Here are 5 reasons to not miss out on Millie Bobby Brown’s Damsel who can save herself

Damsel is an upcoming fantasy thriller, directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo of Intruders and 28 Weeks Later sequel fame. The film stars the talented likes of Millie Bobby Brown, Ray Winstone, Nick Robinson, Angela Bassett, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Robin Wright. The fantasy thriller will be released on Netflix on March 8, 2024. 

In Damsel, Millie Bobby Brown plays Elodie, a sheltered noble who agrees to marry the prince of a kingdom. Little does she know that soon her happily ever after will turn into a hellish nightmare. The film has several merits that must not be missed and here are 5 such reasons to binge-watch Damsel.

The film subverts the classic trope of ‘a princess at the mercy of a dragon who needs saving’

Damsel takes the classic trope of a princess being held hostage or about to be killed by a dragon when she is saved by a valiant knight or prince. But it wins the game by spinning the tale on its head. Here, the damsel in distress is self-reliant and brave enough to get out of her deadly danger, without any help. Instead of being saved by her newly wedded prince husband, she is thrown as a tasty generational morsel to an ancient dragon, after being lied to about everything. So, it is up to Elodie to survive or perish like the generations of women who died before her.

Damsel showcases an unexplored acting range and potential of Millie Bobby Brown

As Elodie, Millie Bobby Brown had no roles to cross refer for preparation. For Eleven and Enola Holmes, she had Mad Max and Harry Potter to refer to, but Elodie was a character unlike any before. So, Brown had to experiment and bring out her innermost, rawest feelings for pain, survival, and rightful anger. From a sheltered, poised noble damsel in trailing skirts, she had to transform into a bedraggled, shabby but swift warrior to survive the dragon’s lair and flames.

Also read: Millie Bobby Brown is a dragon-fighting princess in the trailer of Netflix’ upcoming film Damsel 

Damsel shows a layered conflict for Elodie

In Damsel, Elodie will have to face to a different and dangerous set of enemies, both deranged and lusting for her blood. Foremost, stands the dragon. A massive, fire-breathing, vicious mythical creature bound to haunt the kingdom by an ancient curse unless a pure damsel is timely sacrificed to it. If she survives the dragon and its deadly, pointy lair, then begins the next crisis. The golden mask-wearing cult, that has infiltrated the palace and royalty, is determined to keep Elodie as the sacrificial victim, dead and out of the way.

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The film is feminist in refreshing ways

Damsel is feminist not only for featuring a strong female lead. It shows the transformation of a sheltered and pure girl into a powerful warrior intent on vengeance, based on her harrowing experiences and battles with an enormous dragon. Not only that, to enable easy mobility, she chops off her dress. But another positive aspect lies in the comfortable and modest, albeit bedraggled outfit she wears afterward. It is not about sensationalism and exhibitionism but about practicality.

Damsel is a fantasy thriller that is firmly grounded in reality

Damsel is a fantasy thriller, set in a fictional kingdom with dragons and ancient curses and princesses. But it is firmly rooted in reality, in terms of the hurdles and problems faced by Elodie while attempting to survive the lethal landscape of the dragon’s caves. The rocky, pointy, unsustainable caves are where generations of women have died, either due to starvation or as the dragon’s meal. 

Also read: Damsel trailer review – Millie Bobby Brown is a damsel who can save herself, whether in distress or facing dragons 

And Elodie is determined to escape them, if climbing a steep mountainous wall to reach the open exit is the only way after killing the dragon, so be it. And she solves these problems with logic and presence of mind, instead of random magic, something youngsters appreciate and relate to, nowadays.