Damsel

I really didn't have very high expectations going into this, but Damsel was a blast! This was the first time I watched something starring Millie Bobby Brown since Stranger Things and she did not disappoint! She was a total badass and I hope she continues to do more sci-fi, horror, and dark fantasy roles. I thought this was going to be pretty tame as far as blood and gore goes but that too surpassed my expectation. The dragon was very well done, some great CGI throughout, and awesome cast. It had been quite some time since I last saw Ray Winstone in anything and he was great in this, as was Robin Wright. Great film, will be watching again!

You know what. I liked it. Was it a masterpiece? Nope not at all. But not every movie needs to be. Some days you just want to be entertained and this movie does the trick. Sure it was corny and predictable, but sometimes you want that in a film.

But it also held my attention for the entire run time - which is kinda impressive considering my short attention span (normally I'd be on my phone after the first 30mins or so).

Plus the dragon was brilliant. I loved everything about it. It's design and animation was cool and Shohreh Aghdashloo's voice was perfect fit for the dragon - Gravelly, but still matronly and feminine.

If you like female heroines kicking butt, dragons, fantasy and pretty special effects and just want some mindless entertainment - give it a try.

I don't really understand why people expect masterpieces from every new movie release.

Damsel is fun, entertaining, special effects are really good, better than latest summer blockbusters with bigger budgets (despite what IGN says) and the plot delivers exactly what it sells. This is not an indie Oscar Winner movie and it doesn't pretend to be neither.

Stop trying to look for art in everything, like there are Bethoveen masterpieces and Tomorrowland EDM music to just jump around there are also movies to admire with all your senses and movies to enjoy on a Sunday evening.

The movie is good and it doesn't deserve to be bashed because people were looking for another Schindler's List on it.

Damsel really isn't as subversive as it thinks it is and takes way too long to get going, wasting the first 30 minutes on a twist so obvious the trailer didn't even bother to hide it. Once it actually gets to the central idea of cat and mouse between a Princess and a Dragon it's a lot stronger, powering through on the momentum of the endless chase.

Despite a few big names in the supporting cast, Millie Bobby Brown really carries this. There's some really clunky lines of dialogue here and she delivers them with enough conviction to make them work. Shohreh Aghdashloo voicing the Dragon is inspired casting that really helps it get going after the weak opening.

Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's direction does a lot to help this Netflix original come closer to looking like a real movie compared to a lot of what's come before. It essentially spends the entire run time alternating between some solid sets, locations and distractingly low quality CG with some good individual set pieces and ideas which remind you this is the director of 28 Weeks Later.

I'll be honest I am not the target audience of this film whatsoever. I only ended up giving it a chance, was due to its relatively good trailer that made me very intrigued.

I didn't have any expectations going in, hope for the best but expect the worst. Overall this film is decent. It's not splitting the atom and not gonna redefine cinema in anyway however it does its job. Good acting, easy story to follow, great CGI and production design plus finishes in under 2 hours.

Off topic but if this isn't an audition for playing Wonder Woman in the future, I don't know what is. I thought Millie Bobby Brown was very comfortable and believable in this lead role. More action centric roles in the future?

60% out of 100, its not just Netflix trying to be Disney, there is a bit more to it. With the correct target audience this film will blow up probably. Not every film needs to be pushing the boundaries. This one certainly stays in it's lane and delivers a solid product.