Time for a little bit of fun! I’ll be honest, this was a movie I wanted to see in the cinema but just never got round to it. And that’s exactly why I’m glad I pay for Sky Cinema. They seemed to have this movie available mere seconds after it left theatres. There’s a chance they had it while it was still in theatres. Either way, it made me feel less upset that I missed it.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (yes, it pains me to spell ‘honour’ like that) is – quite obviously – inspired by the famous role playing board game often referred to simply as ‘D&D’. The game itself is renowned for having infinite possibilities and outcomes, and that’s pretty much the spirit that this movie encapsulates. In short, a group of misfits and petty criminals join forces to uncover an ancient relic, but encounter weird and dangerous people along the way who are determined to snuff them out. It’s basically a wild adventure film: exactly what most of us were hoping for.
I was so on the edge of giving this 4 out of 5 overall because of how FUN AND DUMB IT IS. But it’s really a 3.5, isn’t it? Blah. Whatever.
Listen, Honor Among Thieves is the perfect movie for when you’ve had a rough day and need something to forget about the woes of life. Personally, I’m absolutely exhausted these days. But sitting down to watch Chris Pine and his crew of quirky friends galavant around in medieval garb for a couple of hours was the perfect remedy. It doesn’t take itself seriously at all, and that’s the biggest selling point it has.
Plot-wise, it’s erratic and messy. The thing is, that’s exactly how it should be. Although I’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons myself, what I gather from it is that it can twist and turn in a multitude of directions at any given moment, so the writing and pacing of this movie reflects that idea almost immaculately. Whilst I’d usually find such an inconsistent, unpredictable story annoying, this time it just made sense.
As I’ve said, Honor Among Thieves is actually a film I’d wanted to see on the big screen. What made me put it off for so long and therefore miss it? 134 minutes. Perhaps what struck me most after finally seeing it though is that it flew by. It just doesn’t give you a second to think about how long you’ve been watching and that is very much appreciated when it comes to moviemaking. For me, at least.
There’s nothing wrong with this movie, per se. The costuming is excellent, there’s a bunch of truly funny content (THE GRAVEYARD SEQUENCE), and it may provide the most apt use of Michelle Rodriguez in film history. It’s just forgettable for the most part. I watched this almost two months ago and I don’t actually remember a huge amount about the plot. And yet? It’s a fun ride. I expect to see at least a few sequels in the next few years, which is not a negative by any means.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is currently available to stream on Sky Cinema and Now TV in the UK.
TQR Category Ratings:
Performance: 4
Cinematography: 4
Soundtrack: 3
Costume & Set Design: 4
Plot: 3
Overall Enjoyability Rating: 3½
The Quayside Review 