Millie Bobby Brown
“DAMSEL” My rating: B- (Netflix)
110 minutes | MPAA: PG-13
The female-centric actioner “Damsel” is, in a weird way, a twisty homage to “The Princess Bride.”
Except that whereas the title character that 1987 classic was an imperiled beauty who relied on brawling menfolk for a rescue, in “Damsel” it’s the princess who kicks ass.
Bonus points: Robin Wright, who of course played Princess Buttercup back in the day, is this time around cast as a beautiful/evil queen in the classic Disney tradition.
“Damsel” stars Millie Bobby Brown as a fairy tale princess who singlehandedly takes on a fire-breathing dragon. Brown became a near-household word for her work (beginning at age 12) in the “Stranger Things” series, had a supporting role in “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” and proved quite charming as a Victorian-era teen sleuth in “Enola Holmes.”
One hopes that some day soon she will tackle a role commensurate with her talent. But for now we’ll have to be content with lightweight diversions like this one.
Brown’s Elodie is the daughter of the provincial Lord Bamford (Ray Winstone) who rules a fairly inhospitable region of the film’s Middle Earth-ish world. Bayford’s realm is always on the verge of starvation/bankruptcy, so when a marriage proposal arrives from a much more wealthy kingdom he jumps at the chance to benefit his people by marrying off Elodie.
In due course Elodie and Prince Henry (Nick Robinson) are wed in an elaborate ceremony in the crazily ornate castle lorded over by Henry’s Mom, Queen Isabelle (Robin Wright).
Elodie finds herself falling for Henry…until she finds herself falling literally down a chasm into the dragon’s lair. Seems that Isabella’s family has for centuries been placating the dragon with sacrificial virgins…Elodie discovers the remains of earlier brides as she navigates a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers.
“Damsel” plays something like a “Die Hard” parody, with Elodie overcoming her panic to get down to the task of evading and hopefully eliminating the great beast. Think of the dragon’s mountain lair as a Medieval version of a high-rise office building.
Despite some gruesome fiery deaths, this film from director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo may be too sanitized for hard-core action fans. The ideal audience appears to be young girls, who will glom onto the sword-waving heroine while overlooking some of the more creaky plot points.
No biggie, but a decent enough way to pass a couple of hours.
| Robert W. Butler
Butler's Cinema Scene 