CNN
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Millie Bobby Brown might need grown up earlier than our eyes because of “Stranger Things,” however she has already proven herself to be a savvy steward of her profession. These good decisions have made Brown a significant asset for Netflix as she follows “Enola Holmes” with the entertaining “Damsel,” which seizes on the “Princess, rescue thyself” theme in a grim-but-not-your-average-fairy-tale manner.
Certainly, “Damsel” units out to show lots of acquainted tropes on their heads, from conventional views of honest maidens and good-looking princes to stepmothers and dragons. The one disgrace, actually, is that the trailer inevitably offers away the largest twist, which makes the primary half-hour or so really feel a bit compulsory, albeit obligatory, constructing as much as the fire-breathing motion that follows.
All of it begins innocently sufficient, as Brown’s Princess Elodie unexpectedly receives a suggestion of marriage from a faraway kingdom, an opulent land with the requisite dashing prince (Nick Robinson) and regal queen (Robin Wright, the empowered heroine in “The Princess Bride,” amongst different issues). As soon as there, although, Elodie’s father, the King (Ray Winstone), appears uneasy, whereas her stepmother (Angela Bassett) fears there’s one thing not fairly proper about Elodie’s future in-laws.
She’s onto one thing there, since as quickly as Elodie says “I do,” the prince and his mother try and sacrifice Elodie – now part of their royal household – to a fearsome dragon (voiced by Shohreh Aghdashloo), forcing the princess to shed her bejeweled robe and soar into action-hero mode to outlive. Alongside the best way, she begins to comprehend what number of younger girls have preceded her in assembly this horrible destiny, which solely fuels her resolve.
Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (“28 Weeks Later”) from a script by Dan Mazeau (and counting Brown, naturally, among the many producers), “Damsel” owes its strongest debt to the 1981 film “Dragonslayer,” which additionally featured a courageous feminine character, even when the precise dragon preventing fell to a man.
Extra not too long ago, Hulu’s “The Princess” forged Joey King in a spare and violent tackle butt-kicking royalty, which largely underscores how one can have what seems to be like the identical concept and execute it in markedly alternative ways. By that measure, “Damsel” extra cleverly turns expectations on their heads whereas serving as a nifty showcase for Brown, who spends a good quantity of display screen time alone apart from the spectacular particular results.
Granted, even with these pyrotechnics, the movie has an old school “B film” vibe, which, for a challenge headed straight to Netflix, is sort of precisely appropriately. As for the feminist message wrapped into the premise, it’s merely additional proof that Brown, on the ripe outdated age of 20, seems to be like a boss each on display screen and off.
“Damsel” premieres March 8 on Netflix. It’s rated PG-13.