Summary
A review of Netflix's Damsel
Netflix’s Damsel takes a tale as old as time and twists for the modern age, however, it may not be the revolutionary feminist masterpiece the film wants you to believe.
Damsel tells the story of Elodie (Millie Bobbie Brown) who dutifully leaves behind her life to marry Prince Henry (Nick Robinson) to save her Kingdom from ruin. However, not is all as it seems. The Kingdom is trapped in an ancient pact and they must sacrifice young women to repay their debts. Elodie must fight to survive as she uncovers the truth of the deal.
Damsel was released onto Netflix on 8 March and is directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. In an interview with Empire he talks about the film: “Traditionally the princess is always the victim, all the way through…But this one literally turns those upside-down.” Spotlighting the twist on the expected fairy-tale narrative.
However, the concept significantly outweighs the final product. Damsel believes itself to be a revolutionary flip on the traditional damsel in distress storyline, but it is predictable and relatively tame in comparison to other fairytale rewrites.
Damsel has a major issue with telling the audience what to think, especially in the beginning. We spend five minutes with Elodie and her family in their normalcy before she is shipped off to be married. We are told she wishes to travel, told she feels guilted into her marriage. Also, we are told she is a dutiful daughter willing to do anything for her family. However, we are shown none of this. Elodie is a blank slate who only begins to bloom once the truth of her sham marriage is revealed.
It is also here, at the 40 minute mark, when the film begins to improve. Millie Bobbie Brown is able to shed off her proper princess exterior and truly shines in the gritty and gruelling journey her character must go through to survive the death sentence she has been thrown into. The raw emotions of Elodie who has experienced the ultimate betraying are a highlight in an overall underwhelming performance from the rest of the cast.
However, the final act does not stick the landing. The stiff acting returns and the message of the film is muddled. The villain receives very little character development beyond a surface level. This is disappointing considering Damsel’s central purpose of empowering women to not accept the stories they have been thrust into. Having the villain being a women who remains villainous and under-developed at the end of the story feels like a missed opportunity to truly do something different.
Overall, Damsel is all style and no substance. It markets itself as something new but it is just more of what have seen before. Another disappointing attempt to give women a fairy-tale story to remember.
Featured Image Credit: Netflix
