Dungeons & Dragons: The First Of Many?

Dungeons & Dragons, starring Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez, is a whimsical, semi-funny film.

Intro

Named after the famous medieval-themed game, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a comedic tale of betrayal and growth. However, while the world-building is extensive and detailed, the execution of the plot needs to be revised, as it leaves viewers underwhelmed and unsatisfied with a timid movie.

Storyline

The story follows Edgin Darvis (Chris Pine), who escapes from prison to find out that his old partner in crime, Forge Fitzwilliam (Hugh Grant), has betrayed him. He then hatches a plan, forms a new team, and plans to pull a grand heist on Forge’s castle. The storyline is predictable but has tremendous potential, especially with the amount of world-building throughout the film. However, the plot remains simple and easy to follow, suitable for younger audiences but extremely boring for adult watchers. The dialogue can sometimes be childish, but some lines are pretty funny. The soundtrack is excellent and captures the medieval theme that the director intended to create.

Visuals

The acting is carried primarily by Chris Pine and Hugh Grant, who bring their characters to life. However, the rest of the cast does a decent enough job to keep the film flowing and ensure there are no awkward or cringe scenes. The cinematography and CGI are one of the best parts of the film. Most fantasy films require extensive VFX to bring the fictional worlds to life, and Dungeons & Dragons doesn't disappoint. With a budget of over 150 million dollars, it's safe to say that a majority went to ensuring that the appropriate scenes were portrayed as visual spectacles.

Closing Critiques

Now for the crucial question: Is it worth watching? The film starts off relatively strong, gets boring towards the middle, and becomes somewhat interesting towards the end. If you’re under the age of 12 or have kids, then perhaps it will make for a fun 2 hours. Anyone else, however, may not find it worth both the time or the price of admission and may end up snoozing through the movie.

Raving Rating: 5.9