hunter albert

“There are tales of chivalry, where the heroic knight saves the damsel in distress. This is not one them.”

From the opening line and carefully manicured setting, you would almost think that Damsel is the latest live action Disney adaptation. The opening quote stuck with me. It is far too on the nose for an adult audience. Once you’re into the thick of things, you realize that Damsel is also far too dark for children. Damsel fails to find its balance in the message it’s wanting to convey. It’s stuck between a theme and message that is totally wholesome for a young audience—that women don’t need any saving and can have the self confidence themselves and an action movie that for an older audience, you wish would have fully committed to the dark, claustrophobic, and revenge story it attempts to execute. 

Stylistically it’s in a bit of a no-man’s land too. It heavily borrows from a wide range of influences. The tall tower she’s stuck in at the beginning draws from Rapunzel. The dark dungeon invokes the Mines of Moria from The Lord of the Rings. The dragon, the highlight of the movie, is a better version of Smaug from The Hobbit. The political dynamics, feel like the dipping of the toes into the world of Westeros. All artists steal and take inspiration for their own art, but Damsel is left with a lacking, unique identity. 

Characters are often boneheaded. In a labyrinth where a deadly dragon with a keen sense of hearing resides, people sure make a lot of damn noise. Over. Over. And over again.

Millie Bobby Brown has a long career ahead of her. For her young age, she’s incredibly aware of her young beauty and has rightfully lambasted Hollywood and audiences at large for their attempts to sexualize her from a young age. It in the regard, her performance in Damsel rightfully seems like a giant middle finger. 

Damsel is uneven in its message and tone. There are good elements in Damsel, but I found they are found too far and between. By the time the credits roll, it simply leaves you wanting something more.

★★