Nerds of all ages and backgrounds: It’s time to gather around for a fantasy movie that will surely bridge the gap between generations of Dungeons and Dragons players. Honor Among Thieves, a new movie produced by Paramount Pictures and directed by John Francis Daley and Johnathan Goldstein, has produced more than $126.5 million since its release March 31.
A lot of suspicion arose about the film in April 2022, when directors first announced the movie would take place in the Dungeons and Dragons universe. It was unclear whether the project would be another way for producers to make money using a big company name. Since the film’s release, however, that concern has been revoked. The directors make sure to incorporate all the elements of the D&D into a cinematic beauty. The movie stays loyal to the popular tabletop role-playing game’s actual rules and nature, even including little-known monsters and bits of lore. Honor Among Thieves is well-researched and properly thought through, not haphazardly thrown together.
To someone who plays Dungeons and Dragons, the movie feels like sitting through an extremely well put together campaign with relatable characters who are really likeable, whether they want to be or not. It’s got the same twists and surprises that make the source game so enjoyable; right as players start to think the party is close to achieving its goal, another wrench is thrown into their plans, forcing them to continue their heroic journey.
The story itself is engaging — a simple plot that still possesses complex layers that don’t make the plot transparent or easy to guess. The film mostly follows Edgin Darvis (Chris Pine) and his friend Holga Kilgore (Michelle Rodriguez), who have a sibling-like relationship. In an attempt to retrieve Edgin’s daughter from an old friend named Forge Fitzwilliam (Hugh Grant), who is a con-man and evil lord, the two gather a few more friends to help them pull off a daring heist; Simon Aumar (Justice Smith), a young and inexperienced sorcerer with very little self-confidence, and Doric (Sophia Lillis), a half demon who lives among wood elves. The four, with some help from a Paladin named Xenk Yendar (Rege-Jean Page), retrieve a magical item they need to get into Forge’s castle. Towards the end of the movie, the directors throw in a plot twist named Sofina (Daisy Head), an evil wizard who is trying to resurrect a dark evil to take over Neverwinter. This is the final challenge the party must overcome before a long-awaited success. Reunited with his family once again, Edgin completes his quest.
This movie is not just for veteran players of D&D, or even for the new generation of aspiring nerds who continue to keep the Dungeons and Dragons legacy alive. Anybody can enjoy this movie because of its killer story, which has an equally amazing cast and score to back it. One could wait until Honor Among Thieves is available for streaming and DVD, but they’d be missing out on a lot of the cinematic experience. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves earns a 5/5.