Millie Bobby Brown shines in this simple but fun take on the classic tale. In an industry where it can be easy to equate complexity with higher quality, Damsel preaches the opposite. Damsel takes the most ordinary of plots, really a fable of olden times, and provides it with a contemporary, woman’s twist. She is played by a wonderful Millie Bobby Brown, the film has its faults, but in the end, it does celebrate the beauty of a basic plot. The film is about Elodie, a princess who is the daughter of a kingdom that is on the brink of starvation, both in terms of wealth and food. When the offer of marriage comes, Elodie’s relatives gladly endorse it and Elodie as well goes along with her destiny. The irony, however, is that after the officiating rites of the marriage, the lady comes to know that the queen and the prince only ensnared her to be used as a meal for a mythical beast that preys on the land, a dragon that shoots out fire. Elodie is thrown into the interior of a mountain, where she is required to learn how to fend herself off before being outright incinerated.
This is practically the opening of a fairytale, however, the English movie takes another twist and does away with the archetypal heroic prince. The crown prince here is rather of the oppressive kind and Elodie rescues herself instead. It’s not all that profound. Its characters do not seem to have depth and feel more like cartoons, and the dialogues are rather unoriginal. The settings are not colorful but not forgettable as well.
The film’s feminism ends with white women accusing other white women of being the establishment. A few seconds are spared for the discussion concerning women of color, thanks to Basset who, in a minor role as Elodie’s stepmother, barely appears on screen.
But whatever its propaganda is, it is simple enough, Elodie is the main and the only protagonist who used to be suicidal but is now a resilient woman who puts herself first. It’s the sorts of lies women are s/he/goes through and the sorts they are obliged to embark on. It’s about itself. Sisterhood, as Elodie follows the trails of the previous victims and, near the end of the movie, finds an unexpected partner. Women empowering women. And for that, Damsel must get its due.
Damsel is most likely centered on a female lead than a male one, as suggested by the dark-fantasy tag. There are however moments in the dimension of horror where director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo undoubtedly excels.
The few jump scares, although they are very few and far between, are perfectly ingrained. The score composed by Hans Zimmer is simple in its use, yet, it marginalizes details. The cinematography of Larry Fong is pretty persuasive. It connects with the straightforward beauty of the plot: in the first case, the shadow of the mountain of a dragon looms over the palace, but in a more striking sense later on, Elodie’s silhouette and the silhouette of the dragon mold together.
I would argue that this film would not be completed if it wasn’t for Brown as she practically does all the heavy lifting. Despite Elodie’s character not being quite a complicated one, it is impressive to see Brown making her fierce and driven. One must say, it is highly gratifying to see Elodie’s rage build up gradually into the comical inversion of this upside-down fairy tale. But, when Elodie finally goes for a sword, it’s impossible not to shout, considering how predictable this story of twists and turns is.
Another of its major beats is portrayed vocally by Shohreh Aghdashloo, who doesn’t go on screen anymore. It’s safe to say she is born to be the voice of the dragon and she owns every single scene her character the antagonist is in.
The part was voiced by Aghdashloo so that the dragon woman sounded ‘menacing’ while portraying her rage. For most of the first half, we don’t even see the dragon. One silhouette is depicted, hidden in the darkness. It is Aghdashloo’s voice that covers the accents of the creature’s insults, her fury, and her sorrow, animating the dragon.
Does then the dragon resemble the Hungarian Horntail in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire? Elodie’s dress changes from a ball gown to a tube dress, triumphs in battle, and a crown. As real as in the trailer, is it that simple, and as defeat in this film relates to just a melting even lady’s crown and a flaming palace? Yes. But is it still a pleasure to watch Brown as an angry sword-wielding princess? Certainly.
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