Dungeons & Dragons:

Honor Among Thieves

Movie Review

Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, who also co-wrote the script with Michael Gilio based on a story by Chris McKay and Gilio, are the directors of the 2023 American fantasy heist action-comedy movie Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. It is based on the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop role-playing game and is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. It has nothing to do with the 2000-2012 film trilogy. The film stars Hugh Grant, Michelle Rodriquez, Rege-Jean Page, Sophia Lillis, and Chris Pine. South by Southwest hosted the world premiere of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves on March 10, 2023, which was well received by critics.

Before his wife was murdered by a Red Wizard he had engaged on a mission, Edgin Darvis spent years working as a Harper. Assembling a group with thief Forge Fitzwilliam and outlaw Simon Aumar, Edgin tried to start again for himself and his daughter Kira while being accompanied by the barbarian Holga Kilgore. A resurrection tablet that would have enabled Edgin to resurrect his wife was sought for during one mission, but it turns out that Forge's new friend Sofina is a Red Wizard who exploits the break-in to steal something else from the stronghold. Edgin and Holga are taken prisoner, but Simon and Forge manage to flee.

Two years later, after finding out that Forge had been guarding Kira and had become the King of Neverwinter, the two break out of their prison. Instead of disclosing the real purpose for the break-in—the resurrection tablet for Kira's mother—Forge has been stating that Edgin was detained because he just wanted to be wealthy. When Edgin and Holga are about to be put to death by Forge, they manage to escape and decide to form a new squad to raid Forge's vault and take the resurrection tablet as evidence that Edgin is telling the truth. They locate Simon to enlist his magic-related skills, and Simon advises they add tiefling druid Doric as a member.

The gang is able to verify the vault's protections thanks to Doric's animal shapeshifting, but Simon claims he lacks the ability to undo the intricate enchantments. Holga directs them to an ancient cemetery where Simon can question the deceased using a talisman after recalling a legend about a relic discovered by her people that would have such power. The group locates the relic to Xenk Yandar, a paladin and Thay survivor after the Red Wizards destroyed their nation, confirming that the soldiers claimed the helm they seek in their most recent combat.

Simon is given a Hither and Thither Staff that enables short-range teleportation while Xenk takes the group to the underground city where he left the artifact. Xenk leaves after getting the helmet, but Simon struggles to control the artifact. During the new Games he has reopened, Edgin recommends a new strategy in which they utilize the staff to travel inside the vault and steal Forge's wealth. Edgin and the others discover that Forge has been working with Sofina to conduct an old ritual to turn people attending the games into her zombie slaves with a horn she stole in the original raid while Forge escapes with the wealth when they discover the vault to be empty.

Edgin's manipulation of Forge allows the squad to flee during the competition. Returning to the boat where Forge had relocated his wealth, Forge proves that Edgin was telling the truth by threatening Kira in an attempt to convince Edgin to give up the boat, only for the group to retake it. After witnessing Sofina begin her ritual, Edgin decides they must return to save the people. To entice spectators to leave the stadium, he uses the teleportation staff to transport Forge's stolen goods off the boat and disperse them throughout the city.

Simon gains control over his power while Sofina attacks the group in retaliation for her failure. Sofina tries to use a time-stopping magic, but Simon interrupts her and stops her. The squad can then defeat Sofina by using an anti-magic bracelet Kira placed on her using an invisibility pendant. The battle clearly left Holga with a fatal wound, but Edgin and Kira are able to save her life by using the tablet. The restored old Lord of Neverwinter hails the party as heroes of the kingdom and locks Forge away.

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