A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt.
Chuck says:
If Millie Bobby Brown has anything to say about it, she will be a force in the movie industry for years to come. Building upon her success from Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” she formed her own production company, PCMA, at the age of 16, delivering “Enola Holmes” and its sequel to the streamer. Her latest, “Damsel,” is an ambitious medieval adventure that turns genre conventions on their head. You won’t find any knights in shining armor or charming princes here. This is a story of female-empowerment from beginning to end and serves as yet another impressive calling card for the young actress.
While the film at times has a fairy tale look to it, nothing could be further from the truth. The kingdom where Princess Elodie (Brown) resides is dying. Crops have failed and famine is sweeping the land. In an act of desperation, her father King Bayford (Ray Winstone) brokers a deal with the monarchy of Oria. Queen Isabelle and King Roderick (Robin Wright and Milo Twomey) are intent on marrying off their son, Prince Henry (Nick Robinson) and eager to form alliances that may benefit them politically in the future. Bayford makes some overtures, missives are sent back and forth and before you know it, he, his wife (Angela Bassett), and younger daughter (Brooke Carter) are accompanying Elodie, to give her away in marriage.
Obviously, the Bayfords never heard the warning about things being too good to be true. Upon arriving in Oria, they find themselves awash in splendor, wined, dined, and feted, all seeming right with the world. However, there is a hitch. After the ceremony, Elodie is carted to a massive pit where she’s thrown in as a sacrifice to a dragon. It’s a small detail…
What ensues is a rousing, and at times, clever adventure that finds our heroine careening through a complex warren of caverns, trying to avoid a dragon (voice by Shohreh Aghdashloo) intent on making our erstwhile princess her next meal. Director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo does a fine job choregraphing the many action scenes, and wastes little time tripping from one to the next. This is a wise approach as it distracts the viewer from the script’s flaws. (About that map on the wall…)
Though there are some plot holes, Dan Mazeu’s screenplay contains complex characters the cast can sink their teeth into. There are more than a few surprises where motivations of the key players, scaled and skinned, are concerned. What emerges is a rise to power of those who have been marginalized, as they come to see the only road to salvation is through self-actualization and extreme action.
There’s a conviction to Brown’s approach that’s appealing. Though only 20 years old, she has a command of the screen that’s impressive and projects a sense of strength and tenacity that’s compelling. Her transformation from princess to warrior is believable, her Elodie cut from the same cloth as Katniss Everdene. Whether sequels are in the offing – and that door is left open – remains to be seen. Thanks to the skill with which “Damsel is executed, that prospect does not fill me with dread.
3 Stars
