My mother, who is usually only interested in Nigerian films, strongly recommended Damsel to me, and I thought to myself that there must be something truly special about it. And then, to discover that Millie Bobbie Brown played the main role, I was even more eager to see it.
The title 'Damsel' gives Brigerton vibes, and that was exactly what I was expecting. I hadn't seen the trailer and had no idea what was coming, so I was open to anything in hopes that the film would truly be something I would enjoy.
Damsel turned out to be a worthwhile film, and for reasons more than just how talented the young actress, Millie, was in the film.
A young woman agrees to marry a handsome prince -- only to discover it was all a trap. She is thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon and must rely solely on her wits and will to survive. [Google]
The film is centred on betrayal and courage. It reflects on conflicts that cost the lives of innocent individuals and brought hurt to unsuspecting families, as well as the power we can wield when we brave daunting situations with courage.
Damsel slowly introduces its characters and develops them well enough to enable them to tell the story for themselves as the film progresses. As much as it really is just a one-hour and thirty-fifty film, it manages to allow its viewers to enjoy the available bits of the characters. The most iconic, of course, was the main character, Elodie.
Thirty minutes into the film, it feels like the usual British kind, set in the medieval times. Thereafter, things begin to switch up pretty quickly and interestingly. And then was when the real action and drama began—the emotional rollercoaster scenes. Before then, though, the film's pacing was just right and nothing short of progressive.
You'll find a talking dragon in this film. The trailer already hints at that. In a way, that mostly helps the film's story be more enjoyable. Rather than just having some girl run for her dear life from a dragon that's willing to obliterate her—which was all very thrilling to watch, actually—you get more depth by knowing the dragon's thoughts. That contributes to the entertaining side of the film.
The film takes its viewer through the journey of a young lady who is wrongly subjected to unfortunate experiences, to live in fear and survival mode, and then grows into a fierce, fearless, and brave lady who is determined to conquer and bring her family back together again.
Emotional rollercoaster because there are times when I really hoped that she didn't fall or get burned or something like that, and then there are other times that you feel empathetic for the misery of innocent lives. And then again, you feel angered by the level of betrayal you would find. All that keeps the energy of the film spontaneous in a well-written manner, and I appreciate that.
The outstanding performance in this film of Millie Bobby Brown as the main character, Elodie, wasn't anything surprising to me, as I had seen her put in as much commitment and hard work in the films before this one. She sells the film's story completely with how well she portrays her characters. Her performance was mostly the life of the film, to me.
The visual storytelling of Damsel, too, is another thing to appreciate. I didn't think anything wasn't "okay" as the CGI for the dragon, when it breathes fire, and the surroundings in the cave were just right and did the job.
Damsel is a film that just about anybody can watch and enjoy. There's nothing provoking in any way. It isn't overstretched, and it has the right pacing for most of the parts. It's something I don't mind watching more than once.
It's a very recommendable film. I rate it 8/10.