Not that it’s a high bar or anything, but yes, this is better than the 2000 film. Much better.
In “Honor Among Thieves,” Chris Pine stars as Edgin, a man who formed a band of outlaws with his best friend Holga (Michelle Rodriguez) to steal from the wealthy. One such mission, though, was not to steal treasure, but instead an artifact that could bring back his wife who was killed years ago.
That mission went awry, causing Edgin and Holga to wind up in prison. By the time they get out, Edgin’s daughter has been taken in by a man who double-crossed the protagonist and taken over a kingdom. To get his daughter back and get some gold in the process, Edgin and Holga bring the band back together for another quest.
This “Dungeons & Dragons” film doesn’t feature a story all too inventive. It’s a rather standard journey where a party of heroes, each with their own specific trait, have to get something in a dangerous area to help them in the overall mission.
It’s something that “Honor Among Thieves” owns, wearing it on its sleeve. The directorial duo Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, as well as writers Michael Gilio and Chris McKay, created a picture that has some definite self awareness, making the film not only fun, but clever.
It’s not self aware to the extent where fourth walls are being broken or blatant references are being made. Instead, the flick has a certain vibe to it, thanks to the writing and the acting. It takes itself serious when it needs to, but also portrays the quest at times like a group of friends actually playing “Dungeons & Dragons” or an RPG video game.
That’s not to say the creative team just made the whole thing one big joke. Sure, there’s a good deal of humor here, but the film also plays like a completely genuine fantasy feature. This is due in large part to the characters themselves.
Each characters is properly fleshed out. They have distinct, strong personalities and each of them are quite likable, making it fun to follow the party’s progress. It also helps that the group has authentic camaraderie, especially Edgin and Holga, with Pine and Rodriguez having tremendous chemistry on screen.
Pine is especially good as Edgin, who is a “Bard,” which is more or less a poet/artist type character. Pine nails the character, with Edgin being a fun-loving, musical romantic. At the same time, Pine gives the character a sense courage and some roguish elements, making Edgin a fun hero.
Those less familiar with the worlds of D and D or other RPGs may not pick up on the sort of atmosphere the picture is going for. However, audiences in general will be able to enjoy this as an above average fantasy, with plenty of thrills, spells and creatures to hold a viewer’s attention.
There’s plenty of things to enjoy for fans of the game and non-fans alike. The characters are likable with a cast that’s really into the project and having a blast, plus the medieval action is entertaining. Sure, the story isn’t anything particularly special, but it’s strong overall. 3.8 out of 5.
Matthew Liedke on Film 
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