I'd like to preface this by saying that I am not a film critic, nor do I usually write reviews about things I watch. However, as a big fan of playing D&D and other TTRPGs, as well as running a business based around TTRPGs with a particular focus on the D&D system, I wanted to share my thoughts on this film.
All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own. I have not been paid to write this.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a live-action film that was released in March 2023. The synopsis is:
"A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers embark on an epic quest to retrieve a long-lost relic, but their charming adventure goes dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people."
My Honest Review (Spoiler Free!)
My partner and I decided to go and see the film on release day in the UK to 1. avoid spoilers and 2. form our own opinions of the film, unbiased by any others. Following the OGL situation with Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast and the D&D community, I was concerned that the film may be boycotted or review bombed. I was also anxious that this film would be a poor representation of the game Dungeons and Dragons
However, both I and my partner thoroughly enjoyed the film! It had us laughing and giggling away at the comedic parts, and beaming with excitement when parts of the story related to our current campaign. As players of D&D, we had great fun spotting and identifying creatures, locations and spells that we'd come across whilst playing the game. It was great to see so many things we love about the game brought to life on the big screen. The Owlbear and the representation of a Druid's wild shape ability were particularly fun for us to watch.
You do not need to be a fan of Dungeons & Dragons or have any knowledge of the game to enjoy this film. Ignoring the D&D references, this film was a very fun and slightly chaotic fantasy adventure. If I had to compare it to other films, I'd say it was the energy and comedy of "Guardians of the Galaxy" meets the aesthetic and the environment of "The Lord of the Rings".
The film was quite long, however, with a run time of 2h14m. The plot seemed to resemble a miniature campaign, with the characters having one main goal to complete, as well as going on a few smaller quests to obtain items, knowledge or other team members that they'd need later on. While I enjoyed all the "side-quests" and world-building we got, the film was beginning to drag on a little just before we got back to the main goal.
Summary
If you're in doubt about going to see the film, I'd say give it a go - you might be surprised. The film has obviously been a big topic of conversation in our own D&D group as well as in the TabletopCreatorHub discord server. So far everyone I've spoken to has really enjoyed the film. The initial reaction each time has been of amazement and excitement, and encouraging others to go and see it.
Obviously, all of us are very nerdy (and possibly a bit biased), but I'd still encourage everyone who's considering watching it to go see it!
What did you think of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves?
