EF 9.01 – Damsel (2024)

“I am deeply sorry for underestimating you.”

Never underestimate an Emily! Millie Bob Brown (Stranger Things) masters the elements in a scorching new throne game from Netflix.

Elodie is the young princess, equal parts fire and rain. She is of humble Genovian nobility like Rose or Elizabeth. To enrich the bloodline her father (Ray Winstone) marries her to Prince Henry of Aurea (Wales). Like, jackpot.

Prince Henry (Nick Robinson) is charming and handsome enough. His orthodox mother (Robin Wright) however? Terrifying. What are her demands…

And then of course there is The Dragon, who’s (she speaks) incendiary introduction is Jaws-worthy. She is known to the audience from the get go, but to Elodie remains hidden. I loved this play of dramatic irony in the story.

I loved everything about the writing, in fact. The serpentine plot surprised me at every turn. It slithers, yet unfurls with straightforward efficiency and precision.

For a PG-13 Damsel is perfectly dark. Dark like the blood-soaked lair of it’s scaly winged creature master.

Damsel was an eye-opening experience; I underestimated it from the trailer. A high excalibur production compliments the bold writing. And Millie gives her most compelling performance to date. For the talented brit superstar one iconic role is most certainly on the horizon: Tomb Raider.

*Important Update: DO NOT watch the official trailer. It contains major spoilers. (I was referring to the teaser trailer in the last paragraph.)

-Experience Film

“Will drive our ships to new lands…”

Damsel

Release Date: March 8, 2024
Rated: PG-13 (For strong creature violence)

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later)
Writers: Dan Mazeau (Fast X, Wrath of The Titans)
Starring: Millie Bob Brown, Nick Robinson, Ray Winstone, Angela Bassett, and Robin Wright

Music: David Fleming

The Inside Out: Fear (24) Anger (24), Disgust (15) Sadness (10), Joy (5)

41 thoughts on “EF 9.01 – Damsel (2024)”

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  1. The key to any good movie is its WRITING. Dan Mazeau, the screenwriter in question, should be applauded for tackling this subject-matter with such verve and inspiration.

    It is an open joke in Hollywood how weak the writer’s position is. I would like to found a movie studio of my own and make the writer number-One on the power list — ahead of producers, movie stars, everyone.

    It takes a writer to properly envision the world. Without his pen, there would be no world. Quentin Tarantino got a measly $100K for writing TRUE ROMANCE — when Christian Slater says how he’d let Elvis f**k him, it’s brilliant writing. You only get your due if you’re an auteur, combining directing skills with writing chops. It’s too damn bad.

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    1. Of the greatest Hollywood lines ever written, Tarantino must have dozen of them, at least. If they aren’t great, they are hilariously funny which is better. To your point the writer’s guild went on strike last summer and shut down the entire industry. They received a handsome raise in timely fashion. More than the actors. A good script is a failsafe architectural blueprint. A good script could be executed by the three stooges in the director’s chair. The power of words!

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  2. I enjoyed her as Enola Holmes, so this one has been on my radar since the first trailer. I did not have high expectations, but now I’ll bump it up the priority list.
    FYI, I finally watched Sucker Punch and I liked it overall, even though it’s a bit of a mixed bag. It does feel like it was ahead of its time and watching it in 2024 does lose a bit of the original punch. On the surface, it looks like a girl power movie, but there’s so much more on the psychological level, domestic abuse, institutional abuse… Society has undergone a big shift since the MeToo movement.

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    1. Having low expectation for Damsel is key to the approach, I’d say. My expectations were low and that meant I was pleasantly surprised. The very first line of the movie is very bold feminism, and I would imagine Sank the interest of many viewers. Millie is fantastic, so if you are a fan of hers you should enjoy her performance. The dragon scenes are totally badass. People are melted and crushed and blood everywhere. It should almost be R-rated for the violence. But I am glad it is limited to PG-13… Sucker Punch! A “mixed bag” for sure. I feel the same about. Great observations. Parts of the movie are still confusing to me after 3 viewings. And too many guns. Too heavy handed with the guns. BUT that was also a sign of the time it was made. First person shooter video games like Call of Duty were at their peak of popularity… Yes I also think the movie has psychological depth, and also the themes of abuse are interesting to explore, yes!.. I really hope a 4K version of Sucker Punch is released because The action visuals are so good! But I feel they deserve 4K picture quality. Thanks for the great comment!

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    1. The reviews are mediocre. I’d say If you are able to overcome the first line of the script, something about women not needing men to save them, then you stand a chance of enjoying this. It’s a bold line, and I can see it torpedoing the interest of many a movie-goer.

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  5. Sounds cool. I’m not into these types of shows, usually, but I will definitely be giving it a watch. I notice it’s out in time for EMMY consideration.

    (On another note…have you seen Tokyo Vice?)

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    1. Tokyo Vice – You won’t believe this, just earlier today I was wondering to myself in the car, what Ansel Elgort has been up to bc I haven’t seen him since Baby Driver and West Side Story. Love him! Sounds like Tokyo Vice is a must then?

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      1. Tokyo Vice is a must! Best show to come along in years. I do like a lot of shows, but Tokyo Vice is in a league all its own.
        I watched 2 episodes of Regime. Everyone is raving! Highly advertised in EMMY magazine.
        I’m going to watch another episode, maybe it gets better, but right now MEH! I had to take a break.
        Treat yourself, watch from the beginning of season 1!

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      2. Excellent – I’ll be sure to check it out!🙌🏻 I am blind to shows in general – In the age of infinite content shows are for me the painful sacrifice category. I’d love to watch more than I do but that would cut into my movie watching time.. Excited about Tokyo Vice though

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      3. I’m torn. I love movies, but I’m a voting member of the ATAS… so If I don’t watch a show, I can’t nominate or vote for it…..in all good conscience.
        I don’t have to watch full seasons. Once shows are nominated I must watch the episode that is presented.

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      1. My thoughts were that you did, but after watching it, I was pleasantly surprised. I just realized the end twist could have been inspired by Shrek. 😀

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  7. I’m kind of looking forward to this, because dragons, although I’m not anticipating anything up to the level of Dragonslayer from 1980 (including in terms of dragon special effects). So I guess I have my expectations set properly. 😂 Also, TIL that Millie Bobby Brown is British?!?!

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  9. I always like to go into movies with little information beforehand. It is easier to know what a movie is about these days because it feels like a lot of the most recent movie releases a e apart of a series, a inspired by another film, or reimagined from an original version. I’m glad this movie exceeded your expectations from the trailer, you made me actually want to check it out!

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    1. I don’t recommend watching the trailer for Damsel. Teaser maybe, but not the trailer. It shows too much. There was no need to show the first plot twist in the trailer.

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    2. I agree with Uri’s comment 100. DO NOT watch the trailer. Actually When I watched the movie 2 nights ago I had only seen a teaser, I guess, which showed very little. I did not realize The netflix trailer shows wayy too much. Ruins it… Let us know what you think if you watch!

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    1. Wow very similar; Thanks so much for sharing. I also just replied to your comment warning about not watching the Netflix trailer – I had not seen that trailer until today. I was shocked by how much that trailer spoiled! I think I am going to have to write a follow up post with this new information, to further warn people🤦🏽😅

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  11. Pingback: Damsel Trailer Torture – Experience Film

    1. I seem to have enjoyed Damsel more than most people, but it’s worth a watch… Stranger Things is my favorite TV show. Here is my tip for watching The last season (Season 4) if and when you watch – The first few episodes are brilliant. But The later episodes are very messy, violent, and overly long. I skim through the end, honestly.

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      1. We all have our own tastes in film and TV shows. You remind me of how one day my siblings, dad, and I went to the movies to watch “The Men Who Stare At Goats”. Everyone else thought the movie was “meh”. I found it very inspiring.

        BTW, didn’t season 4 of Stranger Things end up with the town being all destroyed with the monsters from The Other Side about to invade? I might be forgetting a few things here and there.

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  16. The movie was actually really cool when I watched it. This time around, the damsel in distress used her wits to save herself instead of waiting for a prince to save her.

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  17. When I saw her in the first season of Stranger Things, I was floored. She was amazing, I thought. I’m so glad she got this new role and there’s wonderful writing that buoys her up. We were watching her in the Holmes shows, too, and I’m embarrassed to say I became annoyed with her shrill British voice and stopped watching it. Uggggh. I’m a terrible person! lol I liked the show’s premise, and still liked her. Just had an issue with octaves for some reason. Hope to check out this new thing, tho…..!

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