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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Mar 2023 : 22:13:27
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Just got home from seeing the D&D movie with my son.
He liked it, and he doesn't know a thing about D&D.
I quite liked it, myself. And I think they struck a nice balance between giving fans of the game and the setting something, while keeping it all accessible for non-gamers.
I expect this one to do well in theaters, when the full release happens.
I do have some minor quibbles, here and there -- the Harpers explicitly being called a faction, they didn't get the appearance of the Tears right, and ye gods, Ed should have had a cameo! |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 19 Mar 2023 : 23:16:42
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| Oh, and I've apparently been mispronouncing tiefling and Mordenkainen. I've been saying "tie-fling" and it's "tee-fling" (long E, not long I) and I've been saying "More den kie nen" and it's "More den kay nen" (long A, not long I). |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Master Katarn
Acolyte
30 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2023 : 01:06:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Oh, and I've apparently been mispronouncing tiefling and Mordenkainen. I've been saying "tie-fling" and it's "tee-fling" (long E, not long I) and I've been saying "More den kie nen" and it's "More den kay nen" (long A, not long I).
I was more surprised at how Elminster's last name (Aumar) is Oh-mar and not Aw-mar. Why spell it as Aumar then and not just as Omar?
I knew the tiefling pronunciation but the Mordenkainen was different than how I had pronounced it.
I looked up Elminster's Forgotten Realms fandom page and he has no sons listed so who
is Simon descended from?
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Gelcur
Senior Scribe
523 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2023 : 03:56:42
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I got into an early viewing, I disliked it. I had a feeling I would be I hoped that I would be surprised.
A lot of the movie was poor in my opinion. The actors playing Simon and Doric were hard to watch. The dialogue was all over the place, felt unnatural. The story and villains fell very flat. And the plot may have been the worst part, I won't go into details as not to spoil things.
But honestly I could look past all that if it felt like the Realms. But to me it felt like the 5e Realms, a thin coat of paint, how the Dragon Heist module felt. Sure they are using the names of Realms locales, groups, and the rare NPC reference. But there's no substance there. If you take out those names you'd be hard pressed to know it takes place in Faerun. I think I was especially let down by the art direction and music. The sets didn't seem populated with the minutiae of life, where they could fill in all the Realms Easter eggs. Honestly it felt lacking of even D&D material.
Things also just looked wrong, Bobby from the D&D cartoon, or the dwarf in the maze. I watch this and think the LotR movies are over 20 years old. Why can't we hit that level of quality? I also think about the movie Detective Pikachu, every scene of that movie was packed FULL of Pokemon content.
I will say though the special FX were hit or miss, but when they hit they were very good. Also the scenes with red dragon and the one with the druid shape changing from animal to animal were very well done action sequences.
I also believe Ed should have had a cameo and it should have included lines, like Stan Lee in the Marvel movies. Really wish they had followed the formula of the first few waves of Marvel movies, lots of Easter eggs for super fans and characters we already know and love. |
The party come to a town befallen by hysteria
Rogue: So what's in the general store?
DM: What are you looking for?
Rogue: Whatevers in the store.
DM: Like what?
Rogue: Everything.
DM: There is a lot of stuff.
Rogue: Is there a cart outside?
DM: (rolls) Yes.
Rogue: We'll take it all, we may need it for the greater good. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2023 : 04:42:52
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quote:
Originally posted by Master Katarn
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Oh, and I've apparently been mispronouncing tiefling and Mordenkainen. I've been saying "tie-fling" and it's "tee-fling" (long E, not long I) and I've been saying "More den kie nen" and it's "More den kay nen" (long A, not long I).
I was more surprised at how Elminster's last name (Aumar) is Oh-mar and not Aw-mar. Why spell it as Aumar then and not just as Omar?
I knew the tiefling pronunciation but the Mordenkainen was different than how I had pronounced it.
I looked up Elminster's Forgotten Realms fandom page and he has no sons listed so who
is Simon descended from?
I would say that Elminster -- and some of the other Chosen -- likely have offspring we've never heard of, simply because there's never been a chance to mention them. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Master Katarn
Acolyte
30 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2023 : 04:48:19
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spoilers for movie
They're going to need a 2 year span in the lore to fit when Neverember was in a coma and Forge takes over.
What seems like Elminster appears halfway through the movie, but it's later revealed this is just Simon Aumar seeing a vision of his older self that he mistook for Elminster? No mention of the status of Elminster himself as of the movie, I'll just assume he's an even worse film grandfather than Emperor Palpatine, who knew?
There are some miniature people that feature in the movie, but I wasn't clear whether these were supposed to be halflings. They don't look anything like LOTR's hobbits, more like the characters in Gulliver's Travels. Pretty sure halflings in every Realms comic, game, etc. have been portrayed to look like LOTR hobbits, not what we got here. I'm surprised there aren't more complaints about this.
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Edited by - Master Katarn on 20 Mar 2023 04:51:55 |
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Azar
Master of Realmslore
1309 Posts |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2023 : 06:01:14
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I do have some minor quibbles, here and there -- the Harpers explicitly being called a faction ...
But the Harpers are a faction, strictly speaking, when described from a larger perspective of the Realms. They are an organization which cooperates with, opposes, and competes against other factions in various ways.
But even if "faction" is not an accurate term for their organization, what other descriptor would be better? |
[/Ayrik] |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2023 : 11:47:29
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quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I do have some minor quibbles, here and there -- the Harpers explicitly being called a faction ...
But the Harpers are a faction, strictly speaking, when described from a larger perspective of the Realms. They are an organization which cooperates with, opposes, and competes against other factions in various ways.
But even if "faction" is not an accurate term for their organization, what other descriptor would be better?
He specifically said "the Harpers faction" instead of just saying "the Harpers." That's just weird phrasing, and as someone who has never liked the clumsy faction system they've implemented, I found it irksome.
There were references to the Lords' Alliance and the Emerald Enclave, without explicitly calling them factions, which further makes that one reference stand out. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2023 : 11:52:24
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https://beforewegoblog.com/movie-review-dungeons-and-dragons-honor-among-thieves/
DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES made me tear up a bit at the end. It was an involuntary reaction, I certainly didn't intend for it to happen, but it's something that occurred nevertheless. Against my better judgement, I came to care about these characters and whether they managed to make it through the end of the movie. So, in the words of Rick and Morty, "You son of a bitch, I'm in."
The movie isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination but it is recognizably and explicitly Dungeons and Dragons. Which is a harder thing to embody than many people might think. Dungeons and Dragons isn't a setting by itself but a method of creating and playing a setting. This is the problem of previous adaptations because you can play any fantasy setting with D&D rules but you can't just say, "Dungeons and Dragons is the setting." Here, it's the Forgotten Realms and I kind of wish they'd called it Forgotten Realms or Neverwinter Nights because either of those titles would have been appropriate as well.
Energy-wise, this is a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie for better and worse. I honestly compare this most to Paul Rudd's Ant Man movie in terms of rough mixture between family melodrama, quips, and action. Well, this has a lot more dragons in it and I'll give that is an impressive boost over Ant Man. It's a movie about a failed father trying to reconnect with his daughter, a heist, and an oddball crew of misfits. So let's say Ant Man meets Guardians of the Galaxy meets dragons. Which, yes, is probably why I love this movie against my better judgement. Neither of those films are my favorite Marvel films but throw in an owlbear and the Red Wizards of Thay? Yeah, now we're cooking with fireballs.
The premise is somewhat overly complicated at the start with, essentially, an entire movie's worth of backstory in the prologue that could have been the first part of a trilogy. Edgin Darvis (Chris Pine) is a Harper who turns to thievery after his do-goodery gets his wife killed by the Red Wizards. He ends up as heterosexual but platonic partners with Holga (Michelle Rodriguez) and raises his daughter, Kira, with her. Hearing there's a magical tablet that can raise his wife from the dead, Edgin robs the Harpers and gets sent to magical prison with Holga when the heist goes wrong. They break out and decide to get Kira back from their partner who, obviously, betrayed them but is raising the girl as his own. This is just the prologue.
The movie is mostly a heist film with our leads recruiting bumbling sorcerer Simon Aumar (Justice Smith) and kickass Tiefling druid Doric (Sophia Lillis) to help take down Lord Forge Fitzwilliam (Hugh Grant) as well as his Red Wizard partner Sofina (Daisy Head). They go from action scene and comedy scene to action scene to comedy scene with the movie never really taking a break. Some of the comedy is stupid like a scene where they waste their Speak with the Dead questions while other comedy is stupid but entertaining as hell (Holga's ex being a halfling? Eh. Stupid joke. Not funny. Holga's ex taking up with another Amazonian barbarian? HILARIOUS).
The movie is utterly drenched with fanservice and you'll be unable to turn off your brain from the, "I recognize that, they said the thing, I recognize that, reference to that thing I know!" Memberberries (i.e. things you remember from your childhood) are a pretty low form of humor perfected by Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and Iron Man but it works on the nerd side of my brain. When they mention Simon is Elminster's descendant, I went, "Yeah, him and half of Faerun" and realized they'd gotten me. I can't hate a movie with an owlbear.
I feel almost bad about how mad I am for unabashedly loving this movie. I am deeply cynical about Hasbro's handling of D&D and mad at them for a dozen things ranging from the OGL to the novels being abandoned. However, this movie has an morbidly obese red dragon, the cast of the Eighties Dungeons and Dragons cartoon, and Szass Frigging Tam (who is the villain of my current D&D campaign).
What am I supposed to do with that? I can't stay mad at a movie trying this hard to entertain me. The cast is a bunch of bumbling misfits and everyone looks like an idiot but Doric (Michelle Rodriguez gets a lot of mileage out of being a dumb barbarian), yet I can't complain about that since it's my style of humor too. They're also competent when it counts. I even like Hugh Grant in this as he basically shows what he would have been like if he'd play Gilderoy Lockhart in The Chamber of Secrets. Literally my only complaints are the fact that I wasn't aware Faerun was enlightened enough to have prisons with a healthy pardon system and the fact movie dragged in literally two places.
See the film.
9.5/10 |
My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2023 : 11:54:26
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quote:
But honestly I could look past all that if it felt like the Realms. But to me it felt like the 5e Realms, a thin coat of paint, how the Dragon Heist module felt. Sure they are using the names of Realms locales, groups, and the rare NPC reference. But there's no substance there. If you take out those names you'd be hard pressed to know it takes place in Faerun. I think I was especially let down by the art direction and music. The sets didn't seem populated with the minutiae of life, where they could fill in all the Realms Easter eggs. Honestly it felt lacking of even D&D material.
I dunno man, I'd argue that this actually is pretty heavily tied to the Forgotten Realms. If for no other reason than the Harpers vs. Red Wizards of Thay. There's not THAT many fantasy settings that have a necrocracy ruled by wizards opposed by a rebel alliance of bards.
quote:
There are some miniature people that feature in the movie, but I wasn't clear whether these were supposed to be halflings. They don't look anything like LOTR's hobbits, more like the characters in Gulliver's Travels. Pretty sure halflings in every Realms comic, game, etc. have been portrayed to look like LOTR hobbits, not what we got here. I'm surprised there aren't more complaints about this.
Actually, in Second Edition, Halflings were even shorter than dwarves and were given an extra foot in height with the move to 3rd Edition for obvious reasons. |
My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Edited by - Charles Phipps on 20 Mar 2023 11:58:52 |
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Master Katarn
Acolyte
30 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2023 : 21:00:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
I dunno man, I'd argue that this actually is pretty heavily tied to the Forgotten Realms. If for no other reason than the Harpers vs. Red Wizards of Thay. There's not THAT many fantasy settings that have a necrocracy ruled by wizards opposed by a rebel alliance of bards.
Actually, in Second Edition, Halflings were even shorter than dwarves and were given an extra foot in height with the move to 3rd Edition for obvious reasons.
Bradley Cooper (I assume that was him) was kept in proportion and shrunk wholesale, when realistically he should've had just his upper legs and torso shrunk via forced perspective/CGI like LOTR style. Look at any of IDW's Realms collection comic books and look at who we're supposed to assume are halflings in the movie. They're not the same.
For example, he looked too small for the chair in a way that none of the hobbits in the LOTR movies did for their own chairs. He should still fight width wise, just not height wise, but he didn't fit width wise and that was wrong. Even the recent Rings of Power tv show got the halfling look right.
I don't think you can really call the Harpers a faction of bards per se. Warhammer Fantasy had the army of Nagash vs bards like Felix. Heroes of Might and Magic IV has the Necropolis empire vs the bard class. Mannimarco vs the Blades in Elder Scrolls.
Anyway nice to see you on here also (I'm Yistaan on TrekBBS and used to post on theforce net as sidv88--don't post on the latter anymore due to a long story, you can PM me if you want to know why) |
Edited by - Master Katarn on 20 Mar 2023 21:01:33 |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 21 Mar 2023 : 00:20:18
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I thought the chair being sized for "normal" people was deliberate because he lives with two human women.
And cool, nice to see you here!
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My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Edited by - Charles Phipps on 21 Mar 2023 00:21:01 |
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Master Katarn
Acolyte
30 Posts |
Posted - 21 Mar 2023 : 06:41:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
I thought the chair being sized for "normal" people was deliberate because he lives with two human women.
And cool, nice to see you here!
I'm pretty sure that halflings are supposed to be like our real world short people, like Warwick Davis or Peter Dinklage, who wouldn't have trouble fitting into our real life chairs, height aside. |
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Azar
Master of Realmslore
1309 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2023 : 03:46:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
9.5/10
Better than The Empire Strikes Back, Ben-Hur, any of the The Lord of the Rings entries, Schindler's List, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and numerous other films? If you'll excuse me, I'm going to dive headfirst into a vat of industrial-grade "Skeptical".
quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
Actually, in Second Edition, Halflings were even shorter than dwarves and were given an extra foot in height with the move to 3rd Edition for obvious reasons.
What obvious reasons? Please excuse the supersonic crack above my head. |
Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
Earth names in the Realms are more common than you may think. |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2023 : 06:36:15
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quote:
Better than The Empire Strikes Back, Ben-Hur, any of the The Lord of the Rings entries, Schindler's List, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and numerous other films? If you'll excuse me, I'm going to dive headfirst into a vat of industrial-grade "Skeptical".
I mean, are you using Rotten Tomatoes as some sort of universal standard because their ratings are frigging stupid.
1-3 Bad
4-5 Average
6-7 Good
8-9 Great
10 Perfect
quote:
What obvious reasons? Please excuse the supersonic crack above my head.
Making them the size of a human toddler is ridiculous. |
My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Edited by - Charles Phipps on 25 Mar 2023 06:36:55 |
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Azar
Master of Realmslore
1309 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2023 : 09:12:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
quote:
Better than The Empire Strikes Back, Ben-Hur, any of the The Lord of the Rings entries, Schindler's List, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and numerous other films? If you'll excuse me, I'm going to dive headfirst into a vat of industrial-grade "Skeptical".
I mean, are you using Rotten Tomatoes as some sort of universal standard because their ratings are frigging stupid.
1-3 Bad
4-5 Average
6-7 Good
8-9 Great
10 Perfect
Spoiled produce? Nah. I just think that once you hit 9 out of 10 and above (or an "A" grade for those in the United States), you're looking at seminal examples of each respective genre; these are the kind of films that you'd make painstaking efforts to preserve for aliens that stop by for a visit after our species has long bit the dust. |
Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
Earth names in the Realms are more common than you may think. |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2023 : 12:56:46
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For me, it means the movie was not just good but great.
Nothing more or less.
I had an immense amount of fun and it was a celebration of a hobby that is very personal as well as dear to me. |
My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1288 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2023 : 18:40:45
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Hmm I liked it, the action scenes in particular were well done.
The story/plot was a bit weak, but serviceable in my opinion. The only major lore issue (besides Mordenkainen being used when any actual Realms wizard would do!) was the backstory about Thay and Szass being butchered, however you could just go with an unreliable narrator for that bit.
I didn't care for the "red dragon" they used when the scene would have worked and been better to me if it was just a normal ferocious red dragon; and the final scene where the big bad's evil plot was foiled in a way that made no sense at all.
I'm glad it is doing well on Rotten Tomatoes, let's hope it does very well and they can maybe turn one or two novels into a movie. Was anyone suprised not one Dark Elf? I can see how putting one in the movie may have been seen as difficult (to me just make them dark violet purple like in the Drizzt comic adaptions)
Would kill for an Azure Bonds movie with that level of action. |
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Master Katarn
Acolyte
30 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2023 : 03:48:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Seravin
=Was anyone suprised not one Dark Elf?
It was interesting that Elminster got namedropped but not Drizzt. You think they'd have tried testing the waters considering the past 20 years of Realms have been Drizzt this and Drizzt that. |
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Gelcur
Senior Scribe
523 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2023 : 06:59:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
He specifically said "the Harpers faction" instead of just saying "the Harpers." That's just weird phrasing, and as someone who has never liked the clumsy faction system they've implemented, I found it irksome.
There were references to the Lords' Alliance and the Emerald Enclave, without explicitly calling them factions, which further makes that one reference stand out.
I found it more than just irksome. It was very early in the film and it is where I started having a bad feeling and started scrutinizing everything. It just reminded me of everything I don't like about how the Realms in depicted in 5e and from that point out I couldn't help but see everything from that vantage.
quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
quote:
But honestly I could look past all that if it felt like the Realms. But to me it felt like the 5e Realms, a thin coat of paint, how the Dragon Heist module felt. Sure they are using the names of Realms locales, groups, and the rare NPC reference. But there's no substance there. If you take out those names you'd be hard pressed to know it takes place in Faerun. I think I was especially let down by the art direction and music. The sets didn't seem populated with the minutiae of life, where they could fill in all the Realms Easter eggs. Honestly it felt lacking of even D&D material.
I dunno man, I'd argue that this actually is pretty heavily tied to the Forgotten Realms. If for no other reason than the Harpers vs. Red Wizards of Thay. There's not THAT many fantasy settings that have a necrocracy ruled by wizards opposed by a rebel alliance of bards.
I guess... It just seemed hollow to me. Sure there were Harpers, and there was a quick flashback with them fighting evil and a beggar tripping someone getting away with a lute. But where is the secret network spying on everyone and everything? Wink to the guy behind the bar, flash a badge, get led through a few back doors into another adjacent building where you sit by a window and watch those chasing after you run by none the wiser. And the Red Wizards had the right garb sure, but are they really attacked on sight? Maybe I'm mistaken but most Thayans that people run into are merchants. Sure if the Red Wizard appears as a rotting corpse yeah kill on sight makes sense. I just feel there was lost nuance that could have been used as plot points.
The Easter Eggs just seemed like a list of name drops, again like 5E. I was waiting for the daughter to comment on how she'd never need mittens living so close to Mount Hotenow, rebuking the kind gesture. I wanted to spot Elminster or one of the Choosen in a dungeon busy planting magical treasure, seen in a far back doorway that the protagonists missed. I don't think any of the Neverwinter's memorable bridges were depicted? What about the blue fires and twisted reality around where the Chasm was sealed. Also could have been used as a plot point, introduce it early and have the final battle there.
But they were busy adding Dragonborn and Tabaxi, not that I have any issue with them specifically but give me a lot more Elves, Dwarves, and Hin. And what about just casual magic or even faith? What god does the paladin Xenk even follow? You'd think that would come up a bit. Also find it odd that what seems to be a lawful good paladin working with the Harpers. I'm sure one can find instances of this but just seems an odd match.
I could go on and on. It seems the movie is being well recieved, so maybe it just wasn't meant for me. I'll go back to rewatching the LotR of loop in the background. |
The party come to a town befallen by hysteria
Rogue: So what's in the general store?
DM: What are you looking for?
Rogue: Whatevers in the store.
DM: Like what?
Rogue: Everything.
DM: There is a lot of stuff.
Rogue: Is there a cart outside?
DM: (rolls) Yes.
Rogue: We'll take it all, we may need it for the greater good. |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2023 : 18:21:15
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quote:
I guess... It just seemed hollow to me. Sure there were Harpers, and there was a quick flashback with them fighting evil and a beggar tripping someone getting away with a lute. But where is the secret network spying on everyone and everything? Wink to the guy behind the bar, flash a badge, get led through a few back doors into another adjacent building where you sit by a window and watch those chasing after you run by none the wiser. And the Red Wizards had the right garb sure, but are they really attacked on sight? Maybe I'm mistaken but most Thayans that people run into are merchants. Sure if the Red Wizard appears as a rotting corpse yeah kill on sight makes sense. I just feel there was lost nuance that could have been used as plot points.
Isn't the Thayan merchant thing only a 3rd Edition one? I mean, the Thayans got turned into a necrocracy so all of their good will is gone.
Which makes sense because magical merchants is the Zhents thing. |
My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1288 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2023 : 18:34:52
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| I can't argue your points and would've liked to see a lot of that in the movie, but realistically the movie has to appeal to everyone at they went a watered down version of Realms lore - which...not for everyone ironically I get it. I hope the amazing reviews lead to big box office and hopefully more movies that can cater to the niche fans down the road. I live and dream. |
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ElfBane
Learned Scribe
USA
285 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2023 : 22:45:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Just got home from seeing the D&D movie with my son.
Are you talking about Honor Among Thieves? It seems that it's not going to debut until Mar31,2023. How were you able to do that?
changed date to Mar31. |
Edited by - ElfBane on 27 Mar 2023 23:38:47 |
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Azar
Master of Realmslore
1309 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2023 : 23:04:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Gelcur
I guess... It just seemed hollow to me. Sure there were Harpers, and there was a quick flashback with them fighting evil and a beggar tripping someone getting away with a lute. But where is the secret network spying on everyone and everything? Wink to the guy behind the bar, flash a badge, get led through a few back doors into another adjacent building where you sit by a window and watch those chasing after you run by none the wiser. And the Red Wizards had the right garb sure, but are they really attacked on sight? Maybe I'm mistaken but most Thayans that people run into are merchants. Sure if the Red Wizard appears as a rotting corpse yeah kill on sight makes sense. I just feel there was lost nuance that could have been used as plot points.
The Easter Eggs just seemed like a list of name drops, again like 5E. I was waiting for the daughter to comment on how she'd never need mittens living so close to Mount Hotenow, rebuking the kind gesture. I wanted to spot Elminster or one of the Choosen in a dungeon busy planting magical treasure, seen in a far back doorway that the protagonists missed. I don't think any of the Neverwinter's memorable bridges were depicted? What about the blue fires and twisted reality around where the Chasm was sealed. Also could have been used as a plot point, introduce it early and have the final battle there.
But they were busy adding Dragonborn and Tabaxi, not that I have any issue with them specifically but give me a lot more Elves, Dwarves, and Hin. And what about just casual magic or even faith? What god does the paladin Xenk even follow? You'd think that would come up a bit. Also find it odd that what seems to be a lawful good paladin working with the Harpers. I'm sure one can find instances of this but just seems an odd match.
I could go on and on. It seems the movie is being well recieved, so maybe it just wasn't meant for me. I'll go back to rewatching the LotR of loop in the background.
That's what I've been hearing: 5e with a coat of FR paint. The movie will do well because of 5e (of which there are many fans) and because people are easily impressed by references; oh, yeah, the brand-name recognition of the various celebrities also helps. Finally, that godawful Marvel-esque tone is sadly still en vogue, so count that as another factor in its favor.
quote:
Originally posted by Seravin
I can't argue your points and would've liked to see a lot of that in the movie, but realistically the movie has to appeal to everyone at they went a watered down version of Realms lore - which...not for everyone ironically I get it.
Why use the name if you don't intend to live up to said name? Why not play to the setting's strengths and respect the body of work instead of sprinkling in shallow references? Oh, yeah...profit.
quote:
Originally posted by Seravin
I hope the amazing reviews lead to big box office and hopefully more movies that can cater to the niche fans down the road. I live and dream.
Dream, sure. Just don't hold your breath  . One action is far less lethal than the other. |
Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
Earth names in the Realms are more common than you may think. |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2023 : 04:28:19
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quote:
Why use the name if you don't intend to live up to said name? Why not play to the setting's strengths and respect the body of work instead of sprinkling in shallow references? Oh, yeah...profit.
Uh, it's a celebration of Dungeons and Dragons.
Not Forgotten Realms. |
My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2023 : 05:26:20
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Maybe it's just me, but I judge movies the same way I judge books: I judge them for what they are, not what I want them to be and certainly not for what they never claimed to be.
I didn't go into this expecting a Forgotten Realms movie, I went in expected a D&D movie -- I looked at the title of the movie. And I enjoyed it for what it was.
Also, while them using Mordenkainen's name wasn't anticipated, given that there are numerous spells with his name on them in the game, *AND* that we have spells in the Realms named for their Greyhawk creators, I didn't see it as a big deal. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore
1425 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2023 : 06:36:26
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| I always take the Forgotten Realms to have significant planar crossover and visitation from other Prime Material worlds. It may have been downplayed in later editions but I always liked that element of FR. |
My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Master Katarn
Acolyte
30 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2023 : 17:42:36
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quote:
Originally posted by ElfBane
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Just got home from seeing the D&D movie with my son.
Are you talking about Honor Among Thieves? It seems that it's not going to debut until Mar31,2023. How were you able to do that?
changed date to Mar31.
I saw it at an Amazon Prime subscriber exclusive preview on March 19 in America. I saw there was also another advance screening circa March 26, at least in America (don't know the details as I already saw the movie on March 19).
In America at least, this movie is basically shown early to people if they really really want to see it (i.e. subscribe to Amazon Prime just to get the early screening). Certainly they're not shy about showing this movie and letting spoilers leak unlike say, the sheer amount of secrecy around the upcoming Mario movie. |
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Dungeons & Dragons movie in the Forgotten Realms!
