I was delightfully surprised by Paramount Pictures Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Things, but if I had known that John Francis Daley was involved, I wouldn’t have been. Daley has been a delight since I came across him in Freaks and Geeks, and whether in front of or behind the camera, he’s always fantastic (check out his performance in 5-25-77). He and his writing partner Jonathan Goldstein have a number of solid credits to their name settled into their director’s chairs and delivered a film that feels like a grand adventure with lots of laughs. It’s a winner all around.

Boasting a fantastic cast led by Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez, the story follows a group of thieves (though they aren’t necessarily bad guys) as they go on a quest that starts initially as a rescue of Edgin’s (Pine) daughter, Keira (Chloe Coleman) and finds themselves going up against someone who betrayed them, Forge (Hugh Grant).

Edgin, Holga (Rodriguez), Simon (Justice Smith), Doric (Sophia Lillis) and Xenk (Rege-Jean Page) were working on recovering a tablet that Edgin hoped would return his late wife to life when they were trapped and betrayed and Edgin and Holga ended up in prison.

After an escape, a new campaign begins and we are introduced to the world as players of the game would be, and the film follows the adventure through its perils, laughs and resolutions.

It’s damned fun.

There are lots of laugh-out-loud moments, great visual effects, and wonderful nods throughout to the gaming world on which it is based in (both general and deep cuts – I got some (the great nod to the 80s cartoon), but I’m sure that there are dozens that devout fans caught). It’s a wonderfully well-crafted film and is a great reminder that a movie and a movie-going experience can be just fun.

Hitting 4K today from Paramount Canada, Dungeons & Dragons this one is just a joy to watch in your home theatre, the picture and sound are both top of the game, the image is sharp, clear and the sound rocks.

The 4K disc also comes backed with some great extras, there’s a featurette that takes us behind-the-scenes about how the cast and crew came together and got to know each other with a game of D&D, a look at the heroes of the film, their characters, the actors who brought them to life. We get a look at the baddies as well, and a fascinating look at the creatures made for the film and how the film itself combined the best of practical and computer-generated effects (this is my favourite of the extras I could have watched a feature-length doc on the effects).

There is a look at where the film was shot, grounding the film in reality, and how the sets were designed and where the influences for them came from. And what would a film with all manner of weapons be without a look at the weapons of the film? Finally, there are some extended and deleted scenes and a fun gag reel.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is just so much fun, it’s a romp with a solid emotional core. Check it out on 4K today from Paramount Pictures.