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Post by geneweigel on Jul 21, 2022 22:39:44 GMT -5
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Post by GRWelsh on Jul 22, 2022 8:05:59 GMT -5
I was not impressed with this trailer at all, but I will take a cautiously optimistic attitude. It looks like they are going for a "Guardians of the Galaxy" vibe but not doing it as well. If they pull it off, a light tone probably best simulates most actual D&D sessions... A positive is that there are recognizable D&D monsters like the owlbear, displacer beast, mimic, etc. I do like the theme of the party being a bunch of thieves who "screwed up the campaign" and are now trying to fix it. We'll see...
On the updside, Gene -- you should score some cool toys out of the merchandising!
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Post by Erik Larson on Jul 24, 2022 12:45:39 GMT -5
I am wondering if we'll get to see a character killed early on, only to see the same actor play a different character later.
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Post by geneweigel on Jul 24, 2022 16:34:33 GMT -5
On the updside, Gene -- you should score some cool toys out of the merchandising! I'm off the toy wagon. I tell people that loudly now. Its like they buy it for themselves and then purge it on me. What I threw out 5 years ago would make a toy collector instantly die of shock. |
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Post by GRWelsh on Jan 1, 2023 18:49:37 GMT -5
Some of the players in my gaming group are excited about this trailer. I'm just not feeling it. Maybe it is the lead role played by Chris Pine who was Captain Kirk in the STAR TREK that is throwing me off. But moreso I'm getting a whiff of amateurish writing associated with bad fantasy, and worse -- some hints of superficial familiarity with the game we all love. Come on guys, get a script writer or consultant who actually plays D&D for a D&D movie! How hard is that? Honestly, I think the best D&D movies have already been made such as THE GAMERS (2002), THE GAMERS: DORKNESS RISING (2008), and YOUR HIGHNESS (2011); or if you want to go back further... MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (1975) which may be the most quinessential D&D movie of all time! Why? Because comedies capture the spirit of how most games play out with players refusing to be serious no matter how epic or horrible or high stakes the scenario may be... To me, that is the essence of D&D... the laughter and joking that goes on in games where the players actually like being together.
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Post by geneweigel on Jan 2, 2023 11:09:11 GMT -5
I just watched a 2022 retrospective review and it seems sci-fi fantasy is on the slide in general: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtYtcqSlOcQI didn't see everything mentioned but if told me 30 years ago that the majority of these mentioned were being made into shows and movies I would have been there with bells on. I'm not feeling the D&D in this film to be honest. There is a certain type of person that has to go to the movie and does not like to be "spoiled" even with an air tight spoiler-free warning. Cough! <<<Taylor>>> Cough!  I feel that if you give them any money by seeing it then it always becomes their reason that it was a success instead of your reason for going. Then they repeat mistakes over and over. |
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Post by GRWelsh on Jan 2, 2023 14:32:21 GMT -5
A lot of critiques I see online amount to "it's woke so it sucks" which I think is overly simplistic. It's the bad writing, not the alleged 'wokeness,' that I object to. I don't mind a good, strong female lead but they don't need to make all the male characters in the story by comparison weak or evil to establish that. Just as with a male lead a female lead should have flaws or obstacles to overcome -- a character arc. For example, Ripley in the ALIEN franchise is a great character that everyone loves, because she is not only acted well by Sigourney Weaver, she is written well and has flaws and obstacles and isn't just effortlessly great. And there is nothing bad about diversity but it should be implemented in a logical way within the rules of that fictional world so as not to distract one's suspension of disbelief.
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Post by geneweigel on Jan 2, 2023 15:02:49 GMT -5
Yeah, think of it as there is no more good S&S fiction so how are they going to make a new S&S fiction as movie?
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Post by GRWelsh on Jan 2, 2023 16:09:32 GMT -5
Leaning into the comedy genre is a smart move, but my concern is just that it won't actually be funny -- due to bad writing -- and will come off as GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY knock off ("Look guys, we're doing it the Marvel Way!") like the THE SUICIDE SQUAD (2021) [second movie]. But if you want to do a D&D movie, comedy is the right way to go if you're trying to get across the game experience. I'm just worried it's going to be too derivative of other things and not self-aware about the actual game.
The other direction to go would be to adapt classic S&S like the Conan movies from the 1980's -- maybe for a property like Elric, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, or even a lesser known one like Kothar or Kyric -- but it's hard to imagine Hollywood doing it right if serious. I can't imagine them being brave enough to make it gritty and authentic to the swords & sorcery genre. That is what I used to think a D&D movie should be -- an authentic adaptation of source material that inspired it... You know, for all of the people who don't read!
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Post by GRWelsh on Jan 3, 2023 8:56:55 GMT -5
I read that it's set in the Forgotten Realms. That's a plus over a generic fantasy setting created just for the movie.
My prediction is mediocre plot and writing but lots of fan service. The more I study the trailer, it looks like they're taking details from the actual game in regards to monsters, spells, magic items, etc. which are all positives. The black dragon breathing acid is cool. The mimic looks good. Escaping a displacer beast by jumping into a gelatinous cube seems suicidal, though!
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Post by geneweigel on Jan 3, 2023 9:28:49 GMT -5
In the 80's, I was plugged in to all the movie mags and I recall "Elric" and "Fafhrd" being peddled around Hollywood. Here is something interesting about the original unmade D&D movie that just popped into my mind. I recently saw a link where they were talking about fantasy movies in a CONAN DESTROYER (1984) thread over at Knights and Knaves Alehouse: knights-n-knaves.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17801&p=301114&hilit=black+angel#p301114Apparently, the entire "soul" of this 1980 short film BLACK ANGEL was coopted by John Boorman for his 1981 film EXCALIBUR. This left me speechless because I had the John Boorman conversation with Gary about him doing the D&D movie then backing out. That explains everything if you consider how THE EMERALD FOREST (1985) was not very satisfying to that "must-see" feel of Excalibur. In regards to the details of the new movie. Its hard after I watched the direct to DVD sequels to the 2000 D&D movie to get me to trust anything "D&D". |
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Post by geneweigel on Jan 3, 2023 10:02:55 GMT -5
I've been on Twitter since its been freed up and people can actually see other people without algorithms and the D&D mentality is pretty warped along the Pokemon lines for instance with bugbears being sexualized cutie pies to be sort of a male version of the elf bimbo. D&D party imagery has glam "succubi" and glam "werewolves" as part of the standard party to appeal to a more low grade romantic socialization. I almost feel that this D&D they want to coincide with graduating from playing with Barbie dolls. I kinda feel the movie might be reaching for this.
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Post by GRWelsh on Jan 3, 2023 10:28:30 GMT -5
Technically, this is "DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 4" although a reboot since it is set in a different world than the original trilogy. I was worried they were going to lean more into the new character trends such as with dragonborn and the like, but I am relieved to see that the characters all look human and even the tiefling has her diabolic features limited to small horns and a tail. It could be worse!
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Post by GRWelsh on Apr 1, 2023 8:31:24 GMT -5
I saw this last night with my gaming group and I loved it! Some of us met for dinner at Shanghai Tokyo to get sushi and Chinese food first, and then we went to the theater. A few of my players bought the giant plastic twenty-sided dice which are the promotional items being sold at AMC theaters ($35 for the die with a large popcorn). The movie wasn't perfect but I can overlook flaws since it was overall very entertaining and what I'm generally looking for in a D&D movie: escapist fun. The core story was about a man trying to get his family back, but all of the characters had back stories and motivations and arcs... That's good writing. I would say Chris Pine and Hugh Grant carried the movie and the rest of the cast was acceptable. The special effects were good enough. I can accept them changing lore, rules and the way magic works if the story is decent... It was odd to hear them mention Mordenkainen when this movie is set in the Forgotten Realms! That is probably an error, but perhaps not as it could be based on "The Wizards Three" articles by Ed Greenwood which assumed some interaction between alternate Prime Material Planes. I kind of liked it since that was EGG's signature character and so it was a way to get him in there as a cameo. Elminster's name was also dropped, although he didn't appear. This movie was chock full of easter eggs and little details so it will be worth watching again just to try to catch them all... Some are in there for the older fans!
P. S. The original trailer implied a plot that didn't actually occur, so that was some well done misdirection!
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Post by Scott on Apr 1, 2023 13:30:31 GMT -5
I am in Canton at the Hall of Fame for a soccer game, but the rest of my group is going to see it today. Next week maybe.
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Post by geneweigel on Apr 3, 2023 9:54:49 GMT -5
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Post by GRWelsh on Apr 3, 2023 16:54:40 GMT -5
I'd say the proper mindset is to view it as "Forgotten Realms parody," or like a MAD Magazine version of D&D. It isn't true to the lore or the rules and a lot of it is simply played up for the gags, but for the most part the gags work! Like speak with the dead, the obese dragon, the intellect devourers, etc. I thought it captured the spirit of the gaming table with players never taking the game too seriously and making jokes out of everything and coming up with preposterous plans... I mean, that's the D&D experience at my house.
The way they used the Hither-Thither Staff was totally like a D&D game with players trying to be creative but things still going wrong.
You had a good point about the anti-treasure sentiment which is counter to the “seeking wealth and glory” theme of classic D&D.
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Post by Erik Larson on Apr 28, 2023 10:52:25 GMT -5
A piece of Anec-data: A member of our Saturday Game Night group who had never played before in her life suddenly wants to get a game going after having seen the film with her boyfriend.
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