Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) - Movie Review

What do you get when the Dungeons and Dragons IP gets handed to 2 comedy filmmakers with little to no experience in action and the studio actually gives them full financial and creative backing?

One of the best sword and sorcery films ever made.

Let’s discuss.

DND: Honor Among Thieves is a 2023 Fantasy/Action/Comedy brought to us by the writing / directing team of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein with additional writing by Michael Gilio. Usually on my reviews, seeing three writers on a film is a red flag, but in this case it makes perfect sense. This is a DND campaign adapted to film, thus having 3 writers to flesh out the mindsets of each of the characters must of have been essential as all the protagonists, antagonists, and supporting characters are completely fleshed out. Daley and Goldstein DM this film with aplomb, having cut their teeth on big budget fair with 2017’s Spiderman: Homecoming. In antithesis of Marvel fair, the team behind this film was able to not only make an action packed, funny, and heartfelt film—the were able to do it without setting up a cinematic universe or having to rely on pandering fan service.

The film focuses on 2 thieves, a bard named Edgin and his best friend, Holga the barbarian as they go on a quest of redemption after being tricked into helping an evil wizard steal an item of horrifying power. Having lost their freedom and the child they raised together, the two gather a party including a wild shaping druid, an inconsistent mage, and a humorless paladin. What follows is a mad dash through the Underdark and into Neverwinter as they fight dragons, undead mercenaries, and the Red Mage that started all their misfortunes. Will the party reach their goal and save Edgin’s daughter, or will they be consumed by the evil sent from Thay?

This is a must watch fan for anyone who likes Fantasy fiction and films, but for a DND fan—this may be the best fantasy film ever. There is fan service throughout the film, but it’s handled with masterful subtly. Unlike films like Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (aka Dumpster Fire Supreme), the fan service doesn’t overwhelm the actual narrative and many of the fun things are blink and you’ll miss it references that will pop out with multiple viewings in time.

My favorite reference being the appearance of the heroes from the 1983 Dungeons and Dragons animated series in the Arena near the end of the film. If you watch closely, you’ll see the second group of adventurers, and the ones caught in the cage at the center of the arena are Hank, Eric, Presto, and the rest of the gang from the cartoon show.

In almost every scene I relayed a handful of references from classic and current DND to my wife and mother who viewed the film with me. It was so much fun and a great introduction to the world of DND for the uninitiated.

It helps that the directing and the acting are both top notch.

Having seen terrible performance after terrible performance in Marvel’s Phase 4, this was a refreshing reminder that good acting can happen in a large SFX based film.

Speaking of Special Effects—This film is so much better than anything Marvel’s done recently. Is it perfect? No, but the art style, costumes, and digital effects were breathtaking. The chase in the under dark starring everyone’s favorite Chunky boi, Themberchaud gave me the same feeling I had when I first saw the Balrog in Fellowship of the Ring. You can really tell that there was a solid plan by the filmmakers provided to the sfx teams, allowing them to put loving care into this film. I got the feeling that the digital artists had as much fun making this film as the actors did.

Let me start the acting discussion with an apology to Justice Smith. My biggest gripe about Detective Pikachu was Smith’s performance as a wooden protagonist. In fact, I avoided watching anything he was in, that’s how much I disliked the performance. However, I was wrong. He’s fantastic in this film and it’s obvious that the combination of having to work with a fully CGI costar and Kathryn Newton, who after seeing Freaky and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania, I am convinced is an android. She sucks the life out of all the actors around her and for that I villainized Smith’s performance.

Justice Smith has the goods and he’s one of the major highlights of this film as his chemistry with soon to be megastar Sophia Lillis is electric. The two of them play off each other so well and with such organic ease. Lillis has already been prolific in her acting career with starring roles in It and I Am Not Okay With This already under her belt, but it’s obvious that she’s going to be a big star. She’s beautiful and the energy she gives to the role makes it so you can’t take you eyes off of her when she’s on screen.

The same can be said for Regs-Jean Paige, but that’s just a handsome man right there. How he made a Paladin, that like most all paladins lacks a sense of humor, be so likable is a masterclass. A lesser actor would have made the character come off as stiff and unlikable, but somehow Paige makes you happy to see this humorless swordsman return on screen.

Then there’s the stars of the film, a teaming that shouldn’t work, but somehow came off flawlessly.

Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez are straight up FIRE. They are two best friends, opposites in every respect except for the love of the daughter they raised. There’s no romantic entanglement, which is refreshing beyond belief. They are just 2 warriors down on their luck and trying to stay on the straight and narrow together.

This is Pine’s finest performance. He is funny, charismatic, but still is able to pull on the heartstrings. His monologues in the film which fill in story gaps come off less as exposition dumps and more as true character development. As Holga is not of many words, it’s Pine’s job to build both their characters backstories and it works beautifully.

Also, I’ll always been in Michelle Rodriguez’s corner. She’s one of the most underrated actresses in Hollywood due to her substance issues of which she’s battled admirably. As an addict who did many awful things during the throws of addiction, I feel for her. I couldn’t imagine getting clean with paparazzi hiding around every corner. I’m glad she not only got to return to Fast and Furious franchise, but also gets to go out on her own and hopefully lead a new franchise. She is the perfect straight woman to Pine’s comedic bard.

Also, her kink for hobbits is hilarious.

Then there’s our villains…

I know he’s an asshole in real life, but I’ve always loved Hugh Grant. I grew up watching Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, and About a Boy. Often Grant would play either an oblivious protagonist (see Notting Hill) or an almost antihero (About a Boy), but rarely did you get to see him play a true villain. Which is a shame, because he’s perfect as the conniving, slimy Forge.

What’s great is he plays a character that comes off as an older version of Pine’s Edgin. As if Forge is what Edgin could have become had he not met his wife. He even has a plutonic life partner in the Red Wizard of Thay, Sofina who much like Holga of few words and even fewer emotions.

Head is breathtaking in the role. She imbues the eerie stillness that one would imagine from reading about the Red Wizards in DND books and games. They are described as still as the grave and she pulls it off. It helps that she is drop dead gorgeous and is one of those rare women who look better with a shaved head. The menace she brings in her scenery chewing performance is palpable.

Oh and Bradley Cooper plays a sexy hobbit that all the ladies are after, and it’s hilarious.

You need to see this movie.

It’s available to rent or purchase through all digital platforms as of this writing.