DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES

US, 2023, 130 minutes, Colour.

Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Rege-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Hugh Grant, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head.

Directed by John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein.

The Hasbro company created Dungeons & Dragons, the game, in 1974. So, it has had a long life in various incarnations, games, video games, television series, feature films. Here is the 2023 version.

We are carried back into a fantasy land, looking at times like the Middle Ages, costumes and decor, streets and markets, cathedrals, knights in armour. But, we also lowered into dark underground locations, the realms of dragons and monsters (and we see quite a number of them), caverns, rock depths, stone bridges… There are also recreations of old Braveheart-style battles and battlefields. And, perhaps a nod to Gladiator, a huge amphitheatre filled with thousands of spectators.

We live in a media era where vast audiences have watched Game of Thrones, recognise references to the Hunger Games, remember the Harry Potter books and films (a villain here looking remarkably like Voldemort). We are at home in this kind of fantasy world.

The subtitle of this adventure is, Honour Among Thieves. So, we meet Edgin, Chris Pine as a charming rogue, a thief, has lost his wife, wants to find his daughter, find the means to bring his wife back to life – but, this is a bit difficult, because he and his fellow-thief, Holda (Michelle Rodriguez whose first film was Girlfight and, through the Fast and Furious series and other films, has not lost her capacity for battle engagement). are in prison. They do get out, rather spectacularly, and set out on a quest.

There are extraordinary snowy landscapes, a mediaeval town where the ruler is Forge – played, of all people, by Hugh Grant, self-mockingly of himself and his career as always, very very British. (And, speaking of British, real thing central characters have very strong American accents but everybody else has a British accent, American actor Justice Smith outdoing the British in elocution, and Rege-Jean Page, from Bridgeton) an exemplar of accent and extensive vocabulary. He plays the leader of a family, enemy of Edgin, but reconciling and leading the group in their quest, doing battle with some undead warriors.

The quest includes Simon (Justice Smith) something of a failed magician who does have a number of spells which save the day but has to learn how to assert himself and become heroic. There is also Doric, a warrior fairy creature who can transform into a gigantic cat/bear creature, Sophia Lillis.

Along the way, a lot of the dialogue is tongue-in-cheek, ironic, interlaced with some humorous sequences, one of the best being a visit to a cemetery, the ability to raise some of the dead warriors from their graves and interrogate them as to what happened to the magic helmet they are trying to find, each skeleton being asked five questions but most of them failing to supply the right information, but the one who does, left stranded, still needing several more questions so that he can go back to being dead! (The skeleton does appear in the final credits making his appeal!)

Big climax in the amphitheatre, a labyrinth, magic, confrontation with Forge, Edgin having to make a decision when Holga is mortally wounded and his remembering her as the wonderful Sara get mother for his daughter.

So, all’s well that ends well, especially as the film ends back in the prison, this time Forge pleading for parole!

1. The popularity of the game? Almost half a century? Technical developments, computer gaming? Film and television versions? This 2023 version?
2. The influence of computer games and their development, way of playing, involvement? The screenplay following the pattern? Involving the audience?
3. The influence of Sword and Sorcery films, dragons, magic and Harry Potter, Game of Thrones…?
4. The creation of the Dungeons and Dragons world, the media evil costumes and decor, cathedrals, carriages, warriors and knights? The visuals of the underworld, caverns, dungeons, bridges, lakes and depths, underwater? The amphitheatre and the tone of gladiator? The range of special effects and their impact? Computer generation?
5. The characters, three with American accents? Everybody else with British accents?
6. The introduction to Edgin and Holga? Prison? The judges? The calling of Jonathan, the big bird, the escape? Trekking through the snow? Tracking down Simon, his work as a magician, strengths and weaknesses? His infatuation with Doric, the huge bird, the struggles, her normal form, not human? Disdain for humans?
7. The encounter with Forge, Hugh Grant’s presence and style, self-deprecating, ironic humour? The villain, power, lies, taking Kira, thwarting Edgin? Preparing for the execution? The treasure, his amphitheatre, reinstating the games, the crowds, stealing the treasure, his ship? His relying on Sofina, magician, evil, powers?
8. The quest for the group, the background, Edgin and the loss of his wife, his being away, the attack on his home, his wife’s death, her reappearances and his memories, his devotion to his daughter, wanting to protect her? The story of the helmet? And of the power for resuscitation?
9. The visualising of the battles, the thieves and their being overcome, imprisoned? The story of the battles for the helmet and its being saved? The comedy of the visit to the cemetery, the five questions and resuscitation, the awkward answers and the comedy, finding the truth – and the final credits joke about the skeleton and wanting the final questions so that he could die?
10. The encounter with Zenc, his background, warrior, rival families, betrayals? His sincerity, straightforward, unsubtle, large vocabulary, accent? Edgjn trusting him? Going into the caves, the bridge, Simon and his abilities with the hole and the transfer? The confrontation with the living dead, Zenc and his skills in fighting, the escape, the dangers?
11. Recovering the helmet, Simon wearing it, the meeting with his great-grandfather, the great -grandfather taunting him, feeling a failure? Later wearing the helmet, defying the great-grandfather, the great-grandfather affirming him, and his ability as a magician?
12. The various plans, going to Forge, the games, Sofina, her power, imprisoning them? The labyrinth and the various creatures, the boxes, swords and monsters, escaping?
13. Finding the boat, commandeering the boat, Edgin and the encounter with Kira and its turning to be sofina? Forge, the discovery, the confrontation? The magic, the huge wave, overcoming Forge? Sofina, the red dust, to subdue the crowds in the amphitheatre? Forge, in the balloon, the gifts and treasures falling to the people, evacuating the amphitheatre?
14. The confrontation with Holga the battles and fights, putting the anti--spell bracelet on her? The destruction?
15. The team together, Holga and her support, the flashbacks and her being the surrogate mother for Kira, Edgin and his decision to resuscitate Holga after her death? Doric, and the relationship with Simon? And the possibility for further adventures?