Twenty-three years later, Hollywood has tried again and this time Paramount and Hasbro succeeded in making a film based upon the D&D property with successful; something the overrated Gary Gygax could never do. Now admittedly, I wasn’t seriously onboard because the trailer made it appear this would be Ocean’s 11 (the boring, tired Soderbergh version) with Fantasy crap slapped on in the same way JJ Abrams makes his crappy Star Trek. I am very glad I was wrong. It’s still a predictable heist flick but works for general audiences by balancing action with touches of humor. More importantly, it doesn’t go overboard with all the “technical” stuff from the game or the setting chosen, the Forgotten Realms. There were a couple of super cringeworthy moments the writers couldn’t avoid or resist when they referenced terms we gamers know. I guess it’s OK now since the Bro Culture plays and certain celebrities believe it gives them credibility with Colbert or Vin Diesel.
Did I like and/or enjoy it? Not as much as Star Wars as I already believe a great Fantasy movie was made over 20 years ago, The Lord of the Rings series. Thankfully, D&D loans itself to having a story much better than all the other boardgames properties Hasbro owns; what were they thinking with Battleship? Again, the general public will enjoy D&D and I hope the masses make it hint worthy of another attempt. I would like to see Paramount and Hasbro do something daring via True Detective or Fargo, cast a new set of heroes in the setting with an entirely different adventure.
Lastly, if you remember the Saturday-morning cartoon from 40 years ago. Watch closely in the final act. That’s all I will say.
Alamo Extras: Animation accompanying one of the many, boring D&D podcasts; a list of all the shows D&D has infiltrated its way into, making it part of Pop Culture: Stranger Things, ET, The Simpsons, The IT Crowd, Big Bang Theory, Community and Key & Peele; a Squad Team Force cartoon; a plug for the overrated Critical Role and some tolerable D&D musical bit.