Post by jdv on Mar 31, 2023 13:30:34 GMT -5
THERE ARE not many fantasy films in existence, so when a big budget non-LOTR fantasy movie hits the screen packed with stars, it's always going to be of interest. Like sci-fi movies, even bad fantasy is usually entertaining so with that all said, I thought I had to see D&D HONOR AMONG THIEVES in an actual theater.
And I'm glad I did as it was a hoot. Lots of action and the movie never drags. The narrative keeps pushing forward while developing the characters at the same time. That alone is a win in an era of super long, big lag, movies (JOHN WICK 4 cough cough).
But it's also smart, has zero gayness, lots of Easter eggs, great effects & costumes, lots of comedy, and Chris Pine proving why he's a movie star. The rest of the cast is excellent as well, with a great effort from Hugh Grant of all people.
There's also little tributes to other fantasy flicks, including a brief nod to SWORD & THE SORCERER and even the original D&D cartoon. It's fun enough that even someone who's never played D&D should enjoy it, but if you've played the game it's even better (oddly enough, the movie is set in the same city where our little gang just ended up in our little D&D adventure, so even more coolness for us).
As nice little tie-in, Wizard of the Coast did a mock up of all the major characters so you can see their stat sheets, and according to them, Hugh Grant has 2 more charisma points than Chris Pine. It also means you could easily incorporate the movie characters into your own campaign, a great bonus for super fans.
It's not perfect, but it really did remind me of an '80's era fantasy flick in terms of tone and spirit (with a boatload of modern era SFX). This movie puts entertainment above all else, a shockingly rare thing now-a-days.
A big thumbs up, an instant fantasy classic.
