A quippy bard and a deadpan barbarian seek to rescue their gullible daughter from a quippy con man and a deadpan sorceress. They recruit a deadpan paladin, a deadpan shape shifter and a neurotic wizard to assist them. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves works overtime to juggle the eight principals. Justice Smith’s wizard stands out by being the closest thing to a three-dimensional character. As for the rest, the more useful someone is in combat, the less character development they get.
At its worst DND: HAT could be called Heist Screenplay 101. What sets it apart from generic fantasies like Hawk the Slayer, besides a budget, are some clever set pieces. When the heroes encounter a challenge, they combine their various abilities to problem solve through it. A second act carriage heist is the films’ highlight. It has the feel of a fun tabletop session with your friends.
A recurring gag is that the heroes’ efforts often come to nothing. This makes the story feel weightless. For some that will be a feature, not a bug. HAT is a solid popcorn movie with laughs, action and easter eggs. But you may not remember it in a week.
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