Movie Review - Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

   Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a pretty decent adventure flick. It didn't have huge end-of-the-world stakes but it wasn't a beginner friendly jaunt either. It was a bit middle of the road. Great action, fun comedy, good as a pastime. Granted it's much better than the first movie to take the DND name (released 2020) but it didn't exactly explode into consciousness of the masses either. 

   As a comedy, it more or less played its humor straight within their world. It didn't lean heavily into pop culture and include all sorts of memes and references. No lightning bolt larping, no dice rolling or saving throws, no levelling up, no dungeon master. They didn't even sexualize the bard in any way (as Chris Pine was already a dad and mourning his wife).  It's good that they didn't poke fun at the role playing culture or even demonize it.  They really played it straight. 

   Oh, including the adventurers from the original Dungeons and Dragons cartoon in the 80s was a great Easter egg but it also didn't call attention to itself as well. Have to note Michelle Rodriguez's unshaven armpits. Was that for her race in-movie or a statement that she's making?

   This Dungeons and Dragons entry does nothing wrong. It's already got spectacular special effects (the fat dragon was great!) to go with the action and comedy. It's got a competent cast and a snappy script. It could do no worse.  It's just a good fantasy, just not world changing. 

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