Netflix Damsel (2024)

[Malcolm R]

Title: Damsel (2024)

Tagline: This is not a fairytale.

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Action

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Ray Winstone, Angela Bassett, Brooke Carter, Nick Robinson, Robin Wright, Milo Twomey, Nicole Joseph, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Patrice Nalambana, Ulli Ackermann, Mens-Sana Tamakloe, Ezra Faroque Khan, Tasha Lim, Brogan McFarlane, Sonya Nisa, Esther Odumade, Margarita Ren, Eloise Shephard Taylor, Szofia Sallia, Matt Slack, Manon Stieglitz, Antonio Craveiro, Rui M Tomas, Erickson Dos Santos Gomes, Ricarda Clay, Ricky Guillart, Elmano Sancho, Sam Sharma

Release: 2024-03-08

Runtime: 110

Plot: A young woman's marriage to a charming prince turns into a fierce fight for survival when she's offered up as a sacrifice to a fire-breathing dragon.

 

[Malcolm R]

I'm a sucker for almost anything that includes dragons. Quite a cast here. Almost surprised it's Netflix only, though that's the way things go these days.

Apparently it's already streaming, though I'd heard nothing about it until finding the trailer on YouTube today.

 

[Doug2000]

Watched it last night on Netflix with the family. Its well done and enjoyable to watch. First thoughts to myself after the end "Well that's a pretty good movie."

Acting, sets, effects, costumes, script, storyline, sound - all good.

 

[Doug2000]

Thought I'd add a few more comments... This is not a complex story. There are not multiple story-lines running through the movie and, although there is a bit of history, this is not a movie where you're bouncing between multiple timelines.

Character development is quick, efficient and just sufficient - but nothing more. Its a fairytale-ish movie that motors briskly along from start to finish in more-or-less a straight line.

 

[jayembee]

I'm a sucker for almost anything that includes dragons. Quite a cast here.

"Yes" on both. Especially since I discovered that Shohreh [that voice...] Aghdashloo is the voice of the dragon!

Almost surprised it's Netflix only, though that's the way things go these days.

Apparently it's already streaming, though I'd heard nothing about it until finding the trailer on YouTube today.

It started streaming on Friday. I'd heard about the film a few weeks ago. My wife and I haven't watched it yet. I suppose I should stop posting here, and go watch it now.

 

[DaveF]

When Damsel started and the intro was sluggish, I was concerned I'd sat down to Netflix high-budget-low-quality movie of the week. Then I realized it was MBB leading, and I relaxed knowing it would be fun.

Millie Bobbie Brown has created her own movie brand: Mid-budget action/adventure movie with solid supporting cast about a strong heroine fighting and overcoming societal powers. You can trust it will be enjoyable.

Damsel is an escape-the-dragon story, with some other plot twists wrapped around that for a reasonable story. The story isn't amazing. But it's got a clear throughline and will be memorable the way a solid, simple story can be. And, overall, it's fun.

Also, Shohreh Aghdashloo is the new James Earl Jones. Casting her as the voice of the dragon was inspired.

I'll watch whatever Millie Bobbie Brown does next.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

This would have been subversive had it been made in the seventies, pre-Princess Leia. As it is, the big twist is obvious a mile away, so the audience spends the entire first act ahead of the heroine, as we sit through a pretty uninspired traditional fantasy movie.

Once she gets thrown into the cave, however, things pick up considerably.

"Yes" on both. Especially since I discovered that Shohreh [that voice...] Aghdashloo is the voice of the dragon!

Great casting. The dragon is heard more than seen, probably for budgetary reasons, and she sells the hell out of it.

On the other hand, I thought Angela Bassett was wasted as the stepmother. Just not a whole lot for that character to do. I can only assume that she signed on for this because she wanted to check "fantasy" off of her bucket list.

I thought Ray Winstone was great as the father, though. A character that makes an unforgivable decision, but who is not without redeeming qualities.

 

[jayembee]

I liked it. There were two notable tropes that were turned upside down...

Spoiler

(1) The Prince would come to save her.
(2) The dragon is the Big Bad.

I think this might've been a solid theatrical release, but when streamers arrange for such a release, it's typically for Oscar bait, and this isn't that. It's an enjoyable tale.

 

[Greg.K]

I think this might've been a solid theatrical release

I think the story is a bit too simplistic for that. This seemed more along the lines of what a fairly good episode of some hypothetical fantasy anthology show would be. Great cast, though.

 

[Greg.K]

I liked it. There were two notable tropes that were turned upside down...

At this point I think inversion of fairytale tropes is essentially a trope itself.

 

[jayembee]

I think this might've been a solid theatrical release

I think the story is a bit too simplistic for that.

I'd argue that the story being a bit too simplistic is one factor in why it might've been a solid theatrical release. There are a lot of theatrical releases that are both simplistic and well-received.