Damsel (2024 film)
Damsel, an American dark fantasy film released in 2024, is directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and written by Dan Mazeau. Millie Bobby Brown takes on the role of Elodie, who, after accepting a marriage proposal, discovers she’s being manipulated to settle ancient debts of a royal family. Now, she must flee while evading attacks from a lurking dragon in the chasm. The film also features Ray Winstone, Nick Robinson, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Angela Bassett, and Robin Wright.
Netflix released Damsel on March 8, 2024, garnering mixed reviews.
PLOT
The plot unfolds with the futile attempt of Aurea’s first king to vanquish a dragon within his domain, resulting in the demise of his entire entourage and leaving him at the dragon’s mercy.
Centuries later, Elodie, Lord Bayford’s adolescent daughter, receives a marriage proposal from Queen Isabelle of Aurea for her son, Prince Henry. Pressured by her father’s wishes to aid their struggling people, Elodie consents to the union. Upon arrival in Aurea, Elodie and Henry initially display disinterest in each other but gradually form a connection, sharing a mutual longing for adventure. Despite Lady Bayford’s attempts to foster a relationship with Queen Isabelle, her efforts prove fruitless, and she futilely urges Elodie to call off the engagement.
Following the wedding, Elodie and Henry engage in an age-old mountain ritual purportedly celebrating their marriage. Isabelle reveals the ancient pact between the first king and the dragon, which demanded the sacrifice of his three daughters for peace. During a ceremony involving symbolic hand-cutting and hand-holding, Henry escorts Elodie across a perilous path above the dragon’s lair, ultimately casting her into the chasm.
Surviving the fall, Elodie realizes she is the intended sacrifice. Escaping the dragon’s fiery wrath despite sustaining a leg injury, she stumbles upon an illuminated cave teeming with luminous slugs, which she gathers for illumination. Discovering a chamber marked with the inscription “Safe Here She Cannot Reach,” alongside the names of previous victims and a carved map, Elodie finds respite and healing as the slugs mend her burnt leg while she rests.
DAMSEL (OFFICIAL TRAILER)
Cast
Millie Bobby Brown as Elodie
Ray Winstone as Lord Bayford, the lord of an unnamed northern land and Elodie’s father
Angela Bassett as Lady Bayford, the wife of Lord Bayford and Elodie’s stepmother
Brooke Carter as Floria, Elodie’s younger sister
Nick Robinson as Prince Henry, the prince of Aurea
Robin Wright as Queen Isabelle, the queen regnant of Aurea and Prince Henry’s mother
Milo Twomey as King Roderick, the king consort of Aurea and Prince Henry’s father
Nicole Joseph as Princess Victoria, one of the previous princesses sacrificed to the dragon
Shohreh Aghdashloo as the voice of the Dragon, an unnamed dragon that demands sacrifices of Aurea’s princesses
