How Netflix’s Damsel Tried to Channel Daenerys Targaryen, but Failed Miserably

Summary:

• Damsel is one of Netflix 's latest originals, starring Millie Bobby Brown as the princess who saves herself.
• In the film, the heroine befriends the dragon, which earned her comparisons to Game of Thrones ’ Daenerys Targaryen.
• However, the girlboss fairy tale failed to impress critics, landing with a 59% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Though the television and film industries are quickly learning to cater to all kinds of women in the content they create, there are still not enough stories with heroines who take care of themselves and don't rely on the support and strength of men to get them out of trouble.

As one of the pioneers of feminist content on television, Netflix has been preparing an action-packed fairy tale, Damsel, for release in March, celebrating all the strong princesses who can take care of themselves and don't have to wait for a prince to slay the dragon. However, the Stranger Things star-led movie turned out to be lukewarm at best.

What really put Damsel in distress from the bad reviews? And could Elodie really live up to Dayenerys? Here's everything you need to know about the Damsel.

Is Netflix’s Damsel Bad?

While Damsel is far from terrible and has a pretty good rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it's definitely more controversial than Netflix would like it to be. Created as a love letter to all strong women and released during Women's Month, the film left many viewers wondering who its audience was supposed to be.

Damsel puts an unexpected twist on a tale as old as time. We have a princess who has been thrown into a dragon's dungeon. But instead of waiting for the prince, she knows full well that he and his parents were responsible for her imprisonment in the first place. So she's the only one who can help herself and save the kingdom from evil monarchs.

With Millie Bobby Brown as the lead character, Elodie, and Angela Basset as Elodie's stepmother, Netflix could've hit the jackpot with the casting alone. However, according to many viewers, these two performances were the only good things about the film as a whole.

Among the critical concerns that led to Damsel's 59% Rotten Tomatoes rating were the wacky use of CGI and a lack of understanding of the target audience. Too violent for children, the movie is clearly aimed at young adult women, but it proves to be too drawn out and predictable to be exciting.

The only thing Damsel got right, according to most viewers, was giving the girl with the dragon the ending they both deserved. Although Elodie still can't be compared to Daenerys in any way, at least she got her happy ending.

If you're interested in watching Damsel and judging the new style of fairy tales for yourself, be sure to stream it on Netflix.