In the past few years, I have experienced many popular media being made into identical adaptations by big companies to profit off a nostalgia factor from past generations such as of the recent Sonic, Detective Pikachu, and very recently, Super Mario Bros. But, three days before this Nintendo movie, a remake attempted to capture a realistic feel of sitting at a table with friends, pretending to be made-up characters while rolling dice. 

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a perfect representation of the tabletop role-playing game that spawns arguably the best storytelling tactics in the entire fantasy world. 

The movie casts a perfect spotlight on a group of four individuals, Edgin (Chris Pine), the bard and ‘planner;’ Holga (Michelle Rodriguez), the barbarian; Simon (Justice Smith), the wild magic sorcerer; and Doric (Sopha Lillis), the tiefling druid. The group makes up the main party in D&D terms. 

They oppose the Lord of Neverwinter, who was their past accomplice Forge Fitzwilliams (Huge Grant), and his powerful ally Sophina (Daisy Head). The party is later joined by Xenk (Rege-Jean Page), an honorable Paladin. 

After a heist goes wrong, Edgin and Holga are taken to prison, which is where the movie starts after a two-year time skip. The duo takes advantage of the court sessions’ interesting traits to escape. This plan includes one of the many D&D races called the Aarakocra. 

As the duo embarks to reunite with Edgins daughter Keira (Chloe Coleman), they face Forge as his plots with Sophina run deeper and darker the farther they explore. 

The movie includes spectacular scenes of thriving forests, bubbling volcanoes, sprawling shots of lively kingdoms, and underlit mines deep underground. The film has a healthy mix of CGI and puppetry with tightly choreographed fights and flights. 

One scene in particular follows Doric as she’s chased through the kingdom of Neverwinter, shifting into ‘wild shapes’ or different animals, a common trait of druids. The entirety of the chase is done in one seamless shot that shifts with the wind and clambers up the walls of castles and streets. 

The film even promises a staple of D&D, including a dragon encounter that takes them on a high-stakes run through lava-covered mines. Those with knowledge will recognize this red dragon as Themberchaud, The Wyrmsmith of Gracklstugh. 

Overall, the theatrical release feels like genuine material of its own making and lore bits from all over the D&D world. Those who regularly enjoy the game will be delighted to catch many easter eggs and references while the friends and family they bring along get the enjoyment of a well-put-together fantasy movie. 

As far as the story goes, it’s epic with grand spectacle and smaller cuts of heartwarming interaction as well as funny jabs at magic as a whole. The antagonists have a feel of depth, and the main protagonists stick to their morals, creating moments full of life and color. 

It tends to not take itself so seriously, but when demanded, it jumped high over the bar I set walking into the theater. 

This movie is something people should enjoy in a movie theater as the grandiose of it all deserves to fill a big screen and auditorium. So, don’t wait for it to be placed on a streaming platform; rather, go and support local theaters and see Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. 

I assure you, the experience is magnificent and full of design and wonder.