Against all the odds, “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” might end up being the most pleasant surprise the film industry has to offer this year.
Despite mediocre trailers and poor marketing, this movie is a nice surprise for "Dungeons and Dragons" fans and general audiences.
Simplicity makes this movie work.
Instead of worrying about ambitious plots, deep, complex characters or an unnecessary spectacle, “Honor Among Thieves” takes a light approach and tells a rather predictable, yet heartfelt story with a lovable cast of characters and a great comedic core. This movie doesn’t want to sell you something or tease an ambitious franchise like a majority of modern films. The earnestness of this film is almost unnerving in a sea of movies that desperately want to be the next best thing.
With that in mind, I can say that “Honor Among Thieves” is the most fun I’ve had with a movie in a long time, and a large portion of that is thanks to the fantastic cast.
Chris Pine delivers an excellent performance as a charming bard with a dark past, but there isn’t a poor performance across the board. These actors could have delivered cheesy or over-the-top performances, but the fact that each character is played completely straight makes for a fun time.
Some people have compared this movie to a medieval “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and that comparison fits well. If you liked “Guardians of the Galaxy,” you will likely enjoy this as well.
Obviously it isn’t a perfect film. The CGI looks particularly bad during a chase sequence, although this sequence is creative, it is a bit hard on the eyes. There are a few characters that are rather underutilized. Especially the tiefling character who can transform into any animal. However, she does have a few scenes where she shines. The cast is utilized well for the most part. The directing and editing is extremely wonky in a few scenes, with some strange cuts and shots.
Despite this, “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” makes up for its flaws and does something Hollywood hasn’t done in a long time: it delivered an honestly fun and enjoyable film. With great humorous beats, fun action and a great, memorable cast of misfit characters, it’s a film that is extremely hard to hate and is certainly worth your time.