Mikes Film Talk

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is surprisingly good. I say surprisingly because I missed the D&D boat. That ship set sail before I could get to the dock. It is safe to say I am not a huge fan. Mainly because I do not understand it. *Another admission of mine is that I do not understand “larping” either or other active RPG activities.*

My son assured me that having an intricate knowledge of this role playing game was not necessary. The film, he said, is funny and entertaining.

I am pleased to report that he was right.

The Story

Edgin is a charismatic thieve hoping to reunite with his daughter Kira. His best mate Holga agrees to help him, in this and other endeavors. Along the way they must fight Forge and his own personal witch Sofina.

The main Cast

Chris Pine is Edgin. He is funny and manages to entertain. Pine seems to excel in this type of action/comedy.

Michelle Rodriguez does what she does best, playing a tough and extremely dangerous type of warrior. Her character is Holga, all muscle and ink, she is a force to be reckoned with.

Sophia Lillis is Doric; a Druid. She is impish yet tough.

Hugh Grant is Forge. Villain extraordinaire and conman. He is also the guardian of Kira.

Chloe Coleman is Kira. She may be Edgin’s daughter but she is confused about where she really belongs.

Daisy Head, daughter of Anthony, plays Sofina, Forge’s witch.

Cameo of the film

Bradley Cooper plays the ex of Holga. It is splendid bit of fun and quite funny.

What Works

In a nutshell, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves works because one does not have to be a DND fan to enjoy it. Hugh Grant is a wonderfully droll and wicked villain. The aesthetic between PIne, Rodriguez and Coleman works very well.

John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein direct the film with a deft touch. They, along with the screenplay they co- wrote with Michael Gilio, stay faithful to the games canon. While this is important of fans of the RPG world of the game, it did not rule the events totally. The film enjoyable to viewers who are not fans of the boardgame.

It speaks volumes, this ability to entertain without being overly connected to the game’s orchestrations. The film is enjoyable enough that even non players can have their interest in the RPG piqued by the events and the story itself.

Dungeons & Dragons:Honor Among Thieves is funny, complex, intricate and vastly entertaining. Everything fits together well and at the end of the day, the movie works on a number of levels.

Behind the Camera

Cinematographer Barry Peterson makes each scene work. Everything looks brilliant and puts us, the viewer, in a wonderful world. Editor Dan Lebental, who has been a very busy chap this year, puts it all together brilliantly, as usual.

Kudos to Ray Chan for his production design and indeed to all the art direction team for making this one a visual experience “par excellence.”

The verdict

We give this fun filled action comedy a full 5 stars for its ability to entertain almost effortlessly. It is available to stream on MGM +, Paramount +, and Prime Video. Check out the trailer and then head on over to watch this one. You will not be sorry.