Like a good basement campaign with a group of well-suited friends, this latest attempt to translate the dungeon master’s guide to the silver screen is an effectively loose, witty good time. Maybe it’s not a bombastic fantasy epic, nor an especially meaningful quest, but that’s not what those long, dark nights on a nearly-abandoned couch are all about, anyway. D&D thrives on the rapport among teammates and the unanticipated detours from the charted path; two factors that Honor Among Thieves boasts in large quantities. To tell the truth, I almost wish there hadn’t been a big bad to yank us back to reality.
Alas, this is Hollywood and Hollywood must hit certain landmarks in a reasonable amount of time, so the chase to right wrongs and escape a climactic action scene do take priority. And, predictably, they lack the quirky heart and soul of the more aloof, engaging team-building exercises that were so effectively mined a little while earlier. Most of the stars seem to agree, appearing every bit as disinterested as I felt. Maybe this would work better as a TV series, where the plot can sprawl and the pace can remain mellow. As a feature, it succeeds in translating the tone of Guardians of the Galaxy into the Forgotten Realms, but not the potent emotional beats. Decent popcorn fodder, with one or two really effective laughs, but not quite a franchise-starter.
Review by drqshadowBlockedParent2023-05-16T14:51:04Z
Like a good basement campaign with a group of well-suited friends, this latest attempt to translate the dungeon master’s guide to the silver screen is an effectively loose, witty good time. Maybe it’s not a bombastic fantasy epic, nor an especially meaningful quest, but that’s not what those long, dark nights on a nearly-abandoned couch are all about, anyway. D&D thrives on the rapport among teammates and the unanticipated detours from the charted path; two factors that Honor Among Thieves boasts in large quantities. To tell the truth, I almost wish there hadn’t been a big bad to yank us back to reality.
Alas, this is Hollywood and Hollywood must hit certain landmarks in a reasonable amount of time, so the chase to right wrongs and escape a climactic action scene do take priority. And, predictably, they lack the quirky heart and soul of the more aloof, engaging team-building exercises that were so effectively mined a little while earlier. Most of the stars seem to agree, appearing every bit as disinterested as I felt. Maybe this would work better as a TV series, where the plot can sprawl and the pace can remain mellow. As a feature, it succeeds in translating the tone of Guardians of the Galaxy into the Forgotten Realms, but not the potent emotional beats. Decent popcorn fodder, with one or two really effective laughs, but not quite a franchise-starter.