Banner image: Millie Bobby Brown in Damsel. Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.
After rising to international fame in her role as Eleven in Netflix’s Stranger Things, Millie Bobby Brown has been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards and become the youngest person to feature on the TIME100 list of most influential people. In her latest project, Damsel, we see Brown transform into Elodie, a heroic action hero who must survive against all odds.
Oscar-nominated director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s (28 Weeks Later, Intacto) dark fantasy follows Elodie, the princess of a poor kingdom who’s set to marry the wealthy Prince Henry (Nick Robinson) of Aurea. The film’s early scenes feel very glossy and present the typical fairy tale trope of a dreamy royal wedding.
However, once Elodie arrives in Aurea, it’s clear something unsettling is lurking beneath the surface… Things take a sinister turn after the wedding, where, in a sudden twist, Prince Henry throws Elodie into a deep pit to fulfil a centuries-old sacrifice. Shiny fairy tale ideals are exchanged for a dark battle for survival as Elodie fights to escape the fire-breathing dragon that dwells in the depths – hell-bent on killing her.
Written by Dan Mazeau (Fast X, Wrath of the Titans) as a modern take on a traditional story, Damsel flips the conventional narrative of a heroic knight saving a damsel in distress on its head. As Prince Henry throws Elodie into the dark chasm below with gusto, we can see he’s definitely not our hero.
In an interview with Netflix Tudum, Brown describes the way the film subverts expectations, describing Elodie as “a damsel who doesn’t need to be saved.” She continues, “You’re expecting the prince to turn around and save her, and…no. Don’t wait for the prince.”
Millie Bobby Brown as Elodie and Nick Robinson as Prince Henry in Damsel. Cr. John Wilson/Netflix ©2024.
Brown’s a convincing hero in a role she seems comfortable with and gives a solid performance throughout. Elodie’s determination to survive is clear, and her strength and ingenuity are compelling. Despite playing a character who lacks any real growth or development, Brown single-handedly keeps us engaged and rooting for her as the underdog. You feel confident in her as an actress, even if the role itself is somewhat two-dimensional.
As Elodie is alone in the pit, most of the film sees Brown performing by herself. She describes how, “It was a huge challenge for me to not have somebody to work against.” And, while she carries this pressure well, at times it can feel rather contrived to hear Elodie asking herself questions aloud.
Perhaps unexpectedly in a survival film (though less so in a fantasy), Brown looks stylish throughout. We see her gold wedding gown become increasingly shredded as Elodie transforms from a princess into a warrior. While she acquires dirt, cuts, and bruises, her makeup remains intact and, in true movie magic, we see Elodie hack off her long locks into a somehow perfect bob. Is her outward transformation meant to compensate for a lack of character development?
Millie Bobby Brown in Damsel. Cr. John Wilson/Netflix © 2024.
There are also some notably unrealistic elements throughout the film that take you out of the story. For example, countless conveniently lucky near misses with the dragon, and some definite plot holes too… How does Elodie survive the drop? Why does the Aurea royal family bother with a wedding instead of going straight for the sacrifice?
These aside, the storyline is largely predictable, following the typical direction of most survival movies and relying on fairy tale tropes used time and again. Watching Elodie scramble around a cave by herself can get repetitive too – expect lots of screaming and running.
Having said that, Damsel is still engaging and actually quite stressful to watch at times, even though you assume a fairy tale ‘happily ever after’ is coming. With so many near-misses, you find yourself rooting for Elodie to run just that bit faster, or climb that bit higher to dodge the dragon’s fire.
Millie Bobby Brown in Damsel. Cr. John Wilson/Netflix © 2024.
The dragon herself is fairly impressive. While clearly CGI, she’s less offensive than many technologically generated creatures are and is pretty terrifying at times. Oscar-nominated actress Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog, The Expanse) does a brilliant job voicing the dragon and delivers a creepy and vengeful performance.
Otherwise, the supporting characters are relatively shallow and bland. They come across more as tools to propel Elodie’s story forward, rather than interesting in their own right. Robin Wright (Forrest Gump, House of Cards) makes a cruel and duty-bound Queen Isabelle and Nick Robinson (Love, Simon; Jurassic World) portrays a compliant yet charming, Prince Henry.
The film also stars Angela Bassett (Black Panther, Strange Days) as Lady Bayford, who attempts to redefine the ‘evil stepmother’ character that we usually love to hate, though is largely forgettable in this role.
Some fantasy lovers have compared Elodie to Daenerys Targaryen, however, Damsel is certainly no substitute to fill the Game of Thrones void. In fact, this film is perhaps better suited to younger viewers or families. Brown herself hopes elements of the film can “help a younger audience…navigate their life.”
All in all, Damsel is a very watchable adventure where we’re (quite literally!) thrown into the realm of fantasy and survival. Though predictable and lacking depth, it’s entertaining. You know what you’re signing up for from the outset – it’s pretty much what you’d expect from a film about a princess and a CGI, talking dragon.
Damsel is now streaming on Netflix.
Are you planning to watch Damsel? Or have you seen it? If so, let us know what you think in the comments below.