Damsel movie review: Millie Bobby Brown-starrer could be described as ordinary at best

There are too many stereotypical characters and the reasons voiced are too juvenile

You would have heard about a damsel in distress and a prince or a knight swooping in to save the day. This is not that kind of a story. This is not that kind of a fantasy film.

Kudos to Netflix to try something out of the ordinary on the occasion of Women’s Day. Throw in a dragon and on paper, you have a near perfect success story. Having said so, director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo squanders an opportunity with Millie Bobby Brown. Brown too is no novice to fantasy nor is she to Netflix (Stranger Things and Enola Holmes).

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King of Aurea leads an unsuccessful attack on a dragon. Fast forward a few centuries – Elodie (Millie Bobby Brown), the eldest daughter of Lord Bayford (Ray Winstone), receives a proposal from Queen Isabelle (Robin Wright) of Aurea to marry Prince Henry (Nick Robinson). Elodie’s stepmother Lady Bayford (Angela Bassett) is uncomfortable with the alliance. Post the fairy tale wedding, she is “sacrificed” to the dragon. She realizes she needs all her wits and street smartness to survive and outmanoeuvre the dragon.

One thing that works in favour of the movie is the 110-minute duration. There are moments in the movie that are reminiscent of your regular fairy tale. Especially scenes involving Elodie and Harry. Contrary to norms of the stepmother in a fairy tale, it is good to see Lady Bayford’s character. Surprisingly, Angela Bassett has very little to do. There are moments that bring out a wow – the bioluminescent organisms that heal and the climax fight scene involving the dragon.

What questions the credibility of the script are scenes where the dragon taunts Elodie and the chase scenes. This is where the wings are clipped and there is no free flight. The CGI pales and the script loses steam faster than the speed of the dragon. Fresnadillo is rusty throughout post his decade long hiatus. He fails to connect the fantasy and survival drama scenarios and leaves huge gaps.

There are too many stereotypical characters and the reasons voiced are too juvenile. There is not much talked about Elodie or her biological mother. Surprisingly, the only woman who has a voice in this women empowered saga is the antagonist Queen Isabelle.

If you are waiting for a moment to be amazed, you will be left waiting. This could be described as ordinary at best. Brown puts in an honest effort. What fails the film is the lifeless script. The others too have not much to offer.

This damsel does need saving. Sadly, it is too late.