He's good as a villain, and the rest of the story plays off of him very well here. Likewise, the main cast all does a great job playing both for and against type.

Admittedly, I don't know D+D lore, so I don't know how well this satisfies true fans, but I think it works well as a basic story/film. It reminds me a bit of Firefly/Serenity- a not too serious take on a well-worn genre that manages to do a lot more right than it does wrong.

This film delivers what it promises. Nothing more, nothing less. It is a good fantasy, adventure story, based on the famous world of Dungeons & Dragons; however, you don't need to know anything about the table game, as they simplify it enough for everyone to enjoy. Although there are a few parts when a lot of names are suddenly thrown at you, related to the lore, and for those casual viewers who are not so much into fantasy worlds, it might be a little confusing.

Another aspect that is fantastic for those of us who play videogames is composed by some easter eggs mentioned in different dialogues, and that can only add to the experience. Along with good, well-performed action scenes, strong visuals and a captivating soundtrack, this film achieves to be as entertaining as the trailer shows. But don't expect it to be a masterpiece within the genre. The comedic relieves are usually bland, quite simple, and the plot doesn't take any risks nor unexpected twists. They played it safe to reach the biggest possible audience, and that is respectable.

I can put an end to the review saying that this movie has enough source material and potential to become a franchise, and I will be there to follow it.

I was lucky enough to catch a sneak preview of the Movie. I have played Dungeons and Dragons since the basic game came out in the late 70ies. So far, every adaptation I have seen trying to turn the D&D world into a movie has fallen flat on its face mostly because it was trying to appeal to way too many audiences and include way to much modern BS.

This movie was decent, It has a very adventurous feel and definitely played to both fans of the game and those who have never played the game. I like the fact that they didn't spoil the movie with any modern elements like the movies of the past had tried to do. It had a good story and great special effects. Is it the story I would have told? Nope but I don't have a $100,000,000 to make a movie and my movie would have catered more to the D&D world and player. It also most likely would have been a complete flop because it's a very small niche market! They don't call this the "movie business" for nothing and I understand that. Let's face it, we won't see another movie if it doesn't make money! I would definitely pay to see a series of this type of movie providing they stay on the same path they are on. The movie was far from perfect from a game player stance, but the movie has been the truest to the spirit of the game to date.

Game players will be divided on the movie's success but everyone else will most likely be entertained.

It was fine. It wasn't great. It wasn't as funny as it could have been. The trailer had me really excited to see it, but it wasn't as good as the trailer had me expecting. It had some good moments, and some fun fight chorography, but it's not going to stick in my head as a film I want to come back to. The structure of it feels slightly chaotic. None of the characters are particularly deeply explored. There are strong female roles which I enjoyed. All the characters are contextualized by their romantic interests either past or future, as well as by their primary skill that they contribute to the group. So it's nothing sophisticated - it's not meant to be - but for me it fell short of being as entertaining as it hoped to be.

Saw the sneak preview today with my wife. I'm a 43-year veteran player and DM, and she's never played. She laughed through the whole thing and was riveted by the action sequences, indicating that this is an excellent intro to the world of D&D for the inexperienced. I was enchanted by what they got right: the iconic monsters, the banter, the feeling of an organic adventuring party coming together combining their strengths.

Best of all, having lived in Neverwinter since 6/7/13 and the MMO's open beta, I got to see the Jewel of the Sword Coast North in all its glory.

I'll be bringing my 4H D&D club to see it as soon as possible, and we'll definitely be seeing it again on our own.

Never played dungeons and dragons (though I've always really wanted to!) but without knowing anything about the source material, this was pretty good!

Very entertaining overall, great pacing, some laugh out loud moments, a few great characters. That's not to say it's perfect though, some of the laughs fall short, and my biggest criticism would be the lack of world building and character development.

Saying that though, it's a great Friday night movie. You really don't have to think too hard about this one, just sit back, be entertained, and enjoy the laughs and magic. Fun, but not fantastic.

I am so surprised by the reviews here that I decided to sign up. The reviews suggest this is a fabulous movie. Now, I am glad people enjoyed it and found it entertaining but come on people a movie has to have a bit of something more about it than this. I went with my wife and 13 year old daughter. We were all excited having done a quick check of the rating on IMDb. We all thought the movie was a massive flop. I've read a few reviews here which compare the movie to Guardians of the Galaxy! It's got none of wit, humour, dialogue or interesting characters of that movie and I just cannot see what others obviously have. Someone even referenced LOTR! I get that people enjoy fantasy blockbusters on the big screen but this is so clearly a money grab with absolutely no original ideas and I would save yourself the money and more importantly the time. D&D deserves better than this.

This film brought me a different kind of happiness.

It's no masterpiece, but it's good to see that the foundation of what defines the fantasy genre is still alive. The elements that make the genre unique, the details, narrative, interaction, visual and story.

It's undeniable how Peter Jackson changed fantasy forever and this film is greatly influenced by him, but it proves that there is still a horizon for fantasy, one that makes you want to be in the film, be one of the characters, see yourself in the events.

With the right team, it can be adapted several times in the future exploring other adventure narratives from the world of D&G, with a shorter duration and a charismatic cast, the work stands out despite following the action adventure formula, but this allows us to be surprised by the execution.

It brought me hope.

A reboot of the board game property (after the disastrous 2000 release) currently in theaters. Chris Pine, a thief, & Michele Rodriguez, a warrior, are on a quest to retrieve a magical doodad which will resurrect his wife who passed years before which put the caring of his daughter, Chloe Coleman, in the care of his once partner, Hugh Grant, now a de-facto leader of a village. Grant has a red witch, Daisy Head, at his beck & call but what he doesn't realize Head & her ilk are using his largesse to inflict a red mist which will put the populace in thrall (living zombies) to their cause. Pine soon recruits a problematic mage, Justice Smith & a shape shifting Owlbear, Sophia Lillis, to his scheme (w/added panache from Rege-Jean Page) to right his past wrongs before Head gets her way. Not taking the material seriously is a huge boon to this film's success & a lot of the acclaim should go to John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein (they made the Vacation sequel w/Ed Helms, co-wrote Spider-man: Homecoming & Game Night) who could in lesser hands make this a turgid bore but by instilling a healthy dollop of humor make this fantasy for the uninitiated a lot of fun.

This film attempts to be something equivalent to the Marvel universe, with many soundbytes that tend to fall flat. The lead's tonal pacing and pitch does not engender the sense of an enthralling adventure. It has poor synchronicity in AV as it moves from scene to scene. The only fully believable character is the Tiefling and barbarian girl(who both have fantastic costume,makeup, and hair design). It is far too americanized to suspend reality and allow us to believe we are truly in a fantasy setting. The CGI is quite impression insofar as the art design and direction, however. The film isn't terrible, it just isn't the direction I would've went for introducing the D&D franchise to a new generation.

I'm a life long Dungeons and Dragons player of both the Tabletop RPG and the Video Games. And I'm sorry to say I found this film to be extremely irritating and dissapointing.

The real problem with this film is that it's essentially a fantasy comedy written with the depth and maturity of a 10 year old kid, is aimed at a 10 year old audience, or viewers with that mental age. While a few of the jokes are mildly funny, the film just goes from joke to joke to joke, all the way through so that nothing in the plot or world is taken with any gravitas or authenticity. This is an utter exercise in bathos.

Just because the film makes a 100 nods to D&D Lore does not a Dungeons and Dragons film make. The story and characters are lacking in any of the depth, magic or mystery that exists within the Dungeons and Dragons universe, and just comes across as an attempt to target the lowest common denominator in modern culture, essentially people with 10 second attention spans. Lots of silly jokes, none stop action and the spectacle of special effects.

Dungeons and Dragons as a game and fantasy world is not a comedy and only people who are incapable of exploring mature themes because they take everything as a joke, play it as one. It seems pretty obvious to me that the writers of this film think that D&D is a joke.

Whenever my friends and I play a Tabletop game, sure funny things happen in our adventures that leave us rolling in laughter, but for the most part the adventures are taken seriously, and the themes explored in D&D are not comedic. Dark curses, ancient magic, realms of wonder and beauty, and stories of heroism and loyalty, tradgedy and betrayal. And this film is an utter betrayal of the real spirit of Dungeons and Dragons.

If you look at the 1980's D&D cartoons, you will see the real spirit of the game. The cartoons, while including occassional comic relief ( which is fine, because it's not over done), are for the most part serious and melancholic stories about a world where good and evil hang in the balance. The over arching storyline of the cartoons is a melancholic tale of lost innocence and a group of friends on a quest to find their way home. That is the soul of Dungeons and Dragons that I know from the source material and video games.

A good comparison for what a real Dungeons and Dragon's film should be is the original Star Wars Trilogy, New Hope etc. While the original Star Wars are family friendly films, they are not comedies, but action adventure and space opera. The original Star Wars contain comic relief ( C3PO, Chewbaccca etc ), but the comedy there does not ruin the otherwise serious themes of Star Wars - the epic battle between good and evil. This film is to D&D what the new Star Wars films ( rise of blah etc ) are to the original Star Wars trilogy - a travesty.

To conclude Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Theives is a dissapointing and cliched rendition by writers who clearly do not understand the game they have poorly attempted to translate onto the big screen. Is this film, complete trash? I guess not, it's somewhat entertaining if you are bored and have nothing better to do. But if you want Fantasy Comedy (That's actually funny), go watch Mythic Quest, Army of the Dead, or Monty Python's Holy Grail instead. If you're looking for great fantasy, then go watch the original Willow or Legend, Labyrinth or Krull. If you're looking for an authentic Dungeons and Dragons story, then go watch the 1980's cartoons, they are far superior to this film in every way.

And if you don't want to be subjected to two hours of mind numbing cringefest, then give this movie a miss.

D&D was actually quite funny, and entertaining. The comedy and intertwined storylines were really interesting. I did not expect this film to be engaging, but it was actually extremely watchable.

D&D's supporting cast were outstanding. We were all enchanted by Regé-Jean Page's almost God-like portrayal of 'Xenk'. Page has to be contender for one of the next iterations of James Bond. Sophia Lillis mastered her performance of 'Doric' given the incredible CGI that surrounded her character. And, if an award could be given to an actor who mastered a British accent better than a Brit themselves, it goes to Californian-born Justice Smith. Smith portrayal of accident-prone, insecure and bashful 'Simon' was outstanding.

Paul Bazely (from the IT Crowd) made wonderful appearances dotted across D&D, reprising his role as a magician (- viewers of The IT Crowd will know what I mean). However, it is always a pleasure to see him on screen given how great an actor he is.

All in all, a few plot holes, and perhaps a too many convenient links within a wide-arching story line to be believable, and worthy of taking this movie up to an 8. But if this is a how they did it, then I cannot wait for the sequel.

Oh, and Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Hugh Grant were alright.