MPAA Rating: PG-13/Genre: Fantasy Heist Action Comedy/Stars: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Hugh Grant, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head, Jason Wong, Rylan Jackson/Runtime: 134 minutes

I think it is fairly safe to start this review off by saying that if there was ever an item in the realm of pop culture that was very much meant to be viewed as unspecific in any way one that would definitely be on that list would be Dungeons & Dragons. No I must confess I have not played what is easily one of the world’s most iconic tabletop RPG’s (role playing games for those of you in the unaware), but there is one thing that I do know. That being that it is a game which has a foundation made up of a seemingly limitless collection of choices for those who do play it to consider pursuing. Not only that, but there is no specific narrative to traverse and no specific mood to the proceedings which can ensure success for one player and absolute fiasco for the others. Put another way dear reader: there is not only no one way to play and triumph at this game, but every single group of people who play will be distinct and every dungeon master (I might not play the game, but I DO know some of the terminology thanks to friends) will make their table distinctly theirs as well. Perhaps this is why the prior cinematic “adaptation” (I use that word very loosely and only because I have recovered from it enough to be able to do so) didn’t work as well to the point that it resulted in its cinematic potential going all but dormant. I guess the reason I bring this up is because the film helmers behind the latest cinematic adaptation of this property must be fanfreakingtastic players. I say this because if the game itself, as previously stated, is one that the imaginations of those playing is the only limit, then this movie is one that gives off the vibe that its cast and crew were permitted to go all-out and sculpt an incredible fantasy adventure saga that could be enjoyed time and time again…..you know like the actual game. Suffice it to say that if 2018’s Game Night was one that showed these pair of film helmers had some delightful skill at making what could have been a run of the mill comedy into something special, then this film is that same duo showcasing that they can make something magical out a movie that could have just been a cheap knock-off of such cinematic ventures as Lord of the Rings and The Princess Bride. Instead our dynamic film helming duo have managed, with the incredible aid of wonderful work behind the camera, a winning cast of characters, and a terrific wit to match, and in the process given us a rollicking and just plain magical fantasy adventure that has no qualms about revolving around how we as people interpret the concepts of love and family which I promise I will definitely be seeing again.

The plot is as follows: Taking place in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting (again thank you friends I had at one time), Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves gets its rollicking narrative underway by introducing us to a bard by the name of Elgin and his best friend Holga who happens to be a barbarian. When our story opens, we see that this dynamic duo is located in a rather distinct place. Namely a frozen winter unwonderful prison where they have been holed up for the past two years due to a heist the two have participated in. Yet whilst this has been problematic for Holga, it’s been even more heartbreaking for Edgin since it has resulted in him being separated from his daughter Kira who he genuinely loves with all of his heart. It isn’t too much of a spoiler therefore to reveal that soon enough our duo is able to get away from their icy captivity and swiftly make their way to reunite with a former member of their crew named Forge who, before the heist went awry, agreed to take care of Kira for Edgin. Upon reuniting with him however, our duo is soon clued in to a few things they might have missed during their time away. Namely that not only has he been feeding Kira lies about her father for the past couple of years, but he has also used the proceeds from the heist to establish himself as the Lord of Neverwinter and has even formed a partnership with a dastardly sort by the name of Sofina who has some horrific machinations of her own up her sleeve for the world. Suffice it to say that we see that our duo decides that if they want a chance to get Kira back, to say nothing of maybe get their hands on some of their well-deserved loot and give Forge some much-deserved payback in the process, they are going to need a few new partners in crime to aid them. A task they are able to accomplish thanks to a confidence-lacking sorcerer named Simon and a shape-shifting druid named Doric. Together this quartet must find a way to not only get vengeance on Forge, but also possibly save the land from Sofina and her horrific plans……

Now right off the bat it should be noted that there is a particularly irksome trend that I have noticed in a lot of cinema here lately. That being that, with a few exceptions, a lot of people are more than eager to see certain elements of the pop culture adapted for the big screen, but there doesn’t seem to be any genuine love for that element when doing so. As a result, not only do we see that the actors involved seem like they would rather be anywhere else, but the script itself even seems apologetic, and overall there is just this feeling that everyone involved has no respect or love for this particular property save for love of the check they’re getting for being a part of it and boy do they want you to be aware of that! Thankfully, I can say that this is most assuredly not the way the dice have come up with this slice of cinema since this is a movie that has more than a plentiful helping of heart right from the word go and keeps it front and center until the end credits begin to roll. We also see that this slice of cinema’s script, from three different writers no less, does a wonderful job of ensuring that the characters are given top priority before everything else. As a result, this movie is able to conjure up for us a genuinely likable rag tag group of comedic yet deeply flawed individuals who bumble their way through a series of misadventures in wonderful style. Not only that, but this film also does a wonderful job at ensuring that darn near every single element that is set-up here manages to acquire some kind of payoff with a lot of them coming in quite delightfully surprising ways. Now there might not be a lot of self-deprecating humor on display here, but that isn’t meant to imply this slice of cinema doesn’t have a degree of playfulness. Far from it actually. Indeed, not only are there some terrific winks and nods on display here for the more avid fans of this property, but every character has a sense of humor that originates specifically from that character themselves. Suffice it to say that this slice of cinema may dabble in the absurd and ridiculous, but by ensuring that those absurd and ridiculous things matter to both this cast of characters as well as the world of which they are a part the film beautifully ensures you are laughing with it and not at it. Of course, like most fantasy films, there are some truly grandiose action beats to say nothing of work done by the special effects team, but thankfully these elements never manage to take away from the overall charm present in this movie. Yet whilst the bigger critters are, of course, conjured up via CGI, we see that everything that could be viewed as human-sized are all appreciatively brought to life in a practical manner in the vein of something like Labyrinth or The Dark Crystal. Be that as it may be, they all in their own ways will manage to both astonish you as well as leave you with a giddy smile on your face. Perhaps the best example, in my opinion, is the appearance of a rather distinct dragon that fans of the game might know, but for everyone else trust me when I say that this is a dragon unlike many you have seen in movies of this particular ilk and it is a genuine delight when it shows up in this. Suffice it to say then that the work done behind the camera on this film is done by those who have a clear fondness and appreciation for this distinct property and it definitely shows in all the right ways.

Of course, it should also be pointed out that this love and appreciation for this property is by no means limited to the gifted crew working behind the camera. Rather, it also extends to the absolutely fantastic cast of players assembled in front of the camera as well. I say that because not only is every single member of this cast absolutely brilliant in their respective role, but each of them also looks like they are having a genuine blast as well with the material. This starts with the genuinely yet delightfully odd pairing that is Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez who are top-notch as this dynamic friend duo who are just trying to make it through the chaos of life together. Yet as phenomenal as they are together, they are also equally as terrific on their own as well. Indeed, in the role of Edgin, Pine does a terrific job at giving us a character that might seem like the typical thief with a heart of gold (to say nothing of an oddly wonderful singing voice), but gifts him with a winning talent for both being able to have at least 4 plans and a quip up his sleeve plus being incredibly persuasive and as a result not only makes this guy kind of endearing, but pretty darn likable as well. As for the role of Holga, we see that Rodriguez does an equally as wonderful job at making this character one who is stoic and not really one with words yet has no qualms about utilizing a terrific sense of physical comedy in order to get the job done. Yet even though this pair is, in many respects, the core of the story here, they are also backed up quite wonderfully by a winning quartet. The first two of those are an extremely lacking in confidence wizard named Simon and a skilled shape-shifting druid named Doric and together the two are played superbly by Justice Smith and Sophia Lillis even if Lillis doesn’t get quite as much to work with as the others to an extent. Of course, among the main quintet, the MVP would have to be Regé-Jean Page as the paladin Xenk. Indeed it might take him awhile to show up in this and he may have only 35 minutes of screentime tops, but Page does a fantastic job at playing this so noble it’s honestly kind of cheesy individual who earns some of the biggest laughs in the movie simply because he’s just too much of a suave hero to understand when a joke is made and responds to it in a way that is quite literal. Indeed think one of the knights in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, make him extremely competent yet still quite clueless, and you’ll begin to have an idea of what to expect from this guy. With that in mind though, the most delightful surprise for me in this cast was none other than Hugh Grant in the role of Forge Fitzwilliam. Indeed not only does Grant look like he is genuinely having fun playing this unapologetically sleazy individual, but he also proves he is more than capable of both making the most of every line and walking away with practically every single scene he is given. Suffice it to say that I know here lately Grant has been on a terrific run playing more than slightly despicable characters and truth be told I really hope he keeps it up because he is absolutely fantastic at bringing them to life. Suffice it to say therefore that when you also factor in delightful co-starring turns from both Daisy Head as well as Chloe Colman, I think it can safely be said that this is one cast of players that is genuinely magical in every sense of the word and then some.

All in all is Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves a perfect slice of fantasy cinema? No, but within that particular genre (to say nothing of cinema in general) few movies are rarely able to attain that. At the same time though, do not think for one second that means that this slice of cinema is bad. Far from it actually. I say this because, by my own admission, I might know next to nothing about the actual game Dungeons & Dragons, but I must also admit that I really do dig the heck out of this movie. Indeed not only is this slice of cinema one that is a fantastic entry in its respective genres, but it is also a wonderful take on an iconic property that works incredibly well regardless of if you’ve played the source material dozens of times or if you have never played the game even once. Suffice it to say then that when you factor in terrific work behind the camera and especially in front of the camera by a cast of players that is clearly having the time of their lives with this material, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is proof that the key to making a genuinely great cinematic adaptation of a property like this isn’t so much the worlds that are a vital part of it nor for that matter is it even adhering to a set of rules that you must follow like that grocery list you just remembered to write. Instead, it’s just the sheer and unabashed sense of fun that you get when you find yourself engaging in some truly delightful fantasy-based shenanigans with a group of people you are genuinely fond of. In that regard therefore, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is not only a cinematic representation of this property done right. Rather, it’s also a enjoyable slice of cinema period and one that will definitely cast enough of a spell on you that don’t be surprised if you find yourself compelled to enjoy it time and time again. On a scale of 1-5 I give Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves a solid 4 out of 5.