Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves wasn't originally on my list of movies I had to see. I had never played the game and/or known the lore. There was, however, a clip going around online of the filmmakers shooting a scene practically as opposed to CGI and my interest was sparked. Don't get me wrong: provided it serves the story, I'm all for digital artistry (and, given Dungeons' plot, there was CGI to be had). However, there's no denying the way practical effects can ground (both in reality and the simple physics of the real world) a film and Dungeons & Dragons marries the two approaches masterfully.
After a once good thief, Edgin (Chris Pine), runs into trouble on a heist, he must recruit a team of quirky bandits to retrieve his daughter and a lost relic. Along the journey, chaos ensues and they're thrust into a much larger plot that tests their strength as well as their heart.
Overall, the acting is solid. Pine has the personality to sell a down on his luck, yet charming thief. His daughter in the film, Kira, played by talented young actress Chloe Coleman, is also quite good, holding a deep sadness throughout over her lost father. Michelle Rodriguez as Holga, Edgin's partner in crime, is solid. Her character is a variation on Letty from the Fast & Furious saga, but hey, it works here.
Any casual glance at the direction by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (who also co-wrote it along with Michael Gilio) will tell you they had a lot of love for the source material. Daley and Goldstein, at least from an outsider's perspective, toed a line between humor and heart, managing to have fun with the material while never making fun of it. It translated well to a person like myself without any context or backstory, revealing a bit of the world and community Dungeons & Dragons players experience.
Daley and Goldstein...have fun with the material while never making fun of it.
There are a couple problems with the film, although they do little to take away the enjoyment. One main one is the lack of chemistry between Pine and Coleman as father and daughter. They never really click in any scene they're in together (even if, in their respective roles, they're absolutely fine). Given the characters spend most of the movie apart and the circumstances that surround their separation, their lack of connection can be, if not forgiven, at least explained away. Besides, it's not always their fault. Sometimes Dungeons & Dragons is a little clunky when switching between jokes and sad, poignant moments, leaving it likely difficult to play catch up as an actor.
The other issue I have is the art direction. To be totally fair, it's not bad and mostly fine. It's just that, in many of the indoor scenes, the rooms seem weirdly empty, as if they're doing a dress rehearsal of the set, but perhaps they'll bring in a few more props later. Is this the maximalist in me nitpicking? Sure, quite likely, but there's no way they were going for sad beige minimalism. Selling the magical nature of a story goes a lot further with a fully fleshed out atmosphere.
In the end, I'm a fan. The quality of world-building and the clear devotion to a funny and heartwarming story along with a fantastic cast of characters is exactly what I'm looking for in a movie. I may never play Dungeons & Dragons, but I'd certainly go see a sequel.
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