Earlier quoted context omitted.
I saw it on an airplane. It was technically OK, but not really LOTR level, mainly because of its story being somewhat of a comedy. It was basically a marvel superhero film with misfit D&D adventures, and I’m a bit tired of the formula.
The formula was familiar, but I thought the writing was quality enough that it didn’t feel as forced or as cringeworthy as a lot of recent Marvel media. The humor somehow fit the fantasy conceits well, and the meta conventions of a D&D campaign (DM-controlled NPC paragon, characters misusing overpowered artifacts, etc.). Felt like they nailed the execution with this one.
One of the things I really appreciated about this movie, which felt different from blockbuster superhero movies, was how they handled visual spectacle. There was a great deal of it, but it never felt chaotic or cacophonous. For example the scene where the druid has to escape the castle while being pelted with arrows. It felt very easy to follow everything happening on screen, which made the action feel tasteful, fluid, and more like art than noise. I certainly wasn't expecting that.