Damsel Parent Guide

With her frozen northern realm on the verge of famine, Elodie (Millie Bobby Brown) does not argue when her father agrees to marry her off to Prince Henry (Nick Robinson) of Aurea. The bride price contains more gold than Lord Bayford (Ray Winstone) can imagine and will save his people from cold and starvation.

When Elodie’s family arrives in the lush island kingdom of Aurea, Elodie slowly warms to the idea of marrying Prince Henry. But as Lord Bayford learns the details of the marriage contract, he must weigh his duty to his people with his love for his daughter. For Elodie will never be queen: she is destined to be sacrificed to a fire-breathing dragon (voiced by Shohreh Aghdashloo) consumed by a centuries-long hatred for the Aurean royal house. What no one, not Aurea’s chilly Queen Isabelle (Robin Wright) nor the dragon herself have counted on is Elodie’s courage, grit, and northern hardihood. This is no fainting damsel to be rescued by a prince – this young woman will find a way to save herself.

Fans of the YA fantasy genre will find plenty of familiar material here. Pure-hearted princess? Check. Cruel beautiful queen? Check. Self-sacrificial love? Check. Fire-breathing dragon? Check. Happy ending? Check. The genre tropes are all on display – the only question that remains is how well they are used.

The answer is, moderately. Aside from some occasionally clumsy digital effects, the movie looks great, with several very good sets and truly meticulous wardrobes. The scene where Elodie is dressed for her wedding is particularly haunting, with excellent detail given to her elaborate gown. (I have to quibble, however, about the harsh makeup that Millie Bobby Brown wears in the first half of the film. She looks far more herself after a few rounds with the dragon.) I am also impressed with the casting, particularly the choice of a young actress (Brooke Carter) who looks enough like Ms. Brown to convincingly play her little sister.

The writing is occasionally clumsy and the acting sometimes stiff, but overall Damsel provides an exciting, absorbing trip into a fantasy world. The tale delivers strong messages about courage, persistence, ingenuity, sacrifice, love, and the power of truth. Unfortunately, a plotline that looks like it’s focused on mercy veers off into vengeance, with the unsettling potential for more violence in the future. Ending a reign of terror is one thing: simply redirecting it feels like much less of an achievement.

Given the storyline, it’s no surprise that the movie is afire with violence, particularly scenes where people are pursued and burned to death by the dragon, often with visible burns. There are also frequent scenes of weapons violence and people and creatures are stabbed, sliced, gored, thrown, crushed, and choked, often with bloody injuries, or on-screen deaths. The PG-13 rating should be taken seriously: this film is not a fairytale for little girls. Don’t expect pink ballgowns and unicorns – this is a movie of blood and betrayal; of grit and guts. It might be inspiring for some viewers, but it isn’t pretty.