Dungeons and Dragons, The Movie

Well, well, well. I loved this movie for probably all the wrong reasons. First of all, the actors got into the spirit and gave their all. But what really tickled me most of all was the sheer number of tropes that were either gaily used and then subverted or twisted. Hence, while both formulaic and predictable, it worked a treat. It won’t be giving away anything about the plot to say that the good guys, a bunch of losers and/or emotionally deficient characters, face the overpowering evil that—and it has to be this to raise the stakes beyond the usual death to all—threatens the entire world. It’s as if the worst group of dysfunctional individuals were commanded to save the world because nobody else can. As such, it reminded me a lot of Guardians of the Galaxy in style and content, another great (but it shouldn’t work!) movie.

The action fairly rolls along with some great dialogue that should have had the actors splitting their sides, but somehow they managed to retain their guffaws. I also very much enjoyed the allusions to a ‘famous’ fantasy movie trilogy based on a much-loved novel, perhaps the foundation book for all modern fantasy. This aspect of the movie was subtle, and you had to look carefully to see these.

Another lovely aspect is the various scenes that have wonderful and very amusing action, and the reactions of the characters, and so on to the unexpected developments. In this, their over-the-top acting was perfect to set the light, yet internally serious, tone of the story. It is this tension between self-mockery and serious fantasy that gives the movie its edge.

Also, the gags are well-conceived and work well to lighten their tone; they made this viewer chuckle.

Of course, all this plays to the fact that I do something of the same (but in a different way) in my fantasy comedy The Sorcerer’s Lackey. One recognises a fellow satirist in action.

A great effort by everyone involved and IMHO, definitely worth a viewing even if comic fantasy isn’t your thing.