The Stream: Too many quests make this 2 hour adventure a bit too long.

The Big Screen: Chris Pine and Hugh Grant deliver prime comedic performances.

The Final Bill: Decent action, passable special effects and good comedy don’t make a spellbinding combination

– Trip Fontaine
Director (s): John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Writers: Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Michael Gilio
Stars: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Hugh Grant
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Rating: PG-13 for fantasy action/violence and some language
Runtime: 2 hours 7 minutes
Production Companies: Paramount Pictures, Entertainment One, Allspark Pictures
Platform: Released in theaters March 31, 2023
Notable Trailers: The Flash, Fast X, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

What’s up, Streamers? Do you have time for a game this weekend? Well, I’ve never played Dungeons and Dragons, but I’ve heard it takes a very long time. Probably, just watching the movie based on the game, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which is just about 2 hour, will suffice. Let’s see if this flick delivers any adventure and magic.

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, who have directed other comedies such as Game Night and Vacation; and they also co-wrote this film with Michael Gilio. The film focuses on Edgin (Chris Pine), a charming thief, who is on a quest to retrieve his daughter. Edgin enlists a group of unlikely adventurers including Holga (Michelle Rodriguez), Simon (Justice Smith), and Doric (Sophia Lillis), to help get the items he needs to defeat the evil that is in his path. Sorcery and fantastical hijinks ensue.

Movies like Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves have to have good action, good effects and good comedy to be successful. The action here is pretty good. There are dynamic sequences that are entertaining. The pace of the film keeps the story gaining momentum, but there are some lulls. It seems to me that as the characters go from quest to quest that the 2 hour runtime is unnecessary. There definitely could have been one or two sequences edited to make this a tighter film without any lulls. Additionally, I feel like the special effects are not that great. They look fine most of the time, but there are definitely some cheesy effects moments. The movie relies heavily on magic and fantasy elements, so poor CGI can be detrimental to the overall effect.

As for the comedy, the film is funny at times, but I wanted it to be funnier. Some of the jokes land, but some jokes are just lame. I will say that Chris Pine and Hugh Grant nailed the tone that the script is trying to deliver. Pine is charming but in a dorky way; and, Grant has been playing smarmy villains for the last few years, so he’s good at it. The rest of the cast work well together and have good moments.

Ultimately, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a generally enjoyable movie. It has decent action, passable special effects, and good comedic moments. However, there isn’t really anything special about the film itself. It is a good diversion of 2 hours, but there is nothing about it that requires a trip to the theater. You could have fun with a group of friends watching Dungeons and Dragons at home on your favorite streaming services, so wait for that with a handful of popcorn.