Audience Rating: PG-13

Release: 2023

My Score: 7/10 but like a satisfied kind

Synopsis: Our heroes (a bard and barbarian) are captured in heist gone wrong. After several years of penance (kinda) they apply for a pardon and our eager to return to their crews and families. Once free they discover too much has changed. A former member of their crew has become a political powerhouse and taken all that was precious to our heroes. So, they build a crew to overtake him and return him to the world of thieves.

I have feelings: This movie did a good job capturing a DnD campaign: the side hustles, saving throws (ifykyk), the monsters, travelling, and the total and complete misunderstanding of the quest. It was very funny and relatively well-paced as we moved through acts of the tale. Each space (except for the Emerald Enclave) got its own moment. I do feel like the audience. I know it’s a complex world but especially when it came to character work things were over explained. At the theater, we were sitting next to grandparents and their three young grandchildren, who just went “oh…” as we were entering, I believe our 4th dragonfly moment.

Things we should have spent more time on instead of being so heavy handed and would have made me happy to know:

1. Why was Simon supposed to be captured?
2. All of the Emerald Enclave
3. Was Ford bad at being in charge?
4. Why didn’t the Harpers do anything with the major threats of the story?

My one major gripe: The romantic subplot between Doric and Simon. It seemed through you know actual acting that Doric was being slowly won over as Simon came into his own and acted like an adult and confident. People like that. But he constantly brought up wanting to date her and try again. When she eventually says yes to another date it felt like she had been worn down instead of won over. I would have liked it if Doric could have initiated their romantic connection ever.

Overall: You should see it. It’s so fun. The world is well thought out and full of delicious references to DnD lore. The story is twisty and heart-warming. I feel like I actually got a full two hours of story and visuals, even though I was promised more Rege Jean-Page.