**Shazam! Fury of the Gods remembered everything that made its predecessor so delightful and delivered a sequel as fun as the first!**
Shazam! Fury of the Gods matches the fun of the first film while, in typical sequel fashion, increasing the action, effects, and scope of the Shazam franchise. Despite being a Shazam movie, Freddy is the primary focus of the film, which I was unsure about at first but enjoyed as the story progressed. Fury of the Gods had many more characters to juggle, leading to some of the Shazam family being sidelined and the villains being reasonably stereotypical. However, all the charm was still there, helping overshadow these flaws. Djimon Hounsou and Helen Mirren brought some maturity and class to the goofball cast, and Zachary Levi was a blast, as always. If you enjoyed the first film, you will also love Fury of the Gods. It’s a bigger serving of all the delight, optimism, and horror-flavoring that made the original great.

Feels needless, but 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' still gave me suitable entertainment.
I'd personally rank it higher than 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull', though to be honest I feel similarly about all five films from this franchise - evidently, given I've rated them all 7/10. I wasn't someone who grew up with this series and when I finally did watch it well over three years ago I didn't connect to them massively, so this fifth installment isn't too far adrift from the original trilogy. If this was much shorter, I may have even liked this more if I'm to be truthful.
So yeah, I found the run time to be excessive. It's actually paced relatively well, I'm just not convinced the story itself needed to be told over almost two and a half hours. There is good action adventure in this and the music is done nicely, that theme even gives me goosebumps despite my lack of strong affection for the films.
Cast-wise, it's positive. I'm not that much of a fan of Harrison Ford if I'm honest, don't get me wrong I have literally zero against the guy either but from this franchise and that certain other space franchise (I forget the name...) he has never stood out to me strangely. In these and those, I prefer others. Admittedly, I wanna check out his other work away from these sorta flicks. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is very good, as is Mads Mikkelsen. Ethann Isidore and Boyd Holbrook play their parts too.
Overall, it's worth watching. The opening and closing sequences are my favourite bits.

"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" delivers exactly what fans of the iconic adventurer have been yearning for—a thrilling, action-packed adventure that pays homage to the franchise's rich history while introducing new and captivating elements.
Harrison Ford reprises his role as Indiana Jones with the same charm and charisma that has made him a beloved cinematic icon for decades. Ford effortlessly slips back into the fedora and whip, proving that age has only added depth to the character. His portrayal is a masterclass in blending wit, humor, and vulnerability, reminding us why Indiana Jones is an enduring hero.
The supporting cast shines as well, with standout performances from newcomers and familiar faces alike. The chemistry between Ford and his co-stars is palpable, adding depth to the relationships at the core of the film. Phoebe Waller-Bridge's character, in particular, brings a refreshing and feisty dynamic to the story.
The film's plot is a rollercoaster ride of suspense and intrigue. From the moment the adventure begins, it never lets up, taking us on a globe-trotting quest filled with ancient mysteries, treacherous traps, and high-stakes encounters. "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" skillfully weaves historical and mythological elements into the narrative, providing a satisfying blend of history and fantasy.
The action sequences are nothing short of spectacular. The film's use of practical effects and practical stunts harks back to the franchise's roots and sets it apart from modern CGI-laden blockbusters. Each action set piece is meticulously choreographed and filled with heart-pounding moments that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
John Williams' iconic score is the icing on the cake, evoking a sense of nostalgia while adding new layers to the film's atmosphere. The music enhances every scene, amplifying the emotional resonance of key moments.
"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" also succeeds in exploring the character's personal journey and growth. It delves into Indy's motivations, regrets, and his enduring quest for knowledge and adventure, giving the character a deeper and more relatable dimension.
In conclusion, "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" is a triumphant return to the beloved franchise. It manages to capture the essence of what makes Indiana Jones an enduring hero while introducing fresh elements to keep the series exciting and relevant. It's a must-see for fans and a thrilling adventure for newcomers, proving that the magic of Indiana Jones is as strong as ever.

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is a stale, impotent summer blockbuster that marks another unimaginative entry in the popular adventure franchise. Excessively dull and far too long, director James Mangold‘s movie burns every last drop of goodwill that’s left in the tank. This fifth and final installment in the Indiana Jones saga is a pathetic sendoff to one of the most iconic big screen characters of all time.
Set in 1969, Daredevil archaeologist Henry “Indiana” Jones (Harrison Ford) is still working as a professor, but today is his retirement day. In his final class, a young woman from his past turns up: his goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge). She’s in search of a mystical device that her father Basil Shaw (Toby Jones) obsessed over until the day he died, and Indy knows its historical significance all too well. It’s been said that the Antikythera (the Greek name for the Dial of Destiny), can alter the course of history and time, and it would turn any person who held it into a god. Soon Indy and Helena find out that former Nazi and current NASA scientist Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) also wants the device for himself so he can change the outcome of World War II, and it becomes a race against time (and a very dangerous enemy) if they want to save history as the world knows it.
It’s not a bad story overall, but it certainly is a mess of one. It’s extremely slow, and the most interesting parts happen in the film’s final 45 minutes. That means there’s an abundance of bland filler and tepid action chase scenes that fill screen time before all the good stuff happens. There’s a lot of déjà vu at play here, as Mangold tries to milk fond memories of the earlier (and best) “Raiders” films, and he’s not shy about masking his intentions. The film brings back classic characters like Marion (Karen Allen) and Sallah (John Rhys-Davies), who only briefly appear as a means of tugging on the heartstrings (and reminding audiences of far, far better movies).
There are so many missteps in this film that it becomes more of a bore than a fun means of escapism. The opening sequence is a little fun, but it’s too reminiscent of the circus train intro in “Last Crusade.” There’s another tuk tuk chase that’s eerily familiar to the mine cars in “Temple of Doom.” The script (which credits four writers) inserts plenty of winks and nudges as it references the most classic Indiana Jones films. While the crack of Indy’s whip and the moment he dons his famous brown fedora may get those feel-good endorphins flowing, it also makes in painfully clear that a movie can only coast so far on nostalgia.
A large chunk of the problem is (surprisingly) with the character. An archaeologist outsmarting Nazi villains feels more dated in today’s society than it should, even though the film is set in the late ’60s. Indiana Jones will always be a classic of course, and the studio should be applauded for its decision not to recast Ford in what is in the top two of his most iconic roles. What’s cringey is the use of de-aging software for the scenes that take place in the past, which makes Ford look plastic, fake, and straight out of a Pixar movie. It doesn’t work, it’s distracting, and it arguably was unnecessary within the confines of the story the film is trying to tell.
One of the positives is that Ford is clearly still a movie star, and he holds the movie together with what appears to be minimal effort. Yes, it’s easy to tell when a stunt person is standing in and it’s obvious through some clever (and choppy) editing that Ford wasn’t personally able to perform all of the physicality the role demanded, but he still lives and breathes Indiana Jones, so much so that after a little bit of time, you don’t even see him as an old man. The addition of Waller-Bridge adds a refreshing spark to the film, and her character and performance are quite enjoyable.
I don’t think “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” will perform well across generations, but Gen Xers and older audiences will be delighted to see one of their favorite characters back in his own action / adventure story. What a pity this is the best sendoff that could be mustered for Indy after all this time.

This Indiana Jones has a few gems (like Harrison Ford) but the script is a several rewrites away. The production values are top notch, but we never get swept up in the characters or the story. Save this one for a Sunday night rental. I give it a C.

A Nazi colonel is moving some looted artworks towards the end of WWII - amongst which is the legendary lance that supposedly pierced the body of Christ. Luckily - for the colonel, that is - renowned archeologist "Voller" (Mads Mikkelsen) is on hand to advise that it's a fake - but by way of compensation, he informs the man that there is a far greater artefact on board their train. The "Dial of Destiny" - designed of old by Archimedes and reputed to have the ability to facilitate time travel. Our eponymous and intrepid adventurer is also on the train, with his scholarly pal "Basil" (Toby Jones) and together they manage to secure this gadget and flee - only to find that it is but half of the device. Years go by and "Indy" (Harrison Ford) is now a soon-to-be divorced, retiring, professor who encounters the daughter of his late friend - "Helena/Wombat" (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) and soon the two are engaged as a slightly untrustworthy pairing seeking to retrieve the other half of this dial before the newly empowered "Voller" manages to manipulate the CIA into helping him to obtain it and rewrite history. Aside from the fact that the star is still very much a star, and his charisma does lots to keep this going; the film is itself a really rather unremarkable, procedural, adventure story that includes all the staple ingredients of the first three films but without the depth of the supporting characters. Mikkelsen doesn't really cut it as a baddie any more and Waller-Bridge is largely out of her depth and relies rather heavily on her teenage sidekick "Teddy" (Ethann Isidore) to be the foil for her rather obvious witticisms and slightly unscrupulous behaviour. It doesn't hang about and the visual effects are pretty standard but the writing is really quite pedestrian and the ending seemed borne more of a need to finish the film rather than complete the really pretty thin story that really does tee up a sequel! It's perfectly watchable, but is a distant cousin of the earlier iterations for this character and is also perfectly forgettable too.

It took me a while to work up the courage to see this. I mean, Indiana Jones was my hero as a child. When I was sick I used to watch Raiders over and over again and that was a tradition I kept up through high school.
And now... Thank you Doomcock, without your intervention this movie would have been even worse. It shows, the plot is messy, the re-shoots are a little obvious story-wise as Disney did their best to attempt to avoid the fan backlash promised for when their plans were to kill Indy off and have Phoebe replace him....
... and then when when they re-shoot it again because the fans didn't want to see Indiana Jones be ridiculed constantly by his female replacement in an effort to make the KK stand-in come across as better in every way... and a lot of that is still there in the final product.
Like Star Wars did to Skywalker, Indiana Jones is constantly shamed by the younger more diverse version... who can't seem to decide what character she wants to be. Rogue? Scholar? Conman? Her personality changes as the script dictates, but Indiana remains pathetic... so that Strong Female Lead can look better.
In the end it's a mess, and the result is that Disney killed another fan favorite Franchise. Star Wars, Willow, and now Indy. They paid out the nose for all of them and then made them worthless.
There are a lot of conspiracies floating around about it, but it don't attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity.

I love this movie, it's the best after the first Indy in the franchise. The CGI effects are amazing, the Story is conclusive, and Action and Humor are great. Just ignore those people who post bad comments as they never liked the Series in the first place.

_Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny_ feels like the type of sequel that aimed to capture the magic of its predecessors, had worthwhile intentions, and a talented cast, but it just never properly materialized. The film seems to teeter on the sheer annoyance of a main character grappling with the fact that he’s now a crotchety and wrinkly senior citizen and not the young, grizzled, adventurer he used to be.
With an ending that leaves the Indiana Jones character in a satisfying bookend for the franchise, hopefully _The Dial of Destiny_ is the final Indy film. Like Roger Murtaugh in _Lethal Weapon_, Harrison Ford is literally too old for this sh*t.
**Full review:** https://bit.ly/destinysdial

When the title card for the latest Indiana Jones movie came on the big screen I was excited to hear the famous score, see Harrison Ford don his famous fedora and intrigued to see how they would handle Indy’s age in this 40-year-old franchise.
The opening encounter was very familiar, with Indy fighting Nazis during World War 2. We are introduced to the antiquity and lore that is the basis for this adventure. This start was a little jarring at first, but I was soon enthralled by the action and comedy.
I enjoyed Toby Jones' brief appearance at the beginning, but the villain played by Mads Mikkelsen was severely underutilised. The runtime was a little long, with the middle feeling rather lethargic. I would have preferred a little more low-key adventuring, similar to the exploration of Archimedes's tomb, than the bigger action sequences.
There was a definite nostalgia kick to the entire movie. There was a new young sidekick and old familiar faces. There was the trademark adventure, creepy crawlies and historical riddles. There were Nazis, car chases and fight scenes. There was some fun deadpan comedy. The iconic travel map made an appearance – with a couple in front pointing at the screen in excitement when it appeared. But it was hearing the score throughout that was the biggest endorphin kick. It was definitely an Indiana Jones movie.
Fifteen years after the disappointing Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, this is a satisfying movie that I enjoyed. In the end, it concludes Indy’s story, while potentially passing the adventuring on to another generation.

I really like the Indie series, so I take no pleasure in saying, I found this unwatchable.
Really US entertainment industry, when are you going to get the message that a lot of us aren't interested in "the message".
In summary, great cast, great sets, horrible script, full of the usual lecturing no one asked for.

It seems these days that it’s become all too easy to blast popular, commercial fare simply because it is popular, commercial fare. Granted, some offerings of this type genuinely deserve whatever grief they get, but others, such as the latest installment in this long-running franchise, don’t merit unfair potshots fired at them just for innately being mainstream offerings. In many ways, this is very much cut from the same cloth as its action adventure predecessors, but there are enough distinctions, new developments and lesser-known elements to keep it fresh and interesting throughout. Now, this is not to suggest that this final entry in this action adventure series is without its faults – it’s overlong, some of its action sequences could have been easily pared back (despite generally being as good as they are) and the storyline tends to sag somewhat in the middle. However, Indiana Jones has once again given us a rollicking good time with a captivating narrative, an intriguing assortment of twists and turns, and an array of colorful characters all vying for their piece of the pie (if not the entire pie itself). The film also provides fans of the franchise with deftly handled touches at achieving closure for the series, without dangling obvious or ambiguous carrots of there being more to come or any kind of impending reboot. Director James Mangold successfully puts the series to bed and tucks it in nicely while rounding off any remaining edges, something that it and its fans deserve. So, to all those cynics out there who are shamelessly bashing this release to be fashionable or hip, all I can say is “pipe down and lose the attitude already.”

Legendary archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), has returned to what is the film as his final outing in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny". The film is the first in the series since Disney acquired Lucasfilm and the first not to benefit from involvement by Gorge Lucas or the direction of Steven Spielberg. James Mangold has taken on directing duties and faces the challenge of delivering a satisfying solution to the series and one that atones for the disappointing "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull".
The film opens in the waning days of World War II when the imminent defeat of the Nazis has caused a mass exodus of their plundered archaeological treasures which draws Jones into the mix.
The digital de-aging technology is impressive as we get an extended sequence of the younger Jones and his colleague Basil Shaw (Toby Jones), in a frantic and at times humorous segment that evokes memories of some of the finer moments from the series.
Flash forward to 1969 as the world prepares to celebrate the return of the lunar astronauts, Jones is dealing with the pending retirement from teaching as well as issues in his personal life.
When a figure from his past named Helena (Phoene Waller-Bridge) who happens to be his Goddaughter evokes memories of a disagreement with her father several years earlier over the fabled Dial of Destiny which Indiana and her father were able to retrieve half of earlier in the film.
At the same time former Nazi scientists Jurgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), who is receiving his kudos as a key part of sending men to the moon and back, plots to obtain both parts of the Dial and with his legion of deadly assassins in tow, sets his sights on Jones and Shaw.
Things become even more complicated when Jones is framed for murder and forced to flee in pursuit of Shaw sees archaeological discoveries as nothing more than a financial gain versus their historical significance.
From New York to Tangiers, Greece, and other locales, Jones, Shaw, and her sidekick Teddy (Ethan Isidore), this battle against each other as well as the menace that constant Voller presents as they attempt to decipher the clues to combine the Dial and keep it from those who use it evil.
The film takes its time getting to the action as it is interspersed throughout the film and while not the FX-laden visual abundance that modern audiences have come to expect, they are generally satisfying and factor in that the title character is a senior citizen pushing 80 and as such does some remarkably impressive action when called upon even though he does in one scene to lying about his various injuries and trials that he has faced over the years and the toll they take it upon his body.
Some fans may say there was not enough action for the hook was not as compelling as in previous adventures. While this is certainly a valid thought process the film should delight true fans of the series as it is an appropriate look at the aging adventurer as he is pulled back into the field once again. There is also the matter of the new music from John Williams which sets the tone for the film well.
Ford and Waller-Bridge work well with one another and there are some surprise guests that appear along the way one should delight fans. I found the movie to be more satisfying than the last two films in that the focus was on the character and themes of life, loss, aging, and doing what was right versus an abundance of action around a treasure hunt.
It will be different things to different people but for me, "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" is a loving send-off to the beloved character and one that cements the iconic Jones as a true cinematic classic.
4 stars out of 5

EXT. INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF THE LOST DIALS SKULL – DAY
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is more closely related to its recent sequel than its distant cousins of the original trilogy. It attempts to take the franchise's formula and shake it up; it throws in cameos, call-backs and references but suffers the same issue every recent Lucasfilm movie has.
It's another modern Disney reboot sequel with legacy characters left in the dirt, and a 'quirky & quippy' new character is presented to us. You know this character type when in the face of fear, they will make fun of the villain's Lactose Intolerance or something random because this character is flawlessly confident. They are knowledgeable on every subject relevant to the plot, smartasses because they are always correct, sassy when held hostage and always have an escape plan. This is Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridges), and she might be the only consistent character in the film. For the rest of the ensemble, Boyd Holbrooks Klaber speaks once in the movie and then chases after Jones in each scene; Mads Mikkelsens Jürgen Voller is the most forgettable antagonist of the franchise, Antonio Banderas is out of the film faster than he's in it and finally, Harrison Ford as Dr Jones is unfortunately back for what seems like a pretty good paycheck.
I have nothing against the performances themselves. The cast is incredibly talented, but this skilled team cannot hide the terrible dialogue reinforcing the rather forgettable story. Ultimately, Indiana Jones has one of the greatest trilogies of films with a distance spin-off universe of sequels. Lucasfilm, post-2008, has not been your era.
FADE OUT.

The Meg 2: The Trench is exactly what I expected, and honestly, what I wanted from a movie about giant sharks: campy fun with over-the-top action, sleek visuals, and just enough chaos. The cinematography stood out, especially the camera transitions and underwater shots, which were beautifully done. The special effects carried their weight too, making the whole experience visually exciting.
The pacing worked well. The first act transitioned smoothly into the second, where things started to intensify setting things up well and the intensity ramping up toward the finale. The acting was decent, maybe overacted at times, but it matched the tone of the movie. Sure, the script had its flaws (I mean, swimming normally at 25,000 feet below sea level? Come on), but those issues didn’t ruin the experience unless you’re the type of viewer who’s only there to nitpick.
This movie isn’t meant to be serious or realistic, it’s a popcorn flick through and through. If we judged every movie on plausibility, most would fail spectacularly. The Meg 2 is fun for what it is: a one-time watch that lets you escape into its ridiculous world for a couple of hours.

Pretty tough sitting through this one, especially the first half where a good portion was so dark, maybe to hide the bad visual effects, I couldn't even tell what was going on. There were a few moments of the camp that made the first one at least entertaining, but not enough to keep me engaged. On the plus side, Jason Statham was alright for what he's given, otherwise this just was a waste of time. **2.0/5**

Good Movie

Meg 2 doesn't really feel like a follow up film, to its 2018 counterpart. Indeed, the latest instalment feels more like a platform for various action "stunts".
The giant,prehistoric shark's are essentially window dressing, for a variety of frenetic action sequences, where things blow up, are torn apart, shot at, harpooned, people gobbled up Jaws and Jurassic Park style and what I can only describe as acrobatic, aquatic scenes with jet ski's and the like, all take place. They even throw in a giant squid, to spice things up.
Or put more simply, this is a messy mash up, of derivative, often dispirit ideas. Unsurprisingly, the results a bit chaotic, with no compass to direct the viewer, in terms of the story, such as it is. Its quite watchable, in its own way but it never really goes anywhere.
In summary, watchable on a very visually superficial level. Lots of action but little in the way of an established story, to pull the whole thing together.

Now the "Meg" (2018) itself could never be called a good film, but it is a great deal better than this muddled and derivative effort. "Jonas" (Jason Statham) is now working as a sort of eco-policeman trying to stop the dumping of toxic waste into the oceans, and after a snappy "007" style opening, he is daringly rescued by "Mac" (Clff Curtis) and "Rigas" (Melissanthu Mahut) and returned to the research centre where he is reunited with "Jess" (Skyler Samuels), "DJ" (Page Kennedy) and the adrenalin seeking "Juiming" (Jing Wu) who are nursing the daughter of the last megalodon! The team now travel to a remote installation where they must investigate some more of the beasties that live below the frozen layer put there by nature to ensure than we don't mix. Thing is, it seems they are not the only folks who've hit on the idea that there might be untapped riches 25,000 feet below the surface, and soon our team are involved in a contretemps with "Montes" (Sergio Peris-Mencheta) that introduces treachery, double-dealing and causes explosions galore that release not just megs, but also an enormous octopus into the ocean where they can merrily terrorise the holidaymakers on the nearby resort of "Fun Island". Can "Jonas" et al manage to take on four of these super-creatures before they've snacked their way through the tourists? This might have been a bit better if they'd just cut all the preamble and gone straight to the rig and to the underwater action, big fish and pyrotechnics. As it is, we spend far too long meandering about on the surface meeting the characters and there's way too much pointless dialogue throughout - though one or two half-hearted witticisms and puns help a little - before an ending that is entirely predictable and really rather processionally so. The acting is just banal, the continuity is all over the place - as is the editing - and the huge chunk of Ali Baba money that's floated this thing ensures that the switches from the English to Chinese languages actually smacks more of keeping everybody happy in the boardroom rather than engaging anyone in the actual cinema. Simply, even the charismatic Statham cannot rescue this from the doldrums of CGI-led mediocrity that churns out an unremarkable hybrid of "Jaws" and "Jurassic Park". It does need a big screen. If you wait til it's on the telly then you will be even more disappointed. Mind you, is that actually possible?

What a fun film!
Personally, I had a great time watching 'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves'! I know the general gist of the role-playing game that this is based upon but have never played/watched anything actually to do with it, so couldn't possibly comment on how accurate/whatever this is to that.
I can, however, say that as a movie it gave me pretty much everything I wanted. It's nice to see these sorta fantasy adventure flicks, I felt this one did a terrific job at bringing its world to life. The score is also (as expected from Lorne Balfe) excellent, there's a neat end credits song too. A ~134min run time could've been damaging, but is in fact the perfect length in my opinion - it flies by.
The cast are ace! I do enjoy Chris Pine as an actor, predominantly thanks to 'Unstoppable' with the great Denzel Washington, and he gives a convincing performance. I remember seeing one or two trailers for this way back and thinking that I thought the actors didn't seem all that 'into' their roles. Happy to say I was wrong!
Michelle Rodriguez is fab as well, not that that was ever in doubt from Letty Ortiz herself. Justice Smith and Sophia Lillis are noteworthy positives, as are Hugh Grant and Regé-Jean Page. Bradley Cooper even manages to stick out in my memory in a very minor role.
I genuinely came close to giving this a higher rating, that's how much I enjoyed it. Quality flick, one I hope gets a sequel.

Entertaining enough fantasy/adventure that features a fun script and seems accessible to both fans of D&D and those, like myself, who know very little about it. Also enjoyed the cast with Chris Pine showing his usual charisma and worked nicely opposite Michelle Rodriguez. Did lag a bit in the middle but the finale was good. **3.5/5**

**_Rebooting the sword & sorcery series with Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez_**
A former member of the Harpers turned thief (Pine) amasses a group of unique individuals in order to acquire a magic relic, The Helm of Disjunction, and get his daughter back from a conman Lord (Hugh Grant) and his Red Wizard accomplice (Daisy Head). The adventurers include a barbarian (Rodriguez), an amateur sorcerer (Justice Smith), a shape-changing tiefling (Sophia Lillis) and a noble paladin (Regé-Jean Page).
"Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” (2023) reboots the trilogy that ran from 2000-2012. It’s easily the best film on a technical level but, story-wise, I prefer the previous two, “Wrath of the Dragon God” (2005) and “The Book of Vile Darkness” (2012), which are more serious.
Like the first one from 2000, it telegraphs from the get-go that it's not to be taken too seriously. If you can roll with the campy air, it’s an amusing throwaway fantasy flick. Imagine the gaudiness of "Star Wars" (1977) if the story were transplanted to a Medieval-like kingdom where dragons & magic are reality and you'd have a good idea of what this movie has to offer.
So, it’s a fun, entertaining adventure-fantasy with a good cast and the highlight of petite Sophia Lillis as the elf-like tiefling, but it’s overlong and needed more depth. Plus, there are too many glaring borrowings from other movies, like the frozen-land prison from “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,” the bald witch-sorceress from “Conan the Barbarian” (2011), Magneto’s helmet from the “X-Men” flicks, bits from the “Thor” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, etc.
The film runs 2 hours, 14 minutes, and was shot in Iceland and Northern Ireland.
GRADE: B-/C+

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a great movie that strikes a perfect balance between high fantasy and comedy.
The screenplay for the movie was pretty average in terms of the overall plot, but the individual story beats and set pieces really carried the movie forward. What makes the screenplay stand out is the creativity behind each character, giving them interesting scenes and moments to shine. The dialogue was sharp and witty, filled with great laughs throughout. However, some of the comedy was very generic, with jokes and physical comedy that have been done a dozen times over.
The performances in the film were very solid, with Chris Pine stealing the show as the lead. Pine was extremely witty and charismatic, with excellent comedic timing. Michelle Rodriguez, while playing a pretty flat character, had incredible action scenes. Rege-Jean Page was a standout in every scene he was in, with over-the-top and hilarious moments that left me in stitches. Justice Smith, who hasn't been one of my favorite actors, did well here as a great comedic character. Sophia Lillis, while not getting a ton of time to shine in terms of her acting chops, was amazing in her action set pieces, especially in the long sequence where her character shape shifts while escaping from the castle.
The direction of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was surprisingly stellar. The action was sharp and well-choreographed, with minimal cuts allowing the audience to really get a larger grasp of what was happening. The film balanced comedy and high fantasy elements really well. While the shots weren't overly creative, the movie looked fantastic with beautiful landscapes and above-average CGI.
In conclusion, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a great movie that exceeded my expectations. With a creative screenplay, solid performances, and fantastic direction, it deserves to be seen on the big screen.
Score: 82%
Verdict: Great

Based on the legendary role-playing game, “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” is nothing like what I anticipated and much better than I expected. This irresistible fantasy adventure has a healthy dose of good humor, playful charm, and is easily accessible to all who love imaginary worlds filled with wizards, sorcerers, warlocks, knights, and fire-breathing dragons.
Charismatic thief Edgin (Chris Pine) and his band of unlikely adventurers (including Holga (Michelle Rodriguez) the barbarian) undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic and to liberate his daughter (Chloe Coleman) from Forge’s (Hugh Grant) castle. Things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people, but the group must work together to overcome seemingly never-ending obstacles as they continue their important quest.
While directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein stay true to the origins of the game, prior knowledge of Dungeons & Dragons isn’t necessary. The film explains everything you need to know, making this an action adventure that’s appropriate for everyone. It’s surprising just how accessible this movie is. You don’t have to know the rules of the game to get a real kick out of this one. I’m sure there are plenty of Easter eggs hidden around for the gamers, but it’s not so insider that the uninitiated can’t understand what’s going on. This is definitely one of the film’s greatest strengths.
The story (with a script by Goldstein, Daley, and Michael Gilio) is solid too, with well-developed characters and irreverent humor that keeps the movie from becoming just another based-on-a-game throwaway. There’s a ton of heart and genuine emotion, which is elevated by the terrific cast. The actors play off each other well, giving a human element to what thankfully is not just a bunch of dumb CGI. You can feel the real connection between Edgin and Holga, best friends who always have each other’s backs, and Rodriguez and Pine’s chemistry finds the perfect groove. Grant, who is having a career resurgence lately, is as delightful as ever as the rogue Forge Fitzwilliam, as is Justice Smith as amateur sorcerer Simon and Sophia Lillis as shape shifting tiefling druid Doric. Most shocking is that Pine isn’t doing yet another version of his annoying shtick here, which in itself is a massive achievement.
The pacing is brisk and the special effects are well done, even if the finale is stretched a little thin. I found it easy to become engrossed in the mythical world of D&D not only because the movie looks great visually, but the characters are appealing, too. There’s plenty to root for.
Even if you think you aren’t a fan of the fantasy genre, I suggest you give “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” a try. This playful, character-driven adventure offers a ton of magical fun at the movies.
**By: Louisa Moore / SCREEN ZEALOTS / www.ScreenZealots.com**

The numerous manuals on my shelves for 1st to 5e speak volumes of my familiarity with the game, as does the novels I own, and the numerous D&D computer games I've played, so I was ecstatic seeing the places, people, and creatures I know very well. I've heard others who have played the game say they wished they had done a movie about characters like Elminster, Drizzt Do'Urden, or Alias instead. While they would have been nice to see, those characters are from the lore not the game. What I was more hoping for was that the characters in this movie felt like the characters the players play, the adventures they go on, and the antics they get themselves into. This movie felt like that in spades, and it was an absolute joy to see. I watched this and was constantly reminded of the crazy things I did as a player or watched others do as their DM, and more importantly the fun we had playing the game we all loved. This is why I give it my highest recommendation to all others who have played the game, and especially to those who have not so they may see for themselves what Dungeons & Dragons is really about. 8/10

Now I really did enjoy this, but let's not for a moment pretend that it has much originality to it. We start with a scene borrowed from "Jurassic Park" (1993) before getting introduced to the wise-cracking "Edgin" (Chris Pine) who has been incarcerated in an impregnable prison with his pal "Holga" (Michelle Rodriguez). They're at a sort of parole board hearing awaiting the arrival of "Jarnathan" for whom they have a rather surprising use! What now follows in an exciting and quickly paced series of escapades that sees our escapees try to reconcile with his daughter "Kira" (Chloe Coleman) whom they left in the capable - they thought - hands of their pal "Forge" (Hugh Grant). It turns out that he has his own agenda, and together with the mysterious "Sofina" (Daisy Head) is working on a plan to garner untold riches. That latter creature, though, has her own agenda too - a much more malevolent and dastardly one. "Edgin" and "Holga" have to find a magical helmet in order to spring his daughter and so recruiting the rather hapless sorceror "Simon" (Justice Smith) and the shape-shifting "Doric" (Sophia Lillis) set off in search of the legendary warrior "Xenk" (Regé-Jean Page) and perilous adventures beckon. This actually works well as an entertaining, episodic, collection of short stories that pitch our heroes agains a wonderfully chubby dragon, some dead but undead soldiers and along the way treats us to bits of "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" by way of "Maze Runner". "Robin Hood" and some stunningly presented magical duels worthy of Edgar Allan Poe. There is plenty of pith in the script - a bit of sarcasm never goes wrong; the cast genuinely seem to be having fun as their quest lurches from the frying pan to the fire each time and there is a suitably conniving effort from Grant to top it all off and keep us interested. I was a little disappointed in Page. He doesn't really have so much to do, and features rather sparingly - but Pine shows something of his versatility as an actor (perhaps not so much with his lute) and the whole thing delivers an amusing ensemble effort that passes 2¼ hours predictably, but nonetheless enjoyably. I could have done with more dragons and sorcery, but the visual effects are still put to good use to support a character-led, light-hearted, drama that is really only worth seeing on a big screen. This is good fun - and they even spelled "honour" properly in the title!

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.firstshowing.net/2023/review-dungeons-dragons-honor-among-thieves-is-a-delightful-surprise/
"DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES is one of the best fantasy films of the most recent years. Chris Pine is the MVP of an incredibly charming cast with such natural chemistry that the comedic moments become truly hilarious - the graveyard scene will be replayed over and over again. An adventure blockbuster in all its purity, containing action set pieces filled with fantastical elements and accompanied by remarkable visual effects and score. One of the most fun, enjoyable, surprising theater experiences of the year so far. Impossible not to recommend it to any type of viewer."
Rating: B+

Overall this is a fairly entertaining movie. It has a reasonably cool, totally unrealistic of course, but cool story. It has plenty of special effects, lots of action, some mild suspense and a bit, sometimes too much, humor.
Overall it is in the same style as the previous movies and that brings me to the gripe I have had with these movies since the movie part of the franchise started. This is yet another movie where Ethan is betrayed and goes off doing his own thing. Seriously? The original Mission Impossible was agents doing cool stuff with the full backing of their organisation. Not this bloody Hollywood secret agent soap opera crap.
Another issue I have is that, as usual when Hollywood tries to wander into areas of technology, the basic premise of the movie is just totally unrealistic. There’s no way the computing power available on a submarine would be sufficient to house an actual Artificial Intelligence. Also, at the bottom of the sea there’s no bloody connection to be used for taking over the world unless you count low frequency submarine communication which would make an old 300 baud telephone modem look lightning fast.
Yes I ment baud, not bps, in that last sentence by the way.
Apart from those really annoying faults the movie was, as I wrote pretty good. The special effects were over the top of course but not so totally over the top as in some movies. Sometimes they were really dragged out until they became too much though. Like the obligatory car chase or the forever falling of a cliff train.
I also have to say that Nathan being screwed over, over and over again by that bitch became tiresome rather quickly. So did Benji’s often ridiculous behavior.
So 3 1/2 out of 5 stars it is. Could have been better but could also have been a lot worse.

**Mission Impossible** has been out-Bonding James Bond for years now. Tom Cruise continues to churn out movies that bring more fun and escapism than anyone else. He's a strange guy but his run of super-entertaining films over the last couple of decades has been amazing. This time, his character Ethan Hunt battles an all-knowing AI called "The Entity" and frankly, it's kind of a lame villain. The embodiment (sort of) of The Entity is Gabriel, who gives Ethan a baddie that he can punch. It's all rather confusing and convoluted, but the cast of characters and the action sequences are really what makes this latest **MI** movie a blast. Again.
I was actually looking most forward to seeing Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa. Her character has always brought so much acrobatic grace and fridged detachment to her fighting in scraps with the bad guys. She isn't in this installment much, but when she is, it's impossible to look away. In fact, the ladies of **MI:7** are the best thing about it. Grace (Hayley Atwell) is magnetic and provides some real chemistry with Ethan. She was the person to care about the most. She was tough but also just naive enough to want to invest in emotionally. Her final "deal" with Kittridge makes me wonder if they are setting her up as the main character once Cruise leaves the franchise. The characters of Paris and The White Widow owned their screen time, as well. And of course, Luther and Benji are a solid pair, dropping in and out of the movie as needed.
Thinking back on the action, there were so many great sequences. The runaway train was great but the car chase in Rome was one of the best that I can remember seeing in any movie.
As has been stated often by others, this movie is a little long and the fact that it's a "Part One" doesn't help it at all, but the strong cast and balls-to-the-wall action make this another very good entry in the **Mission Impossible** series.

This is the weakest M:I movie so far, which doesn't mean it's bad but it definitely has a few critical issues. The smaller issue is the pointless action sequences. This movie has a couple of overly long sequences that drag on for way too long and serve no purpose. They bring nothing new to the table in terms of stunts and don't add anything to the story. It's just padding and noise. However, the biggest issue is the plot about artificial intelligence. The filmmakers seem very insecure about the audience's ability to understand the themes used in the story. As a result, there are multiple long scenes where characters sit in a room and repeatedly speak about certain plot elements, in different levels of detail, as if they're trying to make sure the audience understands what they're talking about. I think "rogue computer program" is something that most people would understand, but the movie really tries to make this concept much deeper than it needs to be for the purpose of the movie, resulting in multiple needlessly complex exposition scenes. All of this to say that the movie could have been 30 minutes shorter if you could trim the pointless action sequences and the tech jargon. As it stands, Dead Reckoning Part Two is going to have to do some very heavy lifting in order to compensate for this bloated Part One.