from what i have hear about the first film and i be good off skip it and watch the second . when the opportunity arise to do that and i decide to seize it since i have a couple of hour that i could waste . i can not compare it to the first in the series and but a a dungeon and dragon player since the 80 and a great fan of fantasy and i can analyse it on it own merit . the first thing and the main thing that impress me be the inclusion of several aspect from the actual game . i really like the little touch of detail . spell and item and monster and more be all here . it be really wonderful to see all these bring to life . the second be that it really do have a very distinctly dungeon and dragon feel to it and rather than just any fantasy film . there be an eye to thing that fan and player would know and and that make it distinctly identifiable and which be nice while so often filmmaker and especially hollywood and be notorious for tack on an inapplicable brand name to a barely identifiable film tie in . unfortunately and despite all these thing and make it dungeon and dragon doesn not necessarily make it good dungeon and dragon . the film be a rather bitter and unhappy affair and and i find myself often really bring down by it miserable tone throughout . it be comparable to take your character to a session run by a stranger and who have buy a module at a rummage sale somewhere and want to inflict it upon you while he doesn not really know very well how to run the game and try as hard a he can to destroy you all and to give himself some sort of sadistic pleasure . afterwards and unhappy with the experience and you take your character and file him away and to be bring around for another campaign run and instead and by someone you know and trust . which may not happen for year . and at that point you conveniently omit that one odd session out and because it be that unenjoyable . and that essentially what this film be represent a bad module run by a nasty and childish sadist of a dungeonmaster . the story be relentlessly depressing and poorly handle in every such aspect and and it additionally function to make virtually all of the character difficult to sympathise with or even care about . the leader be completely bland and although his love melora be the high point of the film ( and and predictably and the most tormented ) . the elf mage be interest but underused and the female barbarian be there solely for eye candy ( though she do a pretty good job with her lack part ) and and the cleric be there because someone apparently think cleric be useless . all of u who know otherwise send up a collective groan at the treatment of this one . the rogue be a good actor and but his part be similarly inane and the character completely unlikable . he also end up underused in the part that could have show his strength and and overuse in part where he be completely superfluous . the villain be utterly forgettable unfortunately and although the monster effect be quite memorable indeed . i really do enjoy the dragon and so forth and especially the ultimate confrontation . really exciting and really well do . it just a pity that the rest have to be endure to get there . this be the kind of story that you hear from people who decide to try the game once and get some garbage like this throw at them and and end up quitting and never again go near a tabletop game . it sad and but it amaze what an inept dungeonmaster can do for someone enthusiasm . that essentially what happen here . and while the detail be nice for a while and there be time when they be just useless and frustrating . we have a drow throwaway joke and but where be any actual drow . we have a necropolis ( cleverly masquerade a a sylvan glen ) complete with a lich and but what real purpose do it serve . and so on . if there have be more of a heroic and pleasant fantasy tone rather than a by the number destroy em all gauntlet tone and it would have be much more satisfying . a it be and it give the impression of endure the film and rather than enjoy it . there be some pleasant part and some nice aspect and some talented people try to do their best with lacking part and ludicrous circumstance and but the tale itself be all too unpleasant . and a any player of dungeon and dragon know and the story be everything . it wasn not a complete loss . it not totally a horror . but it be by no mean a fantastic film and unfortunately for those who put so much energy into it . hopefully if they do a third one and they will go for a good situation and different villain and as well a a less depressing and unhappy and and just plain unpleasant story . and for pity sake and somebody tell the dm that nobody like to play game with someone try hard to get them kill .