Damsel(2024) || Where Does It End?

Scattered thoughts can do a lot of things to you, and I guess that is why I found myself being immersed in a film that I didn’t think I was ever going to have the willpower to see.

And because I didn’t want the reviews of the movie to either discourage or amplify my hopes, I only saw the cast, and that was all I needed to know. I loved Millie Bobby Brown from her epic acting in Sherlock Holmes, Angela Bassett is an OG, so of course I was interested in what role she played in the movie. I also saw that it was about dragons, and a fantasy-loving girl could nearly shed tears of joy. Here is the review of this maybe spoiler-filled movie(because I do expect everyone who was interested to have watched it by now).

Damsel (2024)

Princess Elodie’s(Millie Brown) kingdom is faced with unending winter and severe drought. As a kind royal who loves her people, she gives orders to increase the people’s food and resource rations as many times as possible. However, things do not seem to get any better for them. One day, she returns from her time outdoors to find out that her father, the King, has received a proposal of marriage on her account from the faraway land of Aurea.

Her entire family lives their Kingdom to Aurea but after their seemingly warm welcome, Princess Elodie’s Stepmom(Angela Bassett) senses something off and tries to warn her stepdaughter against the marriage. She doesn’t listen and the marriage happens anyway because the princess has taken a liking to her betrothed. On the very day the marriage happens, however, Princess Elodie receives the shock of her life as she discovers that not only is her new family not who she thought they were, but they’ve also set a deadly trap for her. One she may make it out of? Or can she...

My Review and Rating

Sprint is the word to describe it, because that’s what I did. I sprinted to the part where I’d get to give my thoughts because I needed to have an outlet for the things I saw in this movie, else I’d burst. Problem now is where to begin. And I think I’ll start with the cons to this movie as the pros do not leave me much to work with.

First, the accent. Whoever thought it wise to give Angela Bassett such accent didn’t do right. I think the creators of this movie where in a rush, whether it is to release the next “blockbuster” or the eagerness to give Millie Brown another star role, I don’t know. But if they had devoted time to crafting the plot and maybe more time for the actors to master their English accents, this movie may not have been this appalling.

Then, there is the plot. And I could sum how bad it was to the fact that it lacked CONTENT. More than half the time, it was Princess Elodie being chased across the screen. The illogicalities also include a yearly sacrifice of different princesses from different kingdoms where all of their families seem to be struggling enough to just sign a pact that their daughters are dragon food? That is, after being lied to initially that it would be a normal marriage. No one that is connected to Aurea can put the pieces together as to why princesses are disappearing almost immediately after the marriage? The dragon too, after centuries, does not realize, even with the fact that these women are all from different genealogies, that she’s being hoodwinked? Not so smart, is she?

Again, the general script, I just couldn’t . Why was Elodie who is supposed to be in hiding screaming so much? Why doesn’t she know when to run? Why, after yelling so much, couldn’t she speak up when people had come to rescue her? Why was she portrayed as frightened and fragile in the beginning, only to be portrayed as suddenly strong and invincible, brandishing swords like she’d wielded it all her life at the end? Why would she take her step mother’s horse leaving her stranded in the mountains after seeing she was recently stabbed and race back to the dragon's lair? And how couldn’t she think to use the healing worms to save her dying father but remembered it in saving a whole dragon?

Hmmm....where does it end? Princess Elodie was portrayed to be some terminator, so that even when she was badly burnt by the dragon, she totally did not register her wounds and was sprinting from one place to the other. And to what end did she cut her hair and lose more and more of her clothing? In a cold cave! Feminist movies are all great but women are beautiful, strong and powerful as they are. Strolling out of a burning castle shows nothing. Reusing plots and characters does nothing as well for female empowerment. We frankly need more movies with complex female characters. And not...this.

The ending, unsurprisingly, was very predictable. The cliché lines of “I’m done being told what to do,” when there was practically never a time she listened was comical. As well as acting like she was going to kill the dragon but not following up with it, adding yet another eyeroll-worthy line to the mix. Like, really guys....do better.

Oh...I almost forgot to state the good parts of this movie. It’s exciting, if you’re looking for something comical. The costumes were amazing, the acting and role interpretation were great too, the set and CGI all did their best to make this movie noteworthy. With the budget used, it wasn’t surprising that they at least delivered in these aspects. I would give Damsel a shaky 6/10. Glad to be done with it. Praying that this is not the future of the Hollywood film industry.

Jhymi

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