The princess Elodie (Millie Bobby Brown), lives, perhaps, in the worst kingdom in a world full of magic, but with quite ugly and ruthless territories. Yours is about to fall apart. So an arranged marriage with an opulent candidate seems like the best option.. Damsel, begins its story as a fantasy worthy of a children's book. But in the middle of the sequences that narrate what seems like a predictable twist, there is a subtext message. Its protagonist is going to face several monsters. Not all real, some definitely capable of killing, but others, parodies of what a woman goes through every day.
The premise of Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's film is interesting and starts off on the right foot. In fact, one of the best points of the production is turning a generic medieval world into an uncomfortable territory full of problems. In the fantasy imagined by Dan Mazeau's script, the wonders of magic are closer to conflicts that can be resolved with few tools. Which turns the premise into an obvious allegory to more complex elements.
But beyond its central message, The film is a journey through a type of genre that is as entertaining as it is curious. The one that mixes a background message with a fantastic scenario that becomes more elaborate as it progresses. We leave you three good reasons to enjoy the most recent Netflix release. From its well-told moral to its point of view on fantasy. A new look at a known story that will surprise you.
A well-told moral story
Eloide, you have the obligation to deal with the responsibility on your shoulders and what it means to be a woman — and to be a figure of apparent power — in a time that does not appreciate it. And not only does she not do it, but it also condemns her, from the beginning, to having to sacrifice her dreams and expectations in favor of a greater good. The message of feminist emancipation is obvious and Damseldevelops it without concealment.
But he also does it skillfully, avoiding giving moralistic speeches. Eloide is going to fight a huge, ferocious monster from which he may not escape alive.. A circumstance that many other women of her time have experienced and that she will try to face with few weapons at her disposal.
The allegory to patriarchy is repeated, but instead of becoming repetitive, it deepens. Specifically, because the film has all the tools to take its plot to unusual places and much less frontal. When he does, the film reaches its best moments. In particular, by showing that Eloide, she is more than just a princess in the middle of a situation that surpasses her. Also, she is a hero.
Once upon a time, a kingdom in trouble
Using the premise of fairy tales to tell bigger stories is risky. But Damsel overcomes it without problems. In the same way as traditional stories — and this one is, in a cruel version — everything begins with a major conflict. To wit: Eloide must marry to prevent his disgraced kingdom from collapsing into poverty.. Millie Bobby Brown gives her character a vitality and charisma, which brings her very close to her Enola Holmes and much of the first section of the film benefits from that. Particularly when the plot depends on the actress's ability to set the pace and tone of the story.
The interpreter can handle that responsibility and Damsel, is anchored by Brown's ability to be passionate, vulnerable, and strong all at once. The film is, in fact, an exploration of the way in which Eloide is able to confront a world that surpasses her. That, furthermore, she considers her a victim worthy of being sacrificed. The script resolves the issue, paying interest to the idea of how this princess is able to escape danger, with all the self-confidence of her youth.
All of the above turns the film into a solid growth story. Once Eloide leaves her ramshackle kingdom to marry a neighboring prince, Damsel looks at responsibility, love and duty from interesting angles. So, gradually, this unusual combination of fantasy drama and growth trope finds its personality and intriguing point of view.
In fact, the character Brown represents the very heart of a film that examines loyalty from various points of view. From the king played by Ray Winstone to the evil Queen Elizabeth, played by Robin Wright. Damsel takes the opportunity to deepen the energy of its first half hour and takes its premise to a new dimension. So it ends in a final section in which Eloide will have to demonstrate that, much more than a tragic figure, he is also a symbol of hope.
An ending that deepens the adventure
So when the maiden's announced confrontation with the dragon arrives, it is much more than a handful of action scenes. The moral about how a violent event can crush a woman is still there and the script explores it. So the film ends up telling two stories at the same time. A well-intentioned fable and also a perspective on what it's like to be a young woman in a harsh world.
For its happy ending — there is one, of course, and so similar to Game of Thrones that will excite fans —, Damsel tried to show that the lives of women — in any time and place — are complicated. This version of Cinderella, adorned by a dragon, is entertaining, but also meaningful and well-told. The best of a film that could only be an adventure, but that also ends up being a reflection on important issues.