Damsel – Netflix Review (3/5)

DAMSEL on Netflix is a new fantasy action adventure movie starring Stranger Things‘s Millie Bobby Brown in the title role. The setting is a classic fairytale complete with a dragon, but the plot differs. Read our full Damsel movie review here!

DAMSEL is a new Netflix fantasy action-adventure movie with a female protagonist. Appropriately released on International Women’s Day. This particular female is portrayed by Millie Bobby Brown who became famous for playing “Eleven” in Stranger Things.

While her methods and weapons differ in this Netflix movie, Millie Bobby Brown still saves the day. Or rather, she’s saving her own life – as well as the future of many others – as she goes head-to-head with a dragon. The runtime of 1 hour and 48 minutes is a tad long, but overall I was well-entertained.

Continue reading our Damsel movie review below. Find it on Netflix on March 8, 2024.

From dainty to tough – mostly!

Admittedly, the poster (and a few scenes) gave me brutal flashbacks to The Lair and even The Reckoning as I am not a fan of the dainty make-up on the title character. Fortunately, this is the kind of movie that can get away with being dainty as it is very much a fantasy adventure and not a horror movie.

Having said that, there are very brutal scenes where the dragon slays those who try to battle her. So don’t let the young ones watch this Netflix movie alone. Also, I should mention that the dragon is voiced absolutely perfectly by Shohreh Aghdashloo (Renfield). With that voice, how could she not play a dragon?!

After beginning with a rather deadly scene, Damsel goes on to be a fairly classic fairytale for the next half hour or so. Then it all changes again as a princess (Millie Bobby Brown) goes from newlywed heading to a “happily ever after” to being sacrificed to a dragon by her Prince Charming.

For the record, his name is Henry and he’s portrayed by Nick Robinson (Shadow in the Cloud).

From Princess Bride to Wicked Queen

Actually, Nick Robinson’s “Prince Henry” in Damsel isn’t one of great importance as he is simply a means to an end: Paying a debt to the dragon. The real force of that particular kingdom is portrayed by Robin Wright who has gone from portraying The Princess Bride to being the Wicked Queen.

Or rather she’s “just” doing what her royal ancestors have been doing for centuries. Supposedly to keep everyone safe from the dragon, but we’ll learn this is all built on a lie. So while Queen Isabelle’s (Robin Wright) actions are cruel, they come from a place of love. Love of her own people and kingdom.

To be fair, it’s that very same love that causes the Damsel, Elodie (Millie Bobby Brown), to be sacrificed by her own father (Ray Winstone). Her stepmother, who is portrayed by powerhouse Angela Bassett, is the one who tries to stop the wedding.

In fact, she takes action as soon as she learns of the consequences for her beloved stepdaughter. There’s no cruel stepmother in this fairytale. And both men and women can be weak and strong in different ways.

Watch Damsel on Netflix now!

The director of Damsel is Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later) while the screenplay comes from Dan Mazeau (Wrath of the Titans). I cannot help but think that a female writer or director would’ve been good. There are moments I could’ve happily done without in a movie this strong on female protagonists.

When you watch Damsel, you will both need to forget all the classic rules of fairytales and accept that the setting is exactly like all fairytales. Princesses are pretty and the lipgloss will be on point, even as blood and dirt become part of the outfit. Look, it’s a fairytale, I can live with it. But I don’t like it.

Millie Bobby Brown is great as the Damsel to save herself rather than wait for her Prince Charming. Which is a damn good thing, as he would never save her anyway. This story is all about the princess and the dragon, but even more so, it’s about all the princesses that came before Millie Bobby Brown’s “Elodie”.

Also, I loved the design of the dragon as a true fable creature. With gold laminated into her skin, the dragon has the shape of a werewolf as the four legs are of a strangely human-looking nature. Oh, and wings as well as a lava-like fire threatening to demolish everything in her path.

Damsel is on Netflix from March 8, 2024 [International Women’s Day].

Details

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Writer: Dan Mazeau
Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Robin Wright, Angela Bassett, Nick Robinson, Brooke Carter, Ray Winstone, Shohreh Aghdashloo