With a new Game of Thrones. And yet, the fact that they bear the Dungeons and Dragons name makes them worthy of consideration, if only as a curiosity.
Dungeons & Dragons: All Alignments Explained
Despite the game's influence on popular culture, only three live-action movies to date have been made with the Dungeons and Dragons name officially attached to them. These three movies vary wildly in of story, budget, and how well they make use of the trappings of the original game. Yet they also stand as proof of the old adage that sometimes less is more, and that you don't need the flashy props or high production values of a Matthew Mercer gaming session to tell a good story or have a good time.
3. Dungeons & Dragons (2000)
The Empire of Izmer has long been ruled by an elite caste of mages and nobles. Empress Savina (Thora Birch) has envisioned a new way and a government based on equality, but the evil mage Profion (Jeremy Irons) schemes to overthrow her and establish himself as the sole power in Izmer, using a scepter that will allow him to control the realm's gold dragons. To stop him, the Empress must find the Rod of Savrill; a magical device that commands a similar power over red dragons. Taking up this quest is an unlikely crew made up of the Empress' loyal Elven tracker, Norda, an apprentice mage named Marina, the Dwarven mercenary Elwood and two hapless thieves, Snails and Ridley.
The end result of a troubled production that spanned the better part of a decade, Dungeons & Dragons has a reputation for being one of the worst Hollywood blockbusters ever made - and it is a reputation that is well deserved. The CGI looked dated even for its day and the film itself was awash with continuity errors, visible stunt wires, and recycled footage. Perhaps most vexingly, at least to Dungeons and Dragons players, its generic storyline and setting had nothing to do with any of the worlds or dimensions making up the Dungeons and Dragons cosmology. Indeed, some elements of the movie's lore blatantly contradicted the game, such as the idea that red dragons were more powerful than gold dragons.
It is the acting in Dungeons & Dragons, however, that has made the film a favorite with those Tom Baker in his brief cameo as the Elven king Halvarth. Most of them, however, do not, and there is considerable debate as to which is more painful to endure; the overacting of Jeremy Irons or the underacting of Thora Birch, who seemed to be sedated for all of her scenes as Empress Savina.
Stranger Things 2's Dungeons & Dragons References Explained
2. Dungeons & Dragons: The Book of Vile Darkness (2012)
The Book of Vile Darkness was an infamous tome of forbidden lore, said to be so evil that it could forever corrupt the soul of any goodly person who chanced to read it and increase the power of those who worshipped evil's might. The Knights of the New Sun, an order sworn to serve the god of light and agriculture, Pelor, were said to have destroyed the forsaken tome over two thousand years ago. Unfortunately, the Knights have grown lax in their duty over the past millennia and forgotten that which is ruined can also be remade - a concept which is familiar to any Dungeons and Dragons player who has lost one of their characters.
Now, the Knights of the New Sun are no more, killed or imprisoned by a group of evil adventurers who seek to find the missing pieces of the Book of Vile Darkness and rebind it. The world's only hope lies with aspiring paladin Grayson (Jack Derges) who is the son of the Knights of the New Sun's commander. Posing as a common mercenary, Grayson boldly s the evil party in the hopes of finding a way to thwart their plans, save his father and prove his worth, but will Grayson be able to maintain his vows and save the world?
Dungeons & Dragons: The Book Of Vile Darkness is notable for defying the usual clichés of fantasy adventure. While the movie is centered around Grayson and his hero's journey, there's just as much focus on his evil associates. The hero is also tested less by outside events and physical combat than he is by his moral code, and the need to maintain his cover among his evil allies. This proves an interesting change of pace, as Grayson's using deception while working for a nominal greater good clashes with the strictures of his knightly order. The movie also shows the flip-side of this conflict when the shadow-weaver Akordia (Eleanor Gecks) begins falling in love with Grayson, despite her own dark magics demanding she avoids such tender feelings.
This complex characterization and examination of alignment conflicts, coupled with the use of unique monsters, deities and class features from Dungeons and Dragons film.
1. Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God (2005)
Cursed with undeath by his master for his failure, the evil mage Damodar (Bruce Payne) has restored himself with the power of the Orb of Falazure. Now, 100 years after the defeat of Profion, Damodar seeks to awaken the dragon god of decay, who has been trapped in magical slumber under the Empire of Izmer for millennia. As the Council of Mages gather their strength to repel Damodar and his invading armies, a small party of the realm's most powerful adventurers, led by retired knight Sir Berek (Mark Dymond), go off to retrieve the one ancient artifact that may yet stop Damodar from securing his revenge and succeeding where his master failed.
Despite a lack of big-name actors and being produced as a TV movie, Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God does the best job of all the various Dungeons and Dragons movies of capturing the feeling of a well-run campaign. Most of the movie focuses on a party consisting of the classic line-up of one fighter (the barbarian Lux), an Elven spellcaster, a priest of the nature god Obad-Hai and a rogue, in addition to Sir Berek. The characters are engaging and the ensemble plays off of one another well. There are also a number of subtle nods to the lore of the game and the Greyhawk setting, as well as a quick explanation on the differences between arcane and divine magic.
