Not to downplay action sequences where Lillis' druid morphs into an Owl Bear that bashes heads or when Smith's wizard throws wind gusts from his hands, which are thrilling moments. Be ready for well-earned belly laughs scattered between Pine's likeness used as a distraction or Page's hatred of irony.
That said, Pine and Page are so charming as medieval bards and soldiers that the lulls of Honor Among Thieves feel less disruptive. Running over two hours leaves too much time for comedy that can fall flat.
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When they step back the energy dips, and what's otherwise a rollicking castle crasher becomes a more mundane series of sword and shield clashes. And while there's plenty of room for an all-timer cameo as Holga visits her ex-boyfriend, and Hugh Grant chews through dialogue as the dastardly lord, serving as a splendid main antagonist (although it’s a bit more complicated than that) Honor Among Thieves is never better than when Pine and Page take control. While Daley and Goldstein are able to find cheeky humor by poking fun at dungeon masters who overcomplicate puzzles or make challenges obscenely absurd, running over two hours leaves too much time for comedy that can fall flat. The two biggest problems with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves are its length and how all the best moments rest on the shoulders of just two of the main characters. A few choice sequences feature floating orbs or other animated objects that are less convincing, but those rougher moments are far outnumbered by all the visual effects wizardry. There’s also plenty of digital effects that produce adorably chubby dragons and all kinds of fantasy races made from different species hybrids with scales, fur, or gills. There's fantastic practical costume work that showcases dragon-human hybrids and furry tiger people, and a graveyard scene oozes Sam Raimi's dark humor (think Army of Darkness) where corpses – in top-notch zombie makeup – come alive to be asked questions by Pine's impatient company. Honor Among Thieves is a visual feast of fantasy landscapes, from luscious treetop villages where woodland folk reside to quaint towns that resemble architecture with favorable comparisons to The Shire in The Lord of the Rings. Honor Among Thieves is a visual feast of fantasy landscapes.
There's never a moment where all the fantasy world-building becomes overwhelming, since we’re only told what's necessary. As Red Wizards corrupt less powerful innocents or the hero party must explore underlands to search for hidden artifacts with special abilities, the spectacular nature of lava lakes or battlefields where fireballs rain immediately catches the eye. Sprawling maps with unrecognizable territory names tease the grand universe where the story (co-written by Michael Gilio) takes place, but the actual essential information is easy to digest. Writers and directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein emphasize lighthearted entertainment that lifts Honor Among Thieves above cumbersome lore.
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