Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

The directors wisely lean into humor and the ridiculousness of the concept rather than taking it too seriously, resulting in a fun, Monty Python-inflected adventure that still delivers on story and characters. The set pieces build comedy effectively around the quest elements.

The film is a thrilling franchise starter that captures the wide-eyed wonder of D&D with inventive side quests and a charming cast, even for non-gamers. It prioritizes the world and journey over plot while delivering buoyant visuals and effective family themes.

The critic calls it wildly entertaining high-fantasy-meets-low comedy that revels in its ridiculousness while finding an emotional core as a tribute to the game. She singles out the found-family theme and the cast's performances, especially Regé-Jean Page's scene-stealing turn, for praise.

The critic calls it a thoroughly ripping yarn with canny casting, imaginative visuals and a script that pokes fun at genre traditions while delivering exciting action and spectacle.

The critic describes the film as turning the board game into a big-screen treat. It is presented as a positive release review focused on its fun adaptation of the source material.

The critic praises it as an entertaining adaptation that brings a modern sensibility to the D&D universe, focusing on human aspects of characters and strong performances, especially from Regé-Jean Page.

The critic finds the film an entertaining, formulaic popcorn movie that revels in its own absurdity and silly fun. She singles out the genuine chemistry between Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez and the physical humour in the action set-pieces for praise.

The critic finds it a pleasant surprise with charm from Pine and a fun ensemble dynamic that takes its premise somewhat seriously, though notes flat CGI and that it is not especially memorable.

The critic praises the irreverent tone and CGI wizardry played for laughs, comparing it favourably to The Princess Bride. The film is seen as a fun, light-hearted big-budget franchise starter with slick direction and a refreshing lack of grandeur.

The film boasts charisma and dexterity with eye-popping set pieces and star power but lacks true magic as it does not fully gel. The critic singles out the affable, swashbuckling fantasy energy and strong performances for praise while noting an ineffable missing quality.

The film sands down the complex RPG elements into a formulaic, self-mocking Marvel-style blockbuster with flat dialogue and overreliance on wisecracks. It feels embarrassed by its source material and prioritizes mass appeal over dynamic decision-making or depth.

The critic finds the film a riotously entertaining family-friendly adventure and a welcome piece of world-building with likable characters. Praise is given to the balance of character and action plus the strong cast including Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Hugh Grant.

The critic finds it a buoyant and accessible adaptation that exceeds expectations for both RPG novices and fans, with lively, well-judged performances from the cast, especially Pine and Rodriguez as an enjoyable duo. The middle section drags with baggy narrative and repetitive action.

The film is an amiable romp that captures the spirit of play from the game despite being a noisy, pixelated action film. The critic praises its ability to translate the joy of collaborative imagination into cinema through an ensemble cast on a heist adventure.

The critic calls the film utterly delightful with tongue-in-cheek charm and strong performances from Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Hugh Grant. Highlights include self-satirising humour, heart and genuine emotional depth alongside the fantasy elements.

The film is a hilarious, heartfelt fantasy adventure driven by character and wit, more Princess Bride than grimdark. The directors craft a movie unashamed to explore love and family through a ragtag group of thieves.

The film delivers a chaotic but entertaining fantasy adventure that captures the spirit of a D&D campaign through its well-defined misfit characters and accessible humor. The directors' comedic touch and the cast's chemistry stand out as highlights.

The film is a welcomed improvement over the prior D&D movie, with strong elements coming together for a fun game adaptation. The standout feature is the refreshing, equal friendship between Chris Pine's Edgin and Michelle Rodriguez's Holga, though pacing suffers from over-explaining the story.

The critic praises the film's charm and light-hearted approach, likening it to 80s fantasy comedies like The Princess Bride, and highlights the strong comedic performances, particularly by Hugh Grant. They note some flat dramatic elements but overall find it enjoyable.