Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Rolls a Nat 20 | 2023 SXSW Film Review

Every good Dungeons & Dragons campaign begins with a group of strangers who unwittingly partake on a joint adventure, either becoming friends or foes. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is no exception, as we follow this mix of honorable and selfish bandits to defeat a common enemy and steal the loot.

The Campaign

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Edgin (Chris Pine) is a father and widower whose only driving force is to retrieve a lost relic that would bring his beloved wife back from the dead. With the assistance of his unlikely counterpart, Holga (Michelle Rodriguez), the bard/barbarian duo break out of imprisonment and set out on a journey of mayhem, pursuit, and disaster. As one plan foils, they move to the next, and determine the only possible path to success need include a magical sorcerer, found in none other than the self deprecating and mediocre Simon (Justice Smith). Seeking a return to his daughter Kira (Chloe Coleman), who is under the care of Forge (Hugh Grant), Edgin partners with Holga and Simon to procure a group of varied class heroes to assist.

I want to get ahead of this question that I know many will be asking: yes, Honor Among Thieves is specifically built to appeal to the D&D fanatics, newbies, and those that have zero concept about any of the lore. Go into this blind or with the optics of a Gary Gygax lover, and neither will be disappointing.

The Party

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Edgin is the epitome of a bard. He’s sarcastically funny, charming, knows how to work a room – and his way out of disaster, and totes around a 3-stringed instrument which can be used as a distraction or bonding tool at any moment. Edgin is driven by his own desires and his moral code can be swayed depending on the circumstances, making this character one of the more complex. Chris Pine brings every element of this character to full fruition, using his enchanting personality to get what his character needs.

After Edgin’s wife’s death, local barbarian Holga steps in as essentially Kira’s stepmom. Barbarians are known for having brute strength, being dryly hilarious, and drinking beer. Think of every strong, bearded man wielding an axe, and then toss a wig on it to get Holga. However, many play barbarians with one or two “soft spots”, and for Holga, it is Kira. She sees the vulnerability of this young child and steps in to help every year of her life. So much so, that Kira gets more excited to see Holga than Edwin. The bond they form is unspoken in many respects, and Rodriguez emphasizes the vigor and tenacity of a barbarian. Keep your eye out for a special love interest of hers, it’s an incredibly small role but one of the most hysterical integrations in the film.

Another requirement to any good game is a player who endures tremendous growth and development, and no character more than Simon (Justice Smith) epitomizes this. Simon is an amateur sorcerer who lacks the self confidence to advance his skills to the next level. Think of every person you know who “has potential” but is their own biggest weakness. Smith displays this through a combination of dialogue delivery and physical demeanor execution. Smith’s Simon will appeal to the wider audience who can resonate with this struggle, all while rooting him on to save the party. As with most sorcerers, the historical arcane knowledge is a critically beneficial skill, and it’s evident co-writer-directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein understood the assignment.

Unfortunately for Simon, one character his charisma can’t persuade is Doric (Sophia Lillis), the Druid tiefling whose people were slain by a common enemy to the party. Simon pursued Doric once upon a time and she rejected his lack of confidence and spell casting abilities. A renewed opportunity for them both and Doric takes flight (pun intended). While I don’t want to share too many details, Doric absolutely lives up to the druid name – she is bound to nature, lawfully good, and takes form of various animals, including the fan-favorite owl bear!

Supporting the party through a code of honor and some of the greatest choreography from Barry Peterson is Rége-Jean Page’s paladin hero, Xenk. Rége-Jean Page may be one of the best additions to the film and leaves the audience craving more time with him.

Creatures and Features

Dragons, witches, and liches – OH MY!

I don’t want to share too much and give away all of the exciting and magical experiences for those familiar with Dungeons & Dragons monsters, but I also know it’s important to fans to have them present. The best I can say is that some of the “go-to” monsters, traps, creatures, locations, and spells are here, and are a hell of a time. We could easily play a round of BINGO or “I Spy” to identify all of the fun call-outs to the original lore… best not take it to the tavern, though.

What makes all of this special is how vividly the crew brought these imaginative creatures to life. For many of us, we’ve used depictions and drawings to craft an idea in our mind, and just like with books, what we see on film doesn’t necessarily match. Dungeons & Dragons does a phenomenal job with visual effects, aesthetic, and conditions for each monster. In addition to that, spells that are cast are naturally explained into the story for the viewers to capture full context without feeling like they’re being lectured or taught a new world every other scene.

The Final Session

My initial worry from the trailer was that this film might come off too basic or cheesy. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of cheese to go around, but it never came across cheap or parody-like. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is an explosively fun and downright ridiculous film meant for all races, classes, and feats. Easily the best rendition of D&D on film, Honor Among Thieves excels in its wonderfully paced and emotionally impactful story.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was screened at the 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival in Austin, TX
Starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, and Hugh Grant
Screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein, John Frances Daley, and Michael Gilio
Directed by John Frances Daley and Jonathan Goldstein

Listen to our full review on our SXSW 2023 episode of The Hollywood Outsider podcast: