Disclaimer: I have no idea about Dungeons & Dragons, so I won’t talk about references, easter eggs, or homages to this movie in the classic role-playing game. This review is written by someone who has never played a game in their life.
Have you ever gone to the cinema without any expectations and left with a smile from ear to ear? This is exactly what happened to me Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Between Dragonesthe new attempt at a film adaptation of the popular role-playing game we’ve all heard about, and from which the new version comes out Paramount Pictures next March 31, 2023. And in this case, the experience turned out to be great, move completely away from the failure of 2000 which has boosted hopes of creating a new saga of adventure and fantasy and enter a universe to create with infinite possibilities.
I do not know if Paramount Pictures He has in his hands that franchise he was looking for after the powerful premiere Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Thieves because, as always happens in these cases, It will depend on the reaction of the public and the box office.. However, the groundwork is laid through an epic, fun and heartfelt adventure that won’t let you breathe for the 135 minutes it lasts.
But I want to tell you about her in more depth, so I invite you to read this review of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Thieves WITHOUT spoilers.
A return to the most classic adventure cinema
no comparison at all Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Thieves without further proposal, the adventurous spirit took me back to my childhood, whereas the adventure movies I watched were the ones my parents had seen at home years before. I’m talking about La Historia Interminable, Willow, Gremlins oh IndianaJones, without going any further. Feature films that stand out for their courage, their teamwork, their perseverance and the relationships between parents and children of their protagonists.
And I didn’t want to compare it with these proposals because Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Thieves knows how to manage take advantage of the clichés of adventure films from the 80s and 90s and adapt them to a film with a very current humor and which does not feel like a tribute as such.
This is the main difference between the new Dragons and Dungeons and those classics: Don’t be surprised to read reviews about this movie possibly being a caricature of those adventures, because basically it is. But beyond honoring them, laughs at them and creates an even funnier show (although perhaps less durable).
Absurd humor, even more absurd situations and plot twists that take advantage of all the Deus Ex machine possible. And you know what’s best? May this mix work, especially if you go to the movies with 0 expectations and are preparing for live an adventure that will take you by the hand through all the movies you enjoyed as a childuntil arriving at a final sequence that reminds me of the best of Scarlet Witch and Vision (or maybe I’m going crazy, who knows).
Visual personality with strong technical expertise
So, we have stereotypical characters, absurd humor and inspiration from adventure films of the 80s and 90s, the genre we loved so much when we were little. How is it possible with this description Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Thieves a good film? It’s an interesting question, because if you think about it, it seems full of suspense. Still, the cocktail works, especially since John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein managed to shine technically.
What a work of staging! I could highlight a few great moments, but I would definitely prefer two: a chase in which the character of Sophia Lillis transforms into all kinds of creatures, fully rotated a sequence shot of almost 5 minutes (don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t time it in the room). And a final act in which the artistic section shone with set pieces superior quality. And more generally, planning gives us stunning settings, impossible camera tricks and unforgettable moments.
I did not expect such a careful work in the technical and visual aspects at all because of some advances that do not do justice to Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Thieves. And again, the combination of everything managed to break my armor and completely fall in love with this hilarious proposition.
The best cover letter for people who shine
I’m saving the best for last Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Thieves. Indeed, I have not yet spoken about what convinced me the most. Do you remember me saying that the roles are stereotypical, just like their corny jokes and the relationships between them? Well, despite everything, I think this is the first film in a long time in which I have no characters left.. Neither do the bad guys, with a huge Hugh Grant which asks the industry to pay even more attention to it. And I would just say that The role of Régé-Jean Page is much smaller than I would have imagined after announcing his signing to hype and cymbal.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is way better than anyone could have imagined
Paramount Pictures is on a roll After conquering us in 2022 with Top Gun: Maverick without many of us giving a dime for the long-awaited belated sequel, repeat the process with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Thieves, a film that opens on similar dates and takes advantage of the nostalgia of 80s and 90s adventure films to give it a polish and make it its own. Probably, one of the most entertaining and fun movies you will see in the next few months and that he deserves success to start a saga after having laid such solid foundations in this first opus.