Donjons & Dragons : L'Honneur des voleurs

D+D is what the adventure-comedy/fantasy genre needs to take notes from. In a world saturated by superhero films and remakes/retreads of old favorites, this was a breath of fresh air. It was fun, funny, and generally entertaining. The characters made sense, and the funny parts weren't focused on awkward or cringe situations that are totally unnatural, unlike most modern films.

The casting of Hugh Grant here is inspired. He's been doing some tremendous work in all of the films he's been in lately, and it is awesome to see him taken seriously as an actor beyond just his old rom/com days. He's good as a villain, and the rest of the story plays off of him very well here. Likewise, the main cast all does a great job playing both for and against type.

Admittedly, I don't know D+D lore, so I don't know how well this satisfies true fans, but I think it works well as a basic story/film. It reminds me a bit of Firefly/Serenity- a not too serious take on a well-worn genre that manages to do a lot more right than it does wrong.

A reboot of the board game property (after the disastrous 2000 release) currently in theaters. Chris Pine, a thief, & Michele Rodriguez, a warrior, are on a quest to retrieve a magical doodad which will resurrect his wife who passed years before which put the caring of his daughter, Chloe Coleman, in the care of his once partner, Hugh Grant, now a de-facto leader of a village. Grant has a red witch, Daisy Head, at his beck & call but what he doesn't realize Head & her ilk are using his largesse to inflict a red mist which will put the populace in thrall (living zombies) to their cause. Pine soon recruits a problematic mage, Justice Smith & a shape shifting Owlbear, Sophia Lillis, to his scheme (w/added panache from Rege-Jean Page) to right his past wrongs before Head gets her way. Not taking the material seriously is a huge boon to this film's success & a lot of the acclaim should go to John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein (they made the Vacation sequel w/Ed Helms, co-wrote Spider-man: Homecoming & Game Night) who could in lesser hands make this a turgid bore but by instilling a healthy dollop of humor make this fantasy for the uninitiated a lot of fun.

This film delivers what it promises. Nothing more, nothing less. It is a good fantasy, adventure story, based on the famous world of Dungeons & Dragons; however, you don't need to know anything about the table game, as they simplify it enough for everyone to enjoy. Although there are a few parts when a lot of names are suddenly thrown at you, related to the lore, and for those casual viewers who are not so much into fantasy worlds, it might be a little confusing.

Another aspect that is fantastic for those of us who play videogames is composed by some easter eggs mentioned in different dialogues, and that can only add to the experience. Along with good, well-performed action scenes, strong visuals and a captivating soundtrack, this film achieves to be as entertaining as the trailer shows. But don't expect it to be a masterpiece within the genre. The comedic relieves are usually bland, quite simple, and the plot doesn't take any risks nor unexpected twists. They played it safe to reach the biggest possible audience, and that is respectable.

I can put an end to the review saying that this movie has enough source material and potential to become a franchise, and I will be there to follow it.

I didn't expect much, as I know nothing about the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing universe. The trailer was nice, so I thought I'd give the movie a chance, and it turned out to be one of the best films of the year! Everything is well-done - the actors, the story, the action, the twists, the universe, absolutely everything! And of course, for once a good original film comes out, there's no promotion, at least not in France... I read that the film is a box office failure, and it's all the producers' fault for completely missing what could have been a very profitable franchise...

Don't hesitate, go watch this movie, you won't regret it.

Such a perfect representation of what can happen in a DND campaign. It is epic, goofy, incredible, hilarious, and so entertaining. It is truly an immersive experience and is wonderfully paced. I didn't find myself looking at the time at all even though there was so much story covered. The characters are truly likable and they will hit so many of your emotions during the adventure. If you appreciate DND or just love comedic fantasy adventures you will have a blast. Go into it with an open mind and you will certainly be rewarded with a great time. The CGI at times can be a tiny bit lacking, but it is 100% forgivable. I will be going to see it again!