Is Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves Worth Buying?

Wondering if Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves Worth Buying?  Well, the short answer is YES! Here are 3 Reasons why Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves is the best fantasy epic this year and definitely worth buying on DVD, Blu-ray or 4K UHD!

Dungeons & Dragons or D&D as it is more commonly referred to remains to be the most well recognised role-playing game in the world. After a failed franchise attempt by New Line Cinema and Warner Bros in 2000, audiences have eagerly awaited a film that captures the strategy, fun and fantasy of the game. Enter directing duo John Francis Daley Jonathan Goldstein (Game Night, Vacation). The two have made a name for themselves with their signature style of comedy and action.  Their style lends perfectly to Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves. It’s funny, fast-paced, and full of great action and fun set-pieces. I had a blast watching the film. To celebrate the film's release on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K UHD, I will be breaking down 3 reasons why Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves is the best fantasy epic of 2023. So, without further ado, let's get stuck into it!

“We’re going to need a team” – the amazing ensemble cast –

No troop is ever complete without a rag, tag group of characters. It was something that John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein had to nail and that’s exactly what they did with the impressive cast they put together for Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves. The film is led by the charismatic and charming Chris Pine, who plays Edgin Darvis, a man who due to his own selfishness and greed has lost his wife and now his daughter, in an attempt to win her back, he goes on a journey to overthrow former friend turned evil ruler Forge. Chris Pine is perfect for this type of role. He is funny, he is charming and when he needs to be, he sells the action. His interplay with the team is also one of the best parts of the film. Michelle Rodriguez plays Holga, a friend of Edgin and a fearless warrior. Rodriguez is usually type cast as the military action heroine but here, she enters the fantasy world, selling every single action sequence, but balancing this with a great sense of humour. Justice Smith plays Simon, he is the oddball of the group, a mage that doesn’t quite have control of his craft yet and Sophia Lillis rounds out the core group of characters as, shapeshifting Doric. The interplay between these characters is amazing, they have great chemistry with one another and by the end of the film do feel like a cohesive team. The main antagonist of the film Forge is also played by Hugh Grant who is marvellous here. He is hilarious and despicable. I loved his turn in this film.

“It doesn’t make it not nonsense” – the story and ties to D&D –

One of the elements that fans of D&D were hoping for with Honour Among Thieves, was the ties to its beloved and still hugely popular source material. Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves does a great job at incorporating references to the film, without it overtaking the narrative and isolating casual viewers or those unfamiliar with D&D. A great example of this is the funniest moment in the film, where our characters need to speak to the dead to get the information they need of where a particular item is located. Each of the dead soldiers they speak to, is giving them a piece of information that will help them on their quest, but some of the dead soldiers they speak to aren’t giving them anything useful. The scene is hilarious and perfectly captures what is great and not so great about the game. Fans of the game will be in stitches, but those who aren’t fans will also see the humour in the sequences and how mundane the task really is. Another example is when our characters are being briefed of the dangers of the Underdark by Xenk and what needs to happen for the characters to get across the bridge, Simon steps on a stone that then destroys the bridge. It's funny and a direct reference to the game again showcasing the frustrations players encounter when on a quest with their friends. If you’re a D&D fan, then there’s heaps to love in Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves that will see you laughing, cheering, and leaving with a huge smile on your face.

“Just pay them in magic” – the action set-pieces –

Fantasy epics need to have great action. If the characters are great and the action is sub-par, then you leave the film or series feeling underwhelmed. The 2000 film doesn’t get either right, but the dated action sequences are one of the biggest issues with the film. Luckily, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves manages to incorporate fun and exciting action sequences throughout the film that never feel repetitive and always adds to the overall aesthetic of the world and service the scene, character, and story. One of the standout set-pieces for me is a heist sequence towards the end of the film. The sequence leads to an epic conclusion, but it was the smaller details of our core of characters breaking into Forge’s castle. It’s fun, unique and tense. The ending is also large and epic, but it never goes too over-the-top. The dramatic stakes are high, with all of our main characters in peril. You really do feel that maybe these characters won’t make it out of this situation alive. This type of action sequence adds to my enjoyment because there are actual stakes, with a clear goal of what our heroes are trying to achieve. The action here is among my favourite action I have seen in a major motion picture this year so far.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves is one of the best fantasy films since Peter Jackson’s Lord of The Rings trilogy, over 20 years ago.  The blend of action, comedy and a fun and exciting narrative was refreshing. The cast are all wonderful here, with Chris Pine showcasing why he is so good as a leading man. The supporting cast are all wonderful here as well, with Hugh Grant’s portrayal as the films main antagonist Forge stealing almost every scene he is in. If you were sceptical about checking this one out, hopefully I have put that scepticism to bed. It is truly a great watch. Shop all things Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves below, including Monopoly, pop Vinyl the game itself and of course the DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K UHD release of the film, you won’t want to miss out on this one.

Buy Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves on DVD, Blu-ray or 4K UHD Here

Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here