Today was a day when I just felt I needed to get out and watch a movie. There's so much at the theaters that I haven't yet watched, but I had a feeling that Mario Bros. was what I was likely to watch, with Dungeons and Dragons as a possible second choice. After only getting to the theater slightly late, I was treated to a fiasco of having so many kids in line before me (which had proved to be an all too aggravating for me during Antman:Quantamania). With the Easter season still in play, it was guaranteed that that entire ensemble of kids was headed to watch Mario Bros., and I wasn't in the mood to deal with shenanigans. So as soon as I got up to the counter (sure that I'd be late to get into the movie), I bought a DnD ticket, and went straight to Screen 3. The room was mostly empty; couldn't have been more than 10 of us in that room. Simply blissful! (and on time!)
Personally, I've never played any DnD. My experience pretty much involves the 80's cartoon version (which saw the heroes dragged into a fantastical world, but never ever managed to return them home), and every once in a while a YouTube vid or some show like Stranger Things regales us with a bunch of nerds taking turns at the tabletop game. Suffice it to say, the movie respects that, and you don't really have to be a diehard DnD fan to get into it. This movie has a lot of exposition, but in much the same way that a Dungeonmaster would build the world of a DnD game, control its pacing, and continuity, etc., this very art of exposition is weaved into the movie. Most of this is done through Edgin Darvis (Chris Pine), a harper; he is the master strategist who is full of bravado and contingency plans to boot, and has a knack for getting the members of his troop in all kinds of mischief and schemes. Though Michelle Rodriguez has played the same mean, gruff character in practically all her movies, here - playing Holga Kilgore, a barbarian - she produces the best permutation of that character. She play second fiddle to Edgin, and the humour that the movie is able to extract from the interplay of the two characters is extremely rewarding.
Justice Smith plays Simon Aumar, the wizard of the group; he is the most disregarded member of the group, drawing ridicule from other members (Edgin excluded), but still manages to come through for the team when they need him the most. I feel like he excels at playing the bug-eyed hesitant group member (similar to his role from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom). Sophia Lillis of IT fame portrays the shapeshifting Doric, perhaps the most versatile member of the group, and its most reluctant. Each of these characters is perfectly cast, and every interaction and line of dialogue melds their relationships even tighter. These are characters that you can, and will fall in love with as the story goes on.
The showstopper has to be Regé Jean Page's Xenk Yendar, a paladin. Full of wisdom and an age that is not betrayed by his youthful look, he is the stoic character who contrasts greatly with the skullduggery of Edgin's troop. He is, however, a literalist, immune to sarcasm, irony, cynicism, etc. He plays it off even better than Guardians of The Galaxy alum, Drax the Destroyer.
Hugh Grant as Forge Fitzwilliam is the wily quick-talking scoundrel of the lot; always in for a scheme, and egging Edgin on to even bigger schemes.
The villainous Sofina, (Daisy Head) is the big bad", and doesn't have a single redeeming quality about her; she is evil incarnate, and totally menacing. Her role is somewhat subdued (for the mechanics of the movie), but she is shrouded in a foreboding aura that suggests that there is more darkness soon to follow where she treads.
I predict that this movie will be the sleeper hit of the season. The only other time I've been this surprised at the movies is when I RELUCTANTLY got to watch the first "How to Train Your Dragon". It totally caught me by surprise! The pacing is perfect with nary a wasted moment; the humour could very well have gone the Marvel-esque route, but it surprisingly fits so well. The emotional weight that every character is given will have you rooting for the protagonists, and have you invested in each of them. The action is well-choreographed and well weaved into the story, and all the CG and practical effects are a pleasure to watch.
I will definitely be going in for a rewatch. This movie is an A+ in my books.
God Bless
