Dungeons and Dragons

[Arkim]

Just curious, has anyone seen the new D&D movie yet? And if so, is it worth watching?

[Slitherrr]

Brunching Shuttlecocks (www.brunching.com) gave it an extremely bad rating, said it had a bad story, bad script, and bad acting, but nice special effects. I guess I'll have to see it when it comes out on video.

[BelDragos]

I'm waiting for the video release also. I'd rather spend the money on Arcanity and rent the movie when it cones out.

[Saint Faucet]

Dungeons and Dragons was a mediocre movie that proceeds to alienate both those who have played the tabletop game and those who have had no dealings with it what-so-ever.

While anyone who has played D&D will accept certain events, other will be left scratching their heads. For instance, two of the characters are sucked into a map while looking at it in a tavern. Immediately after this happens, the rest of the party becomes engaged in a barroom brawl when a group of enemy soldiers appear. Unlike a traditional movie, there is no cutting between the action in the bar and the events that occur inside the map's world. Instead, the entire focus is upon the bar brawl and the subsequent escape. After this occurs, the two characters are released from the map and proceed to give a 30 second verbal summary on their journey through the map and where the party must go questing next. While events like this will conjure memories of gaming nights for most of the roleplayers, it does nothing but infuriate the casual viewer.

On the flipside, anyone who has played D&D are in for an equally frustrating let down. Magic spells are not prayed for or memorized. No, magic spells seem to be pulled from pixie dust in small pouches when the party mage actually remembers to cast any (which from my memory, only happens three times through the entire course of the movie with two of those times being within the first ten minutes of the film). Dragons have also been reduced to snarling beasts that can be controlled by one of two wands.

No matter which side of the roleplaying coin you fall on, you will find the story and characters quite weak (I think the party's dwarf had maybe five lines of dialogue) and the resolution not too fulfilling.

There are some good instances during the course of the film. The thieves' maze is incredible and I did enjoy Marlon Wayans' character "Snails". Unfortunately, the few good moments do not out-weigh the overwhelmingly bad.

My opinion: Wait for the video/dvd.

P.S. Just so everyone feels better, the end credits reassure us that "No dragons or other animals were harmed in the making of this film."

[Kymeri mac An Iolar]

I haven't seen it myself yet, but my brother has and he pretty much agrees with you Saint. Wait for the video is what I'll be doing.

[BelDragos]

You should start the Arcanity Movie Review section for the game. I think you wrote the post very well.

[Battykoda]

Answer to both questions .. Yes and definately Yes

[Dyson]

Retired film major? I'm a future retired Film Major. :)

I was going to write a review of my own, but Saint Faucet beat me to it.

Great points, btw. I'd only add one more: What was up with beholders? Suddenly, the army has access to these evil magical creatures, but they only show up for one scene? Did they just run out of money, or what?

Personally, the "no dragons were harmed" bit was my favorite part.

[BelDragos]

It sounds like it was the only good part.

[Su'ulMorda]

Might be, from what I've heard it was disigned as a trilogy, like most of the big D&D novels. Only they had to compress it for a single film, seemingly killing the story... I'll probably go see it when it hits the Dollar theatre.

[BelDragos]

Or rent it

[Sneakthief]

The Dialog made the movie bareable but again that was during the "gathering of hero's" mode.

Lines like "I say we lay low lets this blow over come back and rob everyone." which is sound advice if you ask me hehe

The Dwarf best one had to be while in the market "If im not drinking your not shopping!" and of course the one about female dwarfs and her beard and its just to horrible to relate hehe

Lines like that made it bearable but I agree i should have waited for video heh.

[Rend]

It was terrible. Even jeremy irons was bad. Everything about it made me wish i had my 8 bucks back.

[Su'ulMorda]

Only eight?
The good theatres are charging upwards of twelve, here. And, 3.50 for a large pop, I can eat full meal for less than a pop and popcorn at these places, now... And they wonder why everyone carries a backpack, ech.
I'll disrupt this rant before it goes full tilt...

[BelDragos]

Here is a way to make money in the game.

Make a troop of Illusionist.
Put on shows charging too much money for admission and for snacks.

That would never happen....

[Su'ulMorda]

Who would be foolish enough to pay such exorbitant prices?
They'll never attract a crowd...

[deam0]

i heard that it sucked...but i have yet to see it...

[Kintoun]

To be honest I KNEW it would suck... I bet the movie would have been fine if they made it more serious, and kept to the fantasy storyline. But once I saw that Shaun Waynes ( is that the right guy? ) would be in it, OMG I knew the movie would just suck hard. Don't get me wrong, all the Waynes brothers can be funny ( emphasis on the "can" ), but they stuck him in the WRONG movie.

[deam0]

i totally agree w/ you on the waynes brother guy...

[BelDragos]

I definately will wait until it comes out on video.

What do you think about The Lord Of the Ring movei that's comming out? I thought I saw sonething on TV about it.

[Su'ulMorda]

They've been working on it for years now. It's supposed to be a motion picture, no cartoons. A lot of what I hear is rumour, but we're all watching for it.