Damsel Review (2023) – A fiery fantasy with a fun spin on the classic princess tale!

As the leaves begin to fall and the air turns crisp, we potatoes find ourselves craving a cozy blanket, some hot cocoa…and the best time of the year ever…Spooky Season! But! September is not quite over which means we have one more fantasy adventure to dive into! So, today, we’re hurling ourselves into the dark, dragon-filled world of Damsel (2023), where things are not quite what they seem!

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, a gentle warning: Damsel brings with it themes of intense violence, dark magic, and emotional distress, so proceed with caution.

We will do everything we can to not give too many spoilers in this review but there is likely to be some so please take that into consideration and read cautiously.

Let’s get started!

The movie starts with a voiceover stating that many fantasy stories feature brave knights saving damsels in distress…and this is not that type of story.

We quickly cut to a group of knights and a king on horseback riding toward a mountain! The shadow of a dragon can be seen in the distance, and it seems they’re riding toward the dragon’s lair. The group makes it to the mountain and, wasting no time, they rappel down into the caves below, on high alert for whatever might await them.

As they approach a rise in the floor, the ominous sound of wings flapping echoes in the cavern. The knights turn to face the direction of the noise with shields raised, but before they can react, fire spews from the shadows, engulfing them and reducing the entire group to ash in seconds. Only the king survives, staring up at the looming silhouette of the dragon before the screen fades to black.

We then meet our heroine, Elodie (Millie Bobby Brown), chopping wood alongside her sister Floria (Brooke Carter). Immediately, we potatoes felt for Elodie and found it odd that she was out there chopping wood, but her parents were nowhere to be seen. Just then, a mysterious carriage arrives from a neighboring kingdom. “Who would come this far north?” Elodie asks, as she and Floria head back to town.

Once they arrive, the mystery deepens. An emissary from the kingdom of Aurea proposes a marriage alliance between Elodie and Prince Henry (Nick Robinson), a union that could restore their kingdom’s dwindling wealth. Elodie is hesitant, but her father, Lord Bayford (Ray Winstone), explains that without this marriage, their people will be doomed. The weight of this decision is heavy on Elodie, and while her acceptance of the proposal is motivated by a sense of duty, it’s clear she is sacrificing herself for the kingdom. A price that is far too great, in our opinion, but all too common.

The noble family, Elodie, Floria, Lord Bayford, and his wife, Lady Bayford (Angela Bassett), set sail for Aurea immediately! Lady Bayford, though not Elodie and Floria’s birth mother, is caring and clearly loves them, though her royal demeanor can make her appear reserved. Her concern for the girls shines through, as she urges them to remain presentable to their new kingdom. We have to say, we greatly enjoyed Angela Bassett’s performance here! It’s different, it’s fun, and it brings a warmth that contrasts nicely with the darker tones of the film. But we digress!

As they approach Aurea, we’re treated to stunning visuals of a foggy coastline lined with eerie dragon statues that set an unsettling tone. The fog lifts to reveal a beautiful, lush kingdom as the ship pulls in. Yet, despite the picturesque view, something about Aurea feels off.

After disembarking the ship, they’re ushered into a golden carriage, where they’re whisked away to a castle dripping in opulence—lavish rooms, jewels, and more. But, as Elodie admires her surroundings, she notices something strange: a young woman on a nearby tower’s balcony. They share a fleeting smile before the girl is hurried away. Elodie doesn’t dwell on it, but we potatoes certainly did! The unease is starting to creep in, and the cracks in this seemingly perfect kingdom are showing.

That evening, Elodie sees firelight on the mountainside, a curious but ominous sight, though she’s soon distracted by Floria, who can’t sleep. The bond between these sisters is tender, but we can’t help but notice that Elodie acts more like a parent to Floria than a sibling, a theme that carries throughout the film.

The next morning, the royal families meet. Queen Isabelle (Robin Wright), King Roderick (Milo Twomey), and Prince Henry (Nick Robinson) seem welcoming, but the formalities feel cold. Elodie and Henry share a quick introduction and some awkward banter as they walk through the gardens, trying to “get to know each other.” Their chemistry is lacking, and it’s clear Elodie feels resigned to this marriage out of duty rather than desire. “My happiness is a small price to pay for the future of my people,” she says, a statement that hit us potatoes right in the heart. It’s a sad and heavy thought, and one that rings far too true for many.

As they spend more time together, Elodie starts to warm to Henry, even though the red flags are still there. At one point, Prince Henry pulls out the letter that was written to him by Lady Bayford which has one of Elodie’s personal touches: a maze in the shape of a heart. Elodie enjoys creating mazes to pass the time, telling Henry that she started making them to entertain Floria when she was little and she has kept it up years later.

They spend the day together and by the end of the day, Elodie is feeling more comfortable with the idea of marrying Henry. But it’s all too easy, and we potatoes felt a chill, knowing something was off. He has managed to lull her into a false sense of safety…but the eeriness is still there. We potatoes feel for Elodie, she is just trying to make the best out of this situation, and she wants so badly for everything to work out. As a result, she does not listen to her own intuition.

In the meantime, Lord Bayford and the Queen of Aurea have a private meeting. We see them both come out of a private room with Lord Bayford looking very queasy. Lady Bayford is concerned, and asks him some questions about how the negotiations went and whether they are getting a fair price for Elodie’s hand. Lord Bayford reassures her…but not very convincingly. He almost seems like he is winded, like something has knocked the wind out of him. It could not be more obvious that something is wrong but he will not discuss it further.

Lady Bayford then goes to the Queen of Aurea, attempting to be friendly and get to know her. She thinks that they are all about to become family, so it is important that they develop a relationship! The Queen does not feel the same way at all. She is rude, standoffish and dismissive. She tells Lady Bayford that this marriage is one of necessity, nothing more. Lady Bayford is greatly troubled at the Queen’s behavior, and is starting to feel exceedingly suspicious. The tension is building, and everything about the interaction is unnerving!

Later that evening, Lady Bayford goes to Elodie’s room and warns her that there is something greatly amiss and that she does not have to go through with the marriage. Elodie feels conflicted, but she has made up her mind, she will marry Henry for her people. Completely understandable considering her father’s manipulation, but very misguided.

The following morning is Elodie’s wedding day. Elodie is trussed up into her wedding gown, and things are moving fast! She’s walked down an elaborate aisle dripping in gorgeous blood red flowers and handed off to Prince Henry. They exchange rings and before she can blink she is crowned princess of Aurea! But this is just the first ceremony!

She is then taken out to a golden carriage where she is allowed to say her goodbyes to her family. Elodie is taken up the ominous mountain that’s been looming over the kingdom with a foreboding presence.

As they ascend, Henry explains that they must participate in an ancient ritual to honor his ancestors. They reach the ceremony where they are greeted by the queen and a small group of people wearing unnerving golden masks. The entire scene feels like something out of a cult ritual.

They walk over a bridge overlooking a deep chasm and ending at an altar, the queen explains that the first king of Aurea made a pact with a dragon, sacrificing his daughters to secure peace. They conduct a ritual in which the prince and princess’s hands are cut and the blood comingled together. The queen then announces that Elodie is now of “Royal blood!” She then tells Elodie to “Pay your due to the realm,” and to toss a gold coin into the chasm. Elodie does so and the ritual is complete? Creepy, but it seems like it could just be a minor oddity! Just a weird family tradition that is relatively harmless…right?

Prince Henry then carries her across the bridge. Elodie leans her head against his chest and closes her eyes. She truly seems to believe that this could actually, maybe, be her happily ever after…But, Henry stops in the middle of the bridge, “I’m sorry” he says quietly as he tosses Elodie over the bridge and into the chasm! Betrayed and terrified, Elodie falls into darkness!

We’re going to wrap it up here to avoid any further spoilers!

From here, Damsel becomes a full-on survival story, and we potatoes are here for it! Having been tossed and trapped in a dragon’s lair, what is Elodie to do?! Well, Elodie doesn’t wait for a hero. She knows that no hero is coming…so she must fight back! Her journey becomes one of resourcefulness, courage, and empowerment, as she battles the dragon and the forces that have wronged her.

The dragon, voiced by Shohreh Aghdashloo, is no mere monster! Sleek and feline in her appearance and movements, this dragon is a powerful symbol of the kingdom’s dark history, her molten lava breath making her a formidable foe! We potatoes were in love with the creature design! Absolutely stunning! The dragon’s backstory adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, and as the film progresses, we potatoes couldn’t help but feel that Elodie and the dragon share a certain kinship, both trapped and deceived by a world that treats them as mere pawns.

One of the standout themes in Damsel is how clearly Elodie has been parentified. Her relationship with her younger sister, Floria, shows just how much emotional responsibility has been placed on her shoulders, a burden far too heavy for someone her age. We potatoes couldn’t help but notice how normalized this is, especially for young women. Society often expects girls, and women to adopt caretaking roles, to sacrifice their own well-being to nurture others. Elodie doesn’t just look after Floria like a sister, she mothers her, stepping into a role that their emotionally distant and self-absorbed father Lord Bayford, has left wide open.

We also found the writing, and portrayal of Lady Bayford, Elodie’s stepmother, refreshing! She defies the stereotypical “wicked stepmother” trope. Played by the ever-incredible Angela Bassett, Lady Bayford is caring and deeply aware of the complex dynamics between her and the girls. She wants to be a support system but knows she’s not fully relied upon and trusted. She respects the girl’s relationship and works to strike a balance that is rarely portrayed in fantasy. Lady Bayford’s gentle persistence helps the sisters realize that they don’t have to shoulder everything on their own. It was a welcome relief to see a stepmother portrayed with such warmth and nuance! Something we potatoes greatly appreciated!

But probably, the most prevailing aspect of Damsel is the way it shines a light on how women are often objectified and treated as commodities. Elodie is literally sold off to secure a financial “alliance”, and the moment she’s deemed expendable, she’s immediately cast aside. The transactional nature of Elodie’s marriage, the way she’s silenced and objectified even by her own father, all reflect the societal structures that women still face today. But by the end, Elodie has rewritten her own story and while this is an empowering message, it is saddening that women are put in this position in the first place. Being treated like fellow human beings should not have to be such a fight. It should be the default. But we potatoes digress!

While we potatoes did enjoy the film immensely, it did have a few issues. The films pacing was a bit off. We felt like the movie would have benefited significantly from devoting more time at the beginning to establishing Elodie’s character and backstory. But! While the film’s pacing and dialogue may have some rough patches, we potatoes were thoroughly entertained! Is this a perfect film? No, but the special effects are absolutely beautiful, the dragon is particularly stunning, the story telling is engaging and we potatoes had a good time with it overall!

At its core, Damsel is a story about fighting back when the world tries to tell you who you are, about reclaiming your power, and about finding strength in the face of impossible odds. It has some entertaining twists, captivating visuals, and an empowering message that we can get behind!

If you’re looking for a fairy tale where the princess picks up the sword and takes control of her own destiny then Damsel is the film for you! We potatoes had a lot of fun with it, and recommend it! It’s got dragons, betrayals, stunning effects, and a heroine who refuses to play by anyone’s rules but her own! Cheers to Elodie’s fierce journey, to Shohreh Aghdashloo’s fiery dragon, and to a film that dares to flip the script on what it means to be a damsel! And most importantly, cheers to you!

We give this movie a solid 3 out of 5 dragon cocktails!

The Damsel Drinking Game

Take a sip anytime:

1.     Anyone says "Elodie" or "Ellie"

2.     Anyone mentions a monster/creature/beast in the mountain

3.     Elodie's father acts shady

4.     Glow worms on screen

5.     There's a flashback

6.     There's a dragon on screen

7.     There's a scenery shots

8.     The queen of Aurea feels suspicious or shady

9.     The dragon calls Elodie "Little Bird"

10.  Elodie discovers something new in the caves

What did you think? Did you like the movie? Did you hate it? What movies should we watch? Any and all thoughts are welcome! Let us know here in the comments and always remember to be safe and drink responsibly!