Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

 

True confession time.  While I am a self-described geek and proud of it, I’ve never played Dungeons and Dragons and don’t really know much about this world. Sad, shameful, and tragic but true.  Nonetheless, loving fantasy, the cast the cast (especially Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, and Hugh Grant), and the rave reviews of audiences and critics alike I headed to my local theater with hopes that my streak of seeing wining films would continue.

No sense in trying to sugar coat it, my hopes and winning streak were dashed quickly. 

While the visuals and the sets are good, the plot is decent, the script itself is dry, soulless, and flat. Within the first twenty minutes of this bloated 2-hour and fourteen-minute Dungeons & Dragons Honor Among Thieves had me not just bored but actively fighting to stay awake.  And hour in I had not only long since stopped caring about anything going on with this film. I did, however, decide on tacos for dinner. 

Pine and Rodriguez give it their all, but there’s just no saving this one.  A total lack of chemistry with any of the actors/characters is insurmountable, making suspension of disbelief impossible. I didn’t buy into the group’s “thanks for coming to the movies” introduction before the film let alone during the epic quest rife with life and death situations within.  No true character development as well does no one any favors. The most interesting character blows through quickly and is a wasted opportunity, while another is heavily focused on but is just tiresome and annoying.

Dungeons & Dragons Honor Among Thieves has been hyped for being fun, playful, and funny. I’ve got to disagree. There are too many jokes and few of them land.  I scoffed a few times and along with the rest of the audience had precisely one laugh-out-loud moment towards the end of the movie, though I’d be hard press now to tell you what it was.  

There was little joy watching this film.  

There’s no spark. No magic. Little world building. Hell, there’s hardly even a dragon and even on that account, I’ve seen better.  And recently.

I really wanted Dungeons & Dragons Honor Among Thieves to be entertaining and the start of a new franchise to look forward to seeing.  I tried to get into it and have fun.  I couldn’t.  I just couldn’t. Instead, Dungeons & Dragons Honor Among Thieves is nothing more than big budget eye candy that’s all sizzle and no steak, cashing in on a built-in fan base.  

First film of the five I've seen this year where I can say, not worth the effort, time, or money to see in the theaters. But if you do, because you absolutely HAVE to, yes there is a credit scene.  Thankfully it’s at the top of the credits so you don’t have to wait too long.

Mainly for the visuals Dungeons & Dragons Honor Among Thieves gets a 4 from me.

John Wick Chapter 4

Let me start this review by symbolically pouring some out for the late Lance Reddick a.k.a. Charon of the John Wick franchise to name a few.  His untimely death was a shock to the system and definitely made his role/character arc in this fourth film of the franchise poignant.  Reddick will be missed.  

As for the film itself, John Wick Chapter 4 to put it succinctly is everything you can want in a John Wick film and more.  I loved the original John Wick and each proceeding film has equaled or surpassed it in my opinion.  Yes, even with she who shall not be named showing up in John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum.  

Chapter 4 takes all the things we love about the previous films, the characters, action, gallows humor, violence/high body count, and kicks it up another couple of levels in this 2-hour 49-minute adrenaline pumping, non-stop epic thrill ride.  Stuntman turned writer/director Chad Stahelski once again strikes gold.   John Wick Chapter 4 picks up where Parabellum leaves off, grabs you by the throat and much like Wick himself, never let's go as John takes on the world and the High Table.

Joining Keanu Reeves in reprising their respective characters are Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, and of course the late Lance Reddick.  Adding to the fun, mayhem, and carnage are Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rina Sawayama, Shamier Anderson, and Clancy Brown to name a few. All give stellar performances and are very welcome additions to the franchise. A special shout out to Donnie Yen for yet again embodying a cool, humorous, sympathetic, blind ass kicking martial artist (Rogue One).  He kills in this part, pun both intended and not.

Chapter 4's action/fight sequences are unbelievable sights to behold.  Intense, thrilling, brutal, exhaustive, over-the-top and totally satisfying.  The direction keeps you in the thick of things and leaves you grunting, oomph-ing, and damn-ing throughout.  You will be left breathless time and again just watching. Everything that’s come before that had you reeling is upgraded to boss fight plus levels.  A small word of caution, there is one sequence nearing the end that had me dizzy and thinking I may vomit with the overhead action. I wasn’t alone on this point, so it wasn’t just my system being weird.  Think Sandra Bullock in Gravity. You've been warned. 

Well written, great dialogue, stunning locations and set pieces, stirring soundtrack, world building at its best. John Wick Chapter 4 is a masterpiece that delivers all the thrills and all the feels.  Kudos to all involved.  

If you’re a John Wick fan, do yourself a favor and see this one on the big screen.  And when you do, make sure you stay through ALL the credits, there’s a final scene that at least half the packed audience I saw the film with missed.  It’s well worth crossing your legs a little longer.  

 John Wick Chapter 4 is a solid 10. 

#JohnWick4

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

 

Standard disclaimer: I didn’t have access to comic books growing up. No deep dive for me. My superhero experience/knowledge is limited to the tv shows, cartoons, and the occasional films I saw growing up.

In short, my review of Shazam! Fury of the Gods as was 2019s Shazam! is based solely on what I saw on the big screen. Going into Shazam! I vaguely recalled the Saturday morning tv show and saw the film on a lark. I loved it and was clamoring for a sequel. To say I’ve been looking forward to this movie is a bit of an understatement, especially given the disappointment of numerous delays and push backs. With Shazam! Fury of the Gods FINALLY hitting theaters this week, I braved the elements, hit my favorite theater with crossed fingers and high hopes to check it out. I was definitely nervous/scared FotG would fall short of my expectations given my excitement going in. What a relief when the opening scene unfolded, sucked me in and took me to my happy place. FotG is a two- hour 10-minute thrill ride from start to finish that’s funny, sweet, thrilling, and all-around entertaining. I admit there are a few CGI flying shots at the beginning of the film that fell a bit short, but happily that was the only issue I had with the movie and was quickly forgotten. Great storyline with high stakes and lots of action nicely balanced with character moments/development and emotion. Good direction. Awesome music. Fantastic casting. Love that almost all the original cast is back (Superhero Mary is played by Caroline Grace-Cassidy this time around), yay! And the additions of Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu in particular are more than a welcome bonus. I have to say I want to be Helen Mirren when I grow up. She’s living her best life and killing it. As entertaining and fun as Shazam! Fury of the Gods is it’s also darker and more intense than the original so anyone with young kids take heed. There was one maybe five-year-old that freaked out during the last fifteen to twenty minutes of the movie and was taken out. YES. They struck pay dirt with Shazam! Fury of the Gods. It’s a fun, satisfying movie going experience. What I wanted and needed. I’m looking forward to adding this one to my movie collection for repeated viewings. Speaking of viewings, yes, my friends, once again you need to sit through the entire movie to catch both of the end credits scenes. Taste the rainbow!

Shazam! Fury of the Gods gets a 10 from me.