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.

Saw the sneak preview today with my wife. I'm a 43-year veteran player and DM, and she's never played. She laughed through the whole thing and was riveted by the action sequences, indicating that this is an excellent intro to the world of D&D for the inexperienced. I was enchanted by what they got right: the iconic monsters, the banter, the feeling of an organic adventuring party coming together combining their strengths.

Best of all, having lived in Neverwinter since 6/7/13 and the MMO's open beta, I got to see the Jewel of the Sword Coast North in all its glory.

I'll be bringing my 4H D&D club to see it as soon as possible, and we'll definitely be seeing it again on our own.

My 'Dungeons and Dragons' knowledge isn't very vast, but I have always really liked the idea of it, despite never playing the game, so, I decided to see 'Honour Among Thieves' on a somewhat of a whim, I felt like going to the cinema, this was playing, I heard good things, so, I thought why not.

This film was an utter surprise, my expectations were rock bottom, I thought it would be passable at best, but, instead I got one of the best blockbusters I have seen in years.

The film follows a thief called Edgin, played by Chris Pine, as he gather a crew to rescue an old artefact.

In a landscape dominated by some of the most abysmal of blockbusters, 'Honour Among Thieves', stands out as, while nothing exceptional, it showcases a level of filmmaking quality usually absent in these types of blockbusters, especially in DC and Marvel's recent efforts. There feels like there is genuine passion here, an effort to make something visually distinctive, it actually feels like a filmmaker's vision.

The script, while riddled with clichés and some pacing issues, is surprisingly tight, and most importantly: funny and engaging. This film has several great laughs, but more surprisingly some genuinely impactful emotional beats, which the comedy never intrudes upon. Its characters are all distinct and memorable, they don't feel like cardboard cutouts of film protagonists.

The cast are also great, and have great chemistry, Chris Pine in particular surprised me with his fun and charismatic performance.

In short, 'Honour Among Thieves' is by no means perfect but it is a throughly refreshing and fun blockbuster that felt lost to time, I would recommend to D&D fans and non-fans alike, it's a real winner that I would love to watch a sequel to.