In 1974, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson created a fantasy role-playing game they would title “Dungeons and Dragons.” The game, later being referred to as the birth of modern role-playing games, swept the nation and caught the attention of many children and teens around the globe. The 2023 film “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” is a testament to this, making over $200 million worldwide.
The movie starts its story in the arctic Revel’s End, a barren land covered in snow and ice. Here we are introduced to Edgin Darvis (Chris Pine) and Holga Kilgore (Michelle Rodriguez) as they are imprisoned and awaiting trial. Unbeknownst to them, however, they have been pardoned and escape their imprisonment by breaking out before they are released. When arriving home after years of confinement they learn that a former friend of theirs has become Lord and ruler of Neverwinter. Edgin and Holga set out on a journey to uncover the truth of their imprisonment and seek the whereabouts of Edgin’s daughter, Kira Darvis (Choel Coleman).
The movie stays accurate to what “Dungeons and Dragons” (D&D) has always been about, which is having fun. Even in the midst of battle, the characters find a way to intertwine some comedy in the action-packed scenes. The producers aren’t shy to tug on the heartstrings either. When we see the agony Kira Darvis endures after losing her mother and then seemingly being abandoned by her father, her heartache can be felt through the screen.
D&D is an incredibly vast world. Throughout the movie we see many different species living amongst each other such as halflings, dragonborn and even tabaxi, a cat-like humanoid creature. Alongside this, the movie showcases several of the classes you can choose from when playing a campaign, such as when we are introduced to Sophia Lill’s character, Doric, who is a druid, a spellcaster connected to the earth and its properties. This is brought to life beautifully as she is introduced through the use of her shape-shifting abilities. As a player, it was exciting to see all of these aspects brought to life on the big screen.
The actors play their roles seriously, giving their performances and relationships showcased in the movie a sense of realism. They get frustrated, they work together, they celebrate. It’s refreshing to see actors come together and produce such a comforting feeling from a movie. This, to me, are some of the most important aspects of the movie. To see a group of strangers, all coming from different backgrounds come together and form a bond is heartwarming. I feel the bond between the actors contributed to this, as their chemistry on screen was unmatched. Edgin and Holga are a great example of this, as they are a bard and a barbarian coming together to form a sibling-like bond which I adore.
To make things more real, “When the actors arrived in Belfast, we played a several-hours-long game of D&D with them,” Director Jonathan Goldstien said in an interview covering the production of the movie. This aided their acting in the movie by giving them experience in the ways of the game, which they would translate into their acting for the movie.
It’s safe to say that “D&D: Honor Among Thieves” contains an intriguing story told through the use of comedy and the love that characters gain for each other. The movie leaves room for another, and I hope the story will continue.