The inexorable charm of old-school adventure

According to Chris Pine, his character Edgin Darvis is hardly the stoic, swashbuckling hero we find in adventure stories. He is a bard who has unrelenting optimism
The inexorable charm of old-school adventure

With the Game of Thrones spawning a multi million dollar franchise and Amazon willing to build the most expensive television franchise in history around Tolkien’s Lord Of The Rings novels, the fantasy adventure genre has been going through an on-screen renaissance in recent times. The latest addition to this beloved genre happens to be a feature film adaptation of the popular tabletop role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons. Titled Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, The film is directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. The directing duo have also adapted fifty years of game-lore into a screenplay for the film. Goldstein and Daley are best known for directing the 2018 action-comedy Game Night.

The film has Star Trek-fame Chris Pine playing a Bard who, along with a band of misfits, goes on an adventure to find a magical relic and end up clashing with evil forces. Pine notes how the film has all the charm of 80s adventure films. He says, “For me, being an ’80s baby, it reminds me of all the great wonderful qualities of ‘80s films,” says star and executive producer Chris Pine. “It has a bit of The Princess Bride. It has a bit of The Goonies. It has a bit of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It’s got a bit of Game of Thrones. It manages to wrap up all of these different tones and colours into one really joyful film. It’s a classic hero’s journey about a bunch of misfits that are trying to do better and be better.”

According to Chris Pine, his character Edgin Darvis is hardly the stoic, swashbuckling hero we find in adventure stories. He is a bard who sings his heart out but also has the kind of unrelenting optimism that finds hope in even the bleakest situations. He will make the best out of any situation. He might seem like he has his stuff together, but more often than not, he’s winging it. It makes him, I think, a likeable thief.”

While talking about the film itself, the actor, who also serves as an executive producer, opines tha beneath all the rollicking adventure, Honour Among Thieves is essentially about the camaraderie that organically develops among a group of characters. He says, “You have a story about a ragtag group of people that are going up against immense odds and immense nemeses and very much looks like they’re not going to be able to succeed. This is a fun film. This is big, emotive, great old-fashioned moviemaking.”

The star-studded cast of the film also includes Hugh Grant, Michelle Rodriguez, Rege-Jean Page, Justice Smith, and Sophia Lillis. Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves is currently scheduled to hit theatres on March 31.

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