You would not be blamed for initially believing the recent live-action adaptation of the highly popular Dungeons & Dragons game series was destined to fail – we have rarely seen much crossover success between the world of games and cinema, with only a few notable exceptions, and nearly every effort to turn this property into a major film has been dismal to say the least. Ultimately, we have learned through experience to be naturally cynical and perceive these films as nothing more than attempts to launch new, profitable franchises, since the existing ones that have shown the most popularity are either become too tenuous to allow for anything interesting to be done within these worlds, or are simply too closely-guarded to allow for more projects set within those boundaries. However, if there were ever a pair of filmmakers that we have learned to trust despite the seemingly paltry premises of their work, it is John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, who previously surprised all of us when their second directorial outing, the wonderful Game Night, together proved to actually be a surprisingly brilliant satire, despite seeming like a minor effort at first, based on a premise that could not possibly be successful (as well as the fact that their first film together was the ill-received Vacation, which is only valuable as purely mindless entertainment best appreciated by those with a penchant for the absurd) – and they have continued to persist when it comes to surprising audiences, since Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves has proven to not only be a lot better than many may have expected, but also managed to be one of the more ambitious attempts at launching a franchise we have seen in recent years, which is never a barometer of artistic value, but rather a signal that we might not need to lose hope in the world of big budget filmmaking quite yet, since there is still an abundance of promise, which primarily occurs when hiring directors who appreciate the material and giving them the chance to develop it in their own unique way.

There is an art to adapting any kind of existing text or artwork to the screen, and it becomes astronomically more difficult when it is a cherished property that has been revered for decades, adored by audiences for longer than many of the people involved in the film’s creation had even been alive. It always seemed inevitable that Dungeons & Dragons would eventually find its way to the screen, since even as a board game, there was a sense of scope contained in the details that made it profoundly cinematic. Previous attempts did not bring in the results they intended, and it caused us to wonder whether taking such a risk was actually worthwhile, or if inspiration should be found elsewhere. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves proves that with the right amount of ambition and a story that feels well-crafted and meaningful, there can be astonishing results. The best way to approach this film is not to expect too much, since it is made very clear that this is not positioning itself to be some major property that will redefine action cinema or be an epic on the level of some other fantasy films that have come in the past – it is essentially the product of two comedically-minded writers and directors being given a large budget to make their version on what they imagine this incredibly popular game would look like had it been envisioned for the screen (although this film did have a substantial production history, so they were guided by fragments of previous attempts to make it), which is a good way to ensure that what you are making is at least going to be memorable, for better or for worse. Importantly, there is an aspect of universality that needs to go into a film like this – a filmmaker simply cannot assume that every person that is going to watch their film is familiar with the source material, and far too many adaptations have stumbled by foolishly believing that it can get away with dense plots, jargon-filled narratives and intense details, under the assumption that everyone will understand based on prior knowledge. While I am sure those who are more committed to the original games will find a lot more value in how the film approaches it, there is very little need for any previous knowledge to appreciate this film, which proves the importance of adapting a property for a global audience, not only those who enter this film with an abundance of knowledge.

In the process of such an adaptation, it’s also extremely helpful to make a film that can stand on its own, rather than just be an extension of the existing property. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves owes its entire existence to the games, but it doesn’t need to constantly be reverential to its source, since that would add too much detail and be quite a dense affair. Instead, Daley and Goldstein take the opportunity to craft something that takes the bare-bones of the material, along with a few important details, and filters them through their unique vision, allowing it to be as much indebted to the original Dungeons & Dragons creators as it is to the directors themselves, who make sure that their style is just as present, if not dominant. Researching the production of the film, it is not at all surprising that the directors were inspired by many previous adventure and heist films, with Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Raiders of the Lost Ark being two works that are frequently mentioned, and loom heavily over this film in terms of both style and storyline. Naturally, this film is more of a homage than it is an attempt to stand side-by-side with these immensely important films (and as good as it may be, it is highly unlikely that it’ll ever stand the test of time in the same way – although it could very well be the start of an immensely successful franchise), but it’s in these small elements that we find a lot of value in this film. The decision to not only commission directors known exclusively for comedy, but also give them carte blanche to develop it in their own style – and as a result, we have a charming, captivating and frequently very funny film that blurs genres, being as much an epic adventure as it is a satirical comedy and heist thriller, all combined into an energetic bundle that keeps every viewer engaged and invested in the story. They’re aided by a remarkable group of artists that help construct this world, with everyone from the set decorators and costume designers, to the people in charge of visual effects, cinematography and editing all being responsible for bringing this film to life, taking a screenplay that had the potential to go either direction and ensuring that it exemplified the value of a story well-told, and how anything is possible with a good idea and the right amount of dedication from everyone involved.

However, by virtue of the genre in which it was designed, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was always going to be a visually creative work, and there was never any doubt that it would be well-made (especially since being put together well doesn’t necessarily qualify a film to actually be good, but rather competent), which is why we have to look beyond the technical scope, regardless of how impressive it may have been. Instead, we find ourselves viewing these stunning elements in conjunction with the less-obvious components that would likely have been negligible had this film been made by other filmmakers. Every aspect of the screenplay needed to be manifested both visually and in the performances, and while it was a foregone conclusion that the film would look excellent, having strong actors to deliver the material was not assured. Mercifully, the film employs a tremendous cast that are more than willing to take the risks associated with such a film, and bring out the inner brilliance that defines the story. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is led by Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez, two exceptional actors that may not be similar in style of acting, but somehow have incredible chemistry together, with the overall theme of the film being the ability for radically diverse individuals to come together to solve a common crisis, something reflected in both the characters and the actors playing them. There is very little need to praise either Pine or Rodriguez, since they’ve proven themselves to be beyond capable of turning in strong performances, and this film asks nothing of them that we haven’t seen before on countless occasions. This isn’t to say their performances were lazy, but rather they played these roles along very familiar lines, which allowed them to showcase their natural charisma and talent, which is what the entire concept of the film is based around. The same can be said about Justice Smith (whose only real flaw is his uneven accent, which isn’t even that much of a distraction) and Sophia Lillis, who help round out the main crew, as well as Hugh Grant, playing another delightfully excessive villain, and Daisy Head, who proves to be a young talent to watch based on her deeply terrifying performance as the film’s main antagonist. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves works well because it is not only technically innovative, but it has characters that feel as authentic as one-dimensional archetypes from a boardgame can be, which makes a big difference in how we perceive this film and everything that surrounds it.

The only real mistake anyone can make when setting out to watch Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is to expect this to be some deeply serious, sprawling affair that is aiming to be the start of an entirely new era of blockbuster filmmaking. In fact, one could even argue that the smartest decision made by those involved in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was to construct it in such a way that it left the door open to further sequels and other projects set within this world, but not to the point where it feels compulsory for them to revisit this world, which is something that many attempts to start a franchise struggle to realize is an important factor – for every The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, we have The Golden Compass and Eragon, great works of fantasy that were produced as films that failed dismally because they focused more on the spectacle than allowing audiences entry into their worlds, which is something that this film rectifies almost immediately by being a welcoming, engaging and very funny film that primarily aims to entertain, rather than protect the sacred text from which it was constructed. It is difficult to find fault with a film like this, since Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was clearly designed to be a wildly entertaining, comedically-toned adventure film that pays tribute to an iconic game without being too precious about protecting its legacy, knowing that some humour can barely tarnish a franchise, especially one that has as much potential as this one. One of the year’s more pleasant surprises, this film is a wonderful diversion, and a terrific reminder that some of the most unexpectedly inspiring works are those that inspire very low expectations, which is often preferable, since audiences will likely be far more captivated by a film that takes them by surprise as opposed to one that promised too much and simply could not deliver, which is the complete antithesis of everything contained within Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, a film far better than any of us could have imagined.