Damsel

In a weekend with some streaming drops, Netflix's Damsel is next on the list after an amusing, but ultimately forgettable Ricky Stanicky. 

With many Netflix features of this sort, I've come to believe that they'll feel a little bit like they were put together with AI, have shoddy special effects, but a big star or two. And while Damsel isn't the best Netflix exception to those rules, I did enjoy my time with it more than many other ventures the streaming giant has thrown our way. 

Damsel tells the story of Millie Bobby Brown's (Netflix's darling) Elodie, set in a fantasy world where she is to be married so that her kingdom and people can receive supplies to get them through the tough winter. The betrayal is in the trailers, but basically instead of a wife, she becomes a sacrifice, and thus her fight for survival begins. 

The very basic premise is a good thing and helps the film manage its length to be < 2 hours (even if it could use a bit of a trim). Even if the setting may not be unique, the film does feel like it and I was consistently engaged and wanting to see where it went. The PG-13 rating could have been a weak PG-13, but instead, Damsel earns extra points by not sugarcoating certain elements or shying away from some of its more brutal moments...like a dragon claw splatting a knight on the ground or Elodie actually getting burned by dragon napalm. Small decisions like this help the film to stand out. 

While I found that the emotional beats don't land at all, I enjoyed all the fantasy, action, and even some horror elements throughout. Some of this can be attributed to the shockingly great special effects (perhaps Netflix is hearing me yell from the mountaintops?) as well as our two leads. Two, you might ask? MBB is obviously one and she is a strong, female lead and well cast in the role. As a massive Stranger Things fan (who isn't?), I'm happy to see her find other work outside of the iconic Eleven role. The other lead is hardly credited, but an actress I consistently enjoy: Shohreh Aghdashloo. Her gravelly, smoky, and quite frankly - iconic - voice belongs to the dragon in Damsel, and I found it potentially even better than Cumberbatch's Smaug. It lends so brilliantly to the menace and terror of a beast like this lethal dragon that I was hanging on every one of her words. I've loved her since The Expanse, and am happy she got such a well-fit role in this, elevating the material considerably. 

Damsel is a pleasant surprise. I may not need to watch it again, but because it pushes the PG-13 with some fantasy violence, has a couple memorable performances, strong special effects, and feels like a unique story, the result is a fun adventure that looks and sounds good. 

Rapid Rath's Review Score | 7.5/10