Deception, dragons and a damsel in distress make for a delightfully dark twist on classic fairy tales in Damsel, a story the Brothers Grimm would be proud of. 

Millie Bobby Brown’s portrayal of Elodie is spot on, following her roles of the titular Enola Holmes and Eleven in “Stranger Things.” She is fierce and dedicated, willing to do whatever is necessary for her family and her people. 

The movie begins with the standard trope of a young woman being dutiful and agreeing to marry a prince in order to provide her kingdom enough gold and food to survive an unbearable winter. What Elodie does not know is she is signing on to be sacrificed to a dragon to protect the kingdom of her new husband.  

Although this movie is not devoid of cliches and typical fairy tale tropes, it offers a fresh perspective with strong, female characters that persevere in spite of the men in their lives. 

My favorite stray from typical fairy tale lore is the relationship between Elodie and her stepmother, Lady Bayford, played by Angela Bassett. Even though it is painfully obvious that Elodie misses her mother, she is loved by Lady Bayford, who spends much of the movie trying to protect her stepdaughters. 

The second atypical element is the happy ending, which has nothing to do with a man. There is no knight in shining armor or grand gesture of romantic love. It is simply a band of women rebuilding their lives after a traumatic experience. 

While I do not see this movie going on to win any major awards or becoming a classic, it was an enjoyable watch. I thought it was shot beautifully and the special effects, especially the dragon, were very well done.

It held my attention, which says a lot considering I typically end up scrolling on my phone less than 30 minutes into a movie. I give this movie 4 out of 5 Mustangs.