On March 31, Paramount Pictures released “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” with Chris Pine leading a band of unlikely adventurers who undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic. The film directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure.
The movie opened to rave reviews, holding fresh at 89% on Rotten Tomatoes with a critics’ consensus that reads, “An infectiously good-spirited comedy with a solid emotional core, ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ offers fun fantasy and adventure even if you don’t know your HP from your OP.” The ensemble cast includes Michelle Rodriquez, Regé-Jean Page, Hugh Grant, Justice Jesse Smith, Sophia Lillis and Chloe Coleman. Read our full review round-up below.
Dan Bayer of Next Best Picture says, “’Honor Among Thieves’ is tremendously fun, an action-adventure comedy that pays respect to its source material while never taking itself too seriously.” He adds, “The plot is hardly surprising, but the charismatic Pine, badass Rodriguez, hammy Grant, and charming Lillis and Smith are all having a blast, as is Page in a scene-stealing role as a paladin who joins the party to help them retrieve an important item they need to accomplish their goal. ‘Honor Among Thieves’ plays like an old-fashioned fantasy adventure with modern sensibilities, led by a cast who understands that if they’re having fun, the audience will have fun with them. And have fun we do.”
Jacob Hall of Slashfilm writes, “Dungeons & Dragons is, by its very nature, undefinable…Along the way, they encounter dungeons, dragons, an evil plot that transcends their initial plan for petty profit, and a paladin named Xenk, who may be the funniest character in a movie full of funny characters (Page pulls it off by playing the character as earnestly as possible, deadpanning his way through material that could’ve flattened a less charismatic actor).”
Owen Gleiberman of Variety praises the film, noting, “’Honor Among Thieves’ is built on the edifice of D&D lore, packed with totems and characters and Easter eggs that fans of the legendary role-playing game will drink in with a connoisseur’s delight. But for those, like me, who have spent their lives avoiding anything to do with Dungeons & Dragons, the film is eminently comprehensible and, in its you’ve-seen-it-before-but-not-quite-this-way fashion, a lot of fun.” He adds that Pine taps into the same vibe that made his “Star Trek” run so impressive and “Page acts with a dark-liquid-eyed savoir faire that’s delectable, and for a while he and Pine become an ace comedy team: Xenk the man too suavely heroic to crack a joke, Edgin the one who makes a joke out of everything, including Xenk’s nobility.” In conclusion, the film taps “into our nostalgia — not just for a game, but for the entire fantasy culture it helped to spawn.”
Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter notes that the “brutal opening” of the film is not an indication of the rest. “The actors who embody these wacky heroes and villains are the heart of Dungeons & Dragons: Their performances are lively, robust and well-judged. Pine and Rodriguez make for a particularly enjoyable duo as they volley light jabs and break the tensest moments with their teasing asides. Even as they repeat blunders and missteps, these adventurers are worth rooting for.”
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