A fantasy tabletop game in which a self-proclaimed “Dungeon Master” weaves together stories of derring-do – and enables teams of competitors to roleplay as anything from elves to gnomes to half-orcs – Dungeons & Dragons was once pretty much the nerdiest thing out there. It was niche, though, at least compared to the comic-book movies that later propelled geek culture into the mainstream. Still, it’s surprising that Hollywood’s taken so long to dip its toes back into its frivolous, high-fantasy waters, following a series of somewhat chintzy film adaptations in the early 2000s.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves is reminiscent of the films Hollywood used to make – all its Princess Brides, Labyrinths, and Willows – without ever regressing into overt nostalgia. And, for the benefit of said nerds, it’s a near-perfect invocation of what it feels like to while away the evening rolling dice, forging attack plans, and putting on silly voices.
