SEA Wave reviews Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, the latest epic-adventure film starring Chris Pine, Hugh Grant and Michelle Rodriguez.
“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” is the latest live-action adaptation of the well-known popular tabletop role-playing game.
In this iteration, we follow a band of unlikely adventurers consisting of a an ex-harper turned thief (Chris Pine), a female barbarian (Michelle Rodriguez), a no-talent wizard (Justice Smith) and a feisty druid (Sophia Lillis) who embark on a journey to seek redemption, freedom, and riches in the Forget Realms of the DnD world. With the help of a charming paladdin (Regé-Jean Page), they join forces to take on the Red Wizard of Thay (Daisy Head) and attempt to overpower the Lord of Neverwinter (Hugh Grant).
I was given the honor to be one the first people to see Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves at the film’s Gala Premiere at SM Megamall – IMAX Theater and here is our spoiler-free High Five review of the new DnD film and the why you should check it out as soon as it comes out in cinemas.
A well-crafted movie for a well-loved game
Accompanied by well-executed cinematography and CGI, the narrative of the story which highlights the importance of family, friendship, loyalty, teamwork, and sacrifice remained interesting and intriguing for the entirety of the film. The production design is also commendable as the costumes and props created and used for the film were well-made and the landscapes shown in the film were visually stunning and breathtaking as well. The well-written script also paved the way for meaningful takeaways from several lines delivered by the characters. When it comes to accuracy to its source material, familiar creatures and several notable characters from the game also appeared in the new DnD movie. Although the movie wasn’t able to include every single creature from its mythology, it was still a justified adaptation of the popular game that has been a staple in pop-culture and media.
Action-packed adventure with humor and heart
Incorporating humor into a movie isn’t always a success. There is always a tendency that constant inclusion of punchlines may become distracting or unnecessary in a narrative but that’s not the case with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. The humor was natural, it didn’t feel out of place. The writing and delivery of each line was on-point which will make you laugh without fail. The action sequences were also well-executed and impressive to watch.
The heartfelt and vulnerable moments here and there helped balance out the film to not be overwhelmed with action and comedy. There’s no single feeling you’ll have when you watch it which makes the experience exciting because there are no dull moments from the opening scene to the end credits.
DnD Fan and fellow movie-goer Margaret Siytangco also expressed her enjoyment of the new film. “I enjoyed it. I was laughing. I was clapping. I’m very, very happy that finally there is a Dungeons and Dragons movie that is good, no, no… Very good.”
Stellar cast and performances
Sophia Lillis plays Doric, Justice Smith plays Simon and Michelle Rodriguez plays Holga in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves from Paramount Pictures and eOne.
Chris Pine’s natural charm translated well into his character, Edgin Darvis the self-appointed leader of the band of thieves. Joining him is the equally talented cast with Michelle Rodriguez as Holga Kilgore, Regé-Jean Page as Xenk Yendar, Justice Smith as Simon Aumar, Sophia Lillis as Doric, Hugh Grant as Forge Fitzwilliam, and Daisy Head as Sofina who all owned their characters and gave performances that were indeed memorable. Though the film is star-studded, each character shone just as bright as the other. You’ll also feel a genuine connection to the characters as the story progresses and a big factor into that is how well actors played their parts. As pointed out by Glenda Ann Coria, student from Bulacan State University, “The entire cast had great chemistry and had an exemplary performance for each of their characters. They totally owned it! I may not be a fan of the game, but I’m glad I got introduced to this epic world through these actors.”
It’s rare to find a cast with great chemistry, but this film has just that. The dynamic between the characters, the character developments they have as the movie progressed, the charm and diversity within the cast made the film really stand out.
Stands on its own
Having no knowledge of the DnD lore will not hinder you from enjoying this adventure of a film. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is suitable for anyone looking for an exciting movie to entertain them. Though this isn’t the first DnD live action project, the latest take of the classic game stands out as it was able to capture the essence of the Dungeons & Dragons while giving it a refreshing take that makes it feel relevant, relatable and captivating to modern audiences. For Roni Pacana of Tier One Entertainment, “It’s the best depiction yet, I’ll boldly say. Of all the Dungeons and Dragons movies, it’s the best one. The pacing was really good for a movie but still it felt like a game. It still had the DnD element to it.”
Without considering past iterations or other existing DnD media, the film can be enjoyed on its own as it will give you everything you want and should see but will leave you wanting more.
Perfect for everyone
The film is perfect to watch for a movie night with the whole family or with friends or even for a solo date. It has a little bit of everything for everyone to enjoy and there is absolutely no DnD experience needed to understand and appreciate the film.
Don’t be intimidated by the run-time of the film as its 2 hours and 14 minutes will just fly by because of how immersive and entertaining it is from the minute the film opens.
The magic (of the movie) felt like it was a game. – Roni Pacana, Tier One Entertainment
Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the game or someone like me who’s a complete stranger to it, you’ll be able to enjoy Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. There’s no need to watch the original live action film adaptation trilogy to understand narrative either. With or without knowledge of Dungeons & Dragons, you’ll enter and leave the cinema feeling satisfied and entertained with a well-made movie and a cast that gave memorable performances that you’ll be wanting more from the DnD Universe moving forward.
SEA Wave rates “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” a 4 out of 5 waves.
Are you looking forward to Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves?
Well, no need to wait much longer as it will be showing in cinemas nationwide starting March 29 and globally by March 31.
In the meantime, feel the hype even more by watching the official trailer of the movie: