Netflix has released a new original fantasy film, “Damsel,” starring Millie Bobby Brown in a daring role. The story sets the scene with Elodi, who has found out that in order to support her village, she must marry into a wealthy royalty trade. Traveling across the sea, Elodi and her family arrive at a marvelous castle, making her village look minute. Her soon-to-be husband, Prince Henry, takes Elodi by surprise, making her feel more secure in the fast-paced marriage. The next day she walks down the aisle with confidence feeling assured in her decision of commitment. Before anything is official, Elodi must complete a ritual to become royal of blood, slicing her palm to meet Henry’s. After the task, sitting securely in the arms of her new husband, Elodi is suddenly blindsided, being thrown to her doom, plummeting to the depths of a deep dark cave.
This review of “Damsel” will contain spoilers ahead. If you want to watch the movie for yourself I would advise turning away now and coming back to see if you agree or disagree with my opinions.
The first half hour of the film was thoroughly enjoyable. There’s a clear story that intrigues the audience with curiosity, showing the antagonist, a ruthless mother dragon, burning the previous ancestors of the royal family after murdering her offspring before hatching. There was a nice set up of plot; it was clear what we were going to be seeing later in the movie. The contrast between Elodi’s village, filled with dull coldness and snow, compared to the castle, full with spring flowers of color and light, is something worth noting. It deceived the audience, almost like a distraction of what truly sits beneath the surface.
When she is first introduced to this maze of stone, a fine job is done with obstacles. One scene that was memorable involved Elodi being strung upside down, stuck, unable to move. The only light source she had dangling from a chain on her wrist. Another scene that I actually rewound just to see again, is when Elodi spontaneously jumps over a cliff to get to another side of a cave. This was one of the best scenes in the movie; the audience saw her struggling but fighting to get up the side of this clip.
My biggest pet peeve about “Damsel” was how long Elodi was in the cave. The setting of this cave wasn’t anything you would be in awe of. It would have been better of the set team or CGI team to incorporate different terrains throughout so viewers wouldn’t get bored of the same rock wall. The only set differences that were seen was a blue illuminated cavern filled with caterpillars, and a wall crafted with crystals Elodi used to climb.
Fighting a dragon is a massive problem, which is why it would have been interesting to see Elodi find a friend along the way. This reminded me of the 1980s classic “Labyrinth,” where Sarah finds people to help her in her mission to save her brother along the way. The closest connection that Elodi had to anything living was the healing caterpillars. Having another character element inside the cave could have helped some character growth as well.
Even though it’s a fantasy movie, and when watching it the viewers know it’s a fantasy, the vibe was lacking anything truly fantastical. To capture that energy there could have been a lot of things incorporated, like other species of characters, a whimsical soundtrack, and less harsh CGI techniques. Although the makeup they used on Elodi was gorgeous, it was almost a little too bold for the time period. By the end of the movie her dress is disheveled, her hair is chopped, her body is covered in wounds and dirt, yet her makeup is perfectly intact. The transition in her appearance could have been more intense if she looked completely disheveled from head to toe. A film that changed a character’s appearance from beginning to end really well is Grace in “Ready or Not.” She starts the film as a beautiful bride, and ends the film with a ripped dress covered head to toe in blood.
“Damsel” deserves a 2.5 out of 5 stars. There was potential for a great film that was visibly there. The lack of creativity in the script and dull moments nearly overshadowed the entire movie. It takes more than an empowering female lead to make something good. Millie Bobby Brown did a good job with what she was given, and I hope people still enjoy “Damsel” despite some of the noticeable flaws.
