Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Delivers High-Rolling Success

     It can be seen as being an enormous undertaking with taking a tabletop role playing game and transforming it into cinematic form given the previous attempt at doing so with  2000's Dungeons & Dragons. That one ended up being such an astounding critical and commercial misfire, that fans unanimously choose to pretend it never happened. Thankfully, that wasn't the only attempt at bringing this world to the screen as Paramount Pictures takes another shot at bringing the popular game to the big screen with their newest effort, Dungeons - Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, finding the correct balance of humor, excitement, and heart to craft a crowd-pleasing piece of entertainment that both fans of the game, as well as general audiences can enjoy. 

      Dragons plot has a common thief (Chris Pratt) and a band of unlikely adventurers embarking on an epic quest to retrieve a long lost relic. However, their journey ends up going dangerously awry when they encounter dangerous villains. Honor Among Thieves plot stays true to the game that inspired it, while finding a way to cinematically adapt its story in a way that the 2000 film couldn't do. The new film gives audiences a story that's engaging and straightforward, along with a colorful batch of characters who are likable. What could've easily ended up being another major disappointment for devoted fans of the fantasy board game, turns out to be a genuinely pleasant surprise that's epic, exciting, funny, and sincere in its desire to do right by its fans and source material. 

      One of the key components that makes the board game such a fun experience for players is the role playing aspect of it with pure dedication being demanded in order to bring believability to the games scenario. The same applies here with Dragons cast delivering performances that are not only stellar, but completely convincing with each actor and actress being on-point. Chris Pine makes for an excellent lead as former member of the Harpers and bard, Edging Darvis. Pine's performance is a brilliant combination of seriousness, humor, and emotion as a father desperately trying to get back what was lost. Sharing the screen with Pine is Michelle Rodriguez whose equally charming as Darvis friend and barbarian, Holga Kilgore, who acts as a surrogate mother for Edgin's daughter, Kira, and was banned from the Elk tribe. Pine and Rodriguez showcase terrific buddy-movie chemistry with the rest of the cast backing them up with strong work. Hugh Grant is perfect as ambitious con artist Forge, whose a former member of Edgin's crew and has been taking care of his daughter Kira. Chloe Coleman impresses as Edgin's 14-year-old daughter Kira who falls under the sway of Forge following her father's imprisonment. Rege-Jean Page excels as Paladin Xenk Yendar along with Justice Smith as half-elf magic sorcerer Simon, Sophia Lillis as tiefling druid, Doric, and Daisy Head as Red Wizard Of That, Sofina.

      With Dragons directing duo, Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley do a fantastic job of finding the right balance of comedy and adventure that doesn't allow them to fall into spoof territory. There are certain scenes shown which give off a Lord Of The Rings feel including an epic bridge sequence that screams comparisons to that of Balrog's in The Fellowship Of The Ring. The story is full of tons of fantasy action violence shown, which includes swordfighting, crossbows, and magical battles largely consisting of life-or-death moments that lead to lots of death and destruction. At 2hrs & 14 mins, Dragons remains steadily paced with the film allowing ample time for its plot and characters to grow without compromise. The soundtrack is full of many exciting and thrilling tracks that compliment the films bold action, while also being appropriately emotional when focusing on key characters and plot points. Overall, Thieves directing duo does a remarkable job of bringing the popular role-playing game to the screen and doing so with clear enthusiasm and love for its universe and its characters. 

     In terms of themes, loss plays a significant role throughout the story with the death of loved ones, possessing guilt, trusting others, greed, and getting back what's lost also being at play. Despite these themes, the film is first and foremost an adventure story with teamwork being heavily encouraged here. Although the main characters are essentially thieves, they're shown to be loyal to each other while also helping others rather than just themselves. The female characters are shown as being strong-willed and capable of doing things on their own with the films romantic elements being reduced to brief flashback sequences showing what was before tragedy struck. Edging's character is presented as being a thief who wants to regain the family he lost with bringing his deceased wife back to life in addition to rescuing his daughter from the clutches of Forge. As a whole, Dragon's script appears to be well-rounded with each character receiving just the right amount of character development with the humor never feeling excessive, but cleverly sprinkled throughout the story to give off a feel good vibe that's in contrast to the high serious tone of Lord Of The Rings.

      Whereas the 2000 Dungeons & Dragons adaptation often felt like it lacked the devotion of both its cast and crew to make it work, that isn't the case here as Honor Among Thieves ensemble and creative team give their absolute all in making it work. It's tremendously fun, extremely faithful to its source material, and evenly balanced in regards to its tone with the end result being a highly honorable effort that amounts to being a high- rolling victory for fans of the game. 

Final Verdict: A must see for fans of the game or those looking for a well-crafted yet goofy adventure.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Delivers A Super Worthy Adaptation Of The Classic Video Game

      

      It's been nearly 30 years since audiences we're last treated to a live-action film adaptation of the popular Nintendo game, Super Mario Bros. The previous attempt became such a huge critical and commercial misfire, that Hollywood strayed from revisiting the popular video game universe until now with Universal Pictures The Super Mario Bros. Movie, producing a more faithful adaptation of the classic video game this time in animated form. If one found themselves to be tremendously disappointed by the failed 1993 film, they'll be happy to hear that the newest iteration is the exact opposite and more true to its source material despite its plot feeling generic.

      The plot for Super Mario Bros. has Mario and Luigi with the help of Princess Peach, preparing to square off against the all-powerful Bowser to thwart his plans from conquering the world. The newest adaptation of the classic Nintendo game is what the fans have been waiting decades to see, and promises a fresh new cinematic start for these characters. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is exciting, funny, unapologetically charming, and rightfully heartfelt in providing a solidly well-crafted comedic adventure that's fueled with fan-focused devotion. 

      Much of Mario's effectiveness as a faithful video game adaptation comes from the voice performances of its all-star cast, who demonstrate clear excitement and dedication towards playing their iconic roles. Though initially considered to be a controversial choice for the role, Chris Pratt makes for a worthy Mario despite not using a thick Italian accent to play the part. Pratt is convincing as a struggling plumber from Brooklyn, whose accidentally transported to the world of the Mushroom Kingdom. Charlie Day is perfectly casted as Mario's timid younger brother Luigi with both actors sharing strong chemistry. Anya Taylor-Joy is terrific as Princess Peach, ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom and Mario's love interest. Joy presents her character as being strong-willed and determined to defend her kingdom against King Bowser. Jack Black steals the show as Bowser, king of the Koppas, who plots to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom by marrying Princess Peach. Black is hilarious in the role with his surprise song "Peaches" destined to become a major hit next award season. Seth Rogan surprises as the powerful anthropomorphic gorilla, Donkey Kong, whose also the heir to the throne of the Jungle Kingdom. Adding to the films level of fun is Keegan-Michael Key as Mushroom Kingdom resident Toad, who aspires to go on his first real adventure, along with Fred Armisen as Donkey Kong's father, King Cranky Kong, whose the ruler of the Jungle Kingdom, and Sebastian Maniscalco as Mario and Luigi's former boss from the wrecking crew, Spike.

      When it comes to the films style of animation, Illumination proved to be the perfect animation studio to design the universe for Mario world with directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic presenting the story with stunning animation that's vibrant, and brings the Mario universe to the screen in a way that feels immersive and larger than life. The fantasy action violence presented is family-friendly though has bits that include the use of magic and characters fighting with various powerups resulting in explosions. There is one sequence shown in which a character is tortured by magic along with another being pursued by zombie skeletons. At 92 minutes, the film remains fast-paced with the first overall story playing out more like a thrill ride, while still allowing time for both plot and character development. The soundtrack does a fine job of honoring the games classic themes, while weaving together with the films newer compositions to deliver an incredibly upbeat feel that includes iconic 80's tunes like Bonnie Tyler's Holding Out For A Hero. With bringing the Super Mario Bros. to the screen, the job for any filmmaker is to bring the games universe to life for the audience to experience in film form. In that regard both Borvath and Jelenic succeed in doing so while incorporating fun bits including sound effects which are lifted directly from the games to further drive the audiences nostalgia with playing them.

      Some key themes in Super Mario Bros. that allow it to have a tremendous amount of heart are siblings looking out for each other, feeling small and insignificant with the desire to do something big, fulfilling ones dreams, unrequited love, and heroism that's demonstrated by the Mario Brothers and Princess Peach. The Mario's are portrayed as having a great sibling relationship with dreams of doing big things with their careers as plumbers. With their relationship, the audience see's how both siblings look out for each other with Mario having the stronger character arc of the two. Princess Peach is shown to be a strong leader of the Mushroom Kingdom with her prepared to defend it against Bowser while simultaneously catching feelings for Mario. Whereas her character could've easily ended up being a typical damsel-in-distress, Peach is presented as being smart, strong-willed, and not needing men to do things for her. King Boswer steals the show with him not just providing the film with the correct type of villain required, but surprises with the amount of humorous bits his character possesses. 

      Although the story is serviceable at best, it's the nostalgia of the game along with the fleshing out of its key characters that help the film overcome the scripts shortcomings and ultimately make it work. For fans of the video game, this one will leave them feeling hugely satisfied due to it being jam-packed with Easter eggs, and the dedication put forth by its voice cast who approach the source material with the utmost amount of respect and dedication. For audiences as a whole, The Super Mario Bros. Movie provides an enjoyable experience for the whole family.

Final Verdict: SEE IT

Images Courtesy Of Universal Pictures

John Wick: Chapter 4 Is A Must See For Action Fans

     

      When one looks at modern action movie franchises, none have blown audiences away more than that of the John Wick franchise. Released in 2014, the original film ended up becoming a sleeper hit which saw its audience grow significantly with each new installment impressing both in terms of delivering outstanding action set-pieces, along with expanding its story regarding an ex- professional assassin avenging the murder of his dog. With the series newest installment, John Wick: Chapter 4 delivers high-octane action that amounts to being a stunning cinematic experience. 

      Continuing from the events of Chapter 3: Parabellum, Chapter 4 of the John Wick saga finds the legendary hitman taking his fight against the High Table global with locations spanning from New York to Paris and Berlin as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld. For longtime fans of the series, John Wick: Chapter 4 is everything that fans want it to be and maintains the franchises remarkable consistency in regards to each sequel outgunning the previous effort. With the level of commitment put forth by the filmmaking team as well as Reeves himself, the newest sequel delivers pure excitement while potentially providing closure to a remarkable 9 year saga.

      When it comes to performances, the cast is on top form with Keanu Reeves killing it once again as  Wick. If the series has proved anything, it's that Reeves was never really a bad actor to begin with and gives full devotion in playing his character. Donnie Yen is equally electrifying as Caine, a blind High Table assassin and old friend of John Wick whose forced into hunting him in order to protect his own family from the High Table. Yen steals the show both with his acting and set of impressive martial arts combat skills. Joining the Wick ensemble is Bill Skarsgard as the powerful antagonist Marquis Vincent de Gramont, whose position at the High Table is directly challenged by John Wick. Skarsgard is really good here and sells the notion that the stakes are at an all time high here. Ian McShane is pure class once again as New York Continental Hotel manager Winston, whose allied with Wick. The same can be said for Laurence Fishburne as former underground crime boss, the Bowery King who was left for dead by the High Table and now sponsors John Wick. Rounding out the films killer cast is Hiroyiki Sanada as Wick's old friend and manager of the Osaka Continental Hotel, Shimazu Koji, with Shamier Anderson as the bounty hunter pursuing Wick named Mr. Nobody, the late Lance Reddick as the concierge of the Continental Hotel in New York, Charon, Rina Sawayama as Jojo's daughter Akira, and Scott Adkins as head of the German table, Killa Harkan, who later becomes allied with Wick.

     Returning to the director chair is Chad Stahelski who previously helmed the second and third entries. Like those films, Stahelski crafts some truly phenomenal action set-pieces. In terms of violence, chapter 4 delivers action that's extreme and ridiculously over-the-top with everything from typical shootouts resulting in a high body count being shown to masterfully choreographed fight scenes involving killer martial arts skills, the use of bow and arrows, swords, and the inclusion of outrageous car chases. For the series fans, chapter 4 delivers a buffet of different varieties of action that's ever been shown before in the series along with some truly incredible sequences including one involving Wick fighting to get to the top of steps that's both thrilling and draws comparisons to Bruce Lee's Game Of Death in which his character ends up battling a new foe the higher he climbs up the stairs to the next floor. With the cinematography, Wick's newest sequel is gorgeously-filmed and looks incredible on the big screen. At nearly three hours, Wick makes maximum use of its 170 minute length with delivering exciting action and an immersive story that makes the running time move briskly. While his work on the series thus far has been commendable, Stahelski outdoes himself once again and delivers a sweeping action epic that's both visually striking and unforgettable.

      As far as story goes, Chapter 4 feels like a natural progression for the main characters journey along with providing what could be a plausible finish to his character arc. A key theme explored is revenge with Wick's character wanting freedom from the criminal underworld he worked under. The script does a fine job of building on the original films plot while further developing the criminal organization that Wick once answered to. Friendship and common enemies are other themes at play here as Wick is shown to have many friends across the globe, along with acquaintances he can partner with in order to defeat a common enemy. What the script does well is show the power of the High Table, as well as the fear it installs with characters such as Donnie Yen's being conflicted with not wanting to go against the organization in order to protect his family, while realizing that his opponent is John Wick. The story works well as being a continuation of the events of Parabellum with Wick further dealing with the effects of being excommunicado, and having a $14 million bounty on his head as the world basically hunts for him. If all the previous John Wick films we're building up to an explosive climax then Chapter 4 is the big emotional payoff that fans have waited nearly four years to see after the events of Parabellum.

      Overall, those who adored the first three John Wick films are going to be blown away by the fourth one. Everything from the action to the story and performances are so well-executed and near flawless, that it can almost be forgiven how Wick's character develops cartoonish healing powers after sustaining heavy injuries including falling off a five story building. Besides that minor fault, John Wick: Chapter 4 delivers a worthy follow-up that's explosive, epic, and hugely satisfying.

Final Verdict: A Must See.

Images Courtesy Of Warner Brothers

Shazam! Fury Of The Gods: A Fun Sequel That Maintains The Originals Heart & Humor

      

      When audiences think of the film Shazam, they generally view it as being one of the DCEU's (DC Extended Universe) few bright spots with the rest being viewed as being one giant convoluted mess. Not only was the characters first comic book outing exciting, but it carried a perfect balance of humor and heart that was lacking in many DC films. With Shazam! Fury Of The Gods, the titular character returns to the big screen in an thoroughly enjoyable follow-up to its breakout predecessor.

      Continuing from where the previous Shazam left off, the sequel has Billy Batson and his fellow foster siblings still learning to balance their teenage life with their adult superhero alter egos. Their powers soon become tested when a vengeful trio of ancient gods arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them prior, prompting Shazam and his allies to defend not just their superpowers, but also their lives, and the fate of mankind. In terms of scope, Shazam 2 definitely feels bigger than the first film while maintaining much of its spirit and charm. Although the original Shazam was low-stake, its plot provided a juvenile feel that essentially felt like a cross between Tom Hanks BIG and a goofier version of Superman. While not as well-focused and personal as the first, Fury Of The Gods still works as being a worthy follow-up that's hilarious, exciting, and heartfelt.

      As far as performances go, Shazam's extremely talented cast demonstrate complete devotion to the franchise with everyone playing their parts to a T. Zachary Levi nails it again as Shazam with him brilliantly playing a young boy, who magically finds himself in a Superman body with him fully realizing the responsibility that comes with it. Asher Angel impresses with complimenting Levi's work as a young good-hearted Billy Batson, whose willing to do whatever it takes to protect his family along with the rest of mankind. Other noteworthy works include Jack Dylan Grazer and Adam Brody as Billy's physically disabled foster brother, Freddy,  with Grazer portraying his regular form while Brody portrays his adult superhero version. Rachel Zegler shines as Anthea, the youngest daughter of Atlas whose misguided though good-hearted. Both Grace Caroline Curry and Ross Butler do well as Billy's mature and academically-driven older foster sister Mary with Butler and Ian Chen playing the superhero and young versions of Billy's younger foster brother Eugene. Rounding out Shazam's cast is D.J. Cotrona and Megan Good as Billy's openly LGBT brother Pedro and younger foster sister Darla. Lucy Liu, Helen Mirren, and Djimon Hounsou command the screen while adding to the films already appealing cast as the middle and oldest daughters of Atlas with Hounsou playing the last surviving member of the Council of Wizards, who bestowed his powers on Billy Batson.

      Returning to the directors chair is original  Shazam director David F. Sandberg with him being given more creative freedom this time around. With the sequel, Sandberg aims to recapture much of the originals juvenile feel while raising the stakes with the sequels level of action. The latter is presented in comic book-style form which includes mass amounts of property being destroyed, monsters running amok including a terrifying dragon, and intense imagery including gods transforming humans into zombie-type creatures as a form of enslavement. In terms of pacing, Shazam 2's story is kept fast-paced but never to the point where character and plot development takes a backseat to the action. The music by Christophe Beck who composed the first, is effective in driving the stories mystical feel while clearly being inspired by other classic superhero films of the genre like Richard Dinner's Superman. The tone of the music appropriately fits the films free-spirited tone while enchanting the level of excitement that audiences feel given that it's a story which revolves around gods and monsters. Like the previous Shazam, the costume design remains stellar once again with Sandberg doing a fine job of bringing what's undeniably a more bright and colorful version of the DCEU to life. 

      The key message that Shazam 2 drives home is that everyone has the power of a hero inside of them as evidenced by Billy's will to do good. Courage, bravery, compassion, and teamwork are themes that are heavily prevalent in the films script with the latter realizing what must be done in order to protect his family as well as humanity. The script juggles numerous subplots ranging from Billy trying to keep his siblings motivated with being superheroes as they try to balance their normal lives. The writing does much to emphasize the positive impact of having a strong family foundation, whether its biological or foster. The script also contains fun pop culture references including Shazam's character poking fun at Fast And Furious' tagline regarding family. When it comes to the films main trio of female villains, the Greek goddesses Anthea, Hespera, and Kalypso are well-fleshed out and carry a strong presence throughout the story with their motives and allegiances ultimately becoming tested. What Shazam's sequel does that connects both stories together so well is how its writing stays true to the things that audiences loved about the first Shazam, while showing Billy's growth as a superhero along with the rest of his family.

       Despite its positives, it would be a bit misleading to say that the sequels storyline is as strong as the originals. The story doesn't quite remain as well-focused as the film sometimes struggles with juggling multiple character and story arcs in addition to placing a slanted focus on Shazam this time around rather than young Billy,  which was the heart of the originals plot. Where the sequel lacks in its predecessors skillfulness, it makes up for in retaining much of the previous films magic while expanding the stories scope. It helps that its main star and cast remain as equally committed in playing their parts with Levi's charismatic performance making Shazam! Fury Of The Gods a worthy, if not flawed, sequel. 

Final Verdict: Worth watching if you're a comic book fan, just don't expect it to be as good as the first Shazam. Expect surprise cameos.

Images Courtesy Of Warner Brothers Discovery