The Marsh King's Daughter

I was really looking forward to this, purely based off on vibes. I didn't have any prior knowledge about it. The lighting's off; it looked like there was a filter on the entire time. Personally, I would have preferred it to have a more natural look because the filter didn't really enhance anything. I just started watching 'Siren' and Gil Birmingham plays a cop there too, which was a very similar role, identical really.

The story here is pretty intriguing, though it has no mystery element making it feel predictable. From the title alone, I thought it'd be similar to 'Where the Crawdads Sing,' but the similarity only lies in the setting. It reminds me somewhat of 'Stockholm, Pennsylvania' (2015) with Saoirse Ronan, although I find the story better here, but not the movie itself. It begins similarly, with a girl who was kidnapped, but her father never hurt or abused her, so she's distraught when he's portrayed as a monster. Difference is here we time jump decades later, Her past still affects her as she now has her own family and life and stuff.

The movie, in my opinion, is average; nothing exceptional, making it quite forgettable. I wasn't too invested in the characters. It's a slow-paced psychological thriller, not too emotionally intense, and the high points didn't quite hit their mark. The third act was probably always going to be challenging to execute. I couldn't think of a more natural ending for the story so it didn't bother me too much. I think it was intentionally kept simple and straightforward, because it had the potential to be much darker and more intricate.

I don't like to be that person who says the book was better, but in this case I couldn't enjoy the film because I had read the book. The film felt rushed and it lacked deepness: the story, the characters and the relations between them lacked deepness. Everything happened really fast and what we got to see from the main character's childhood wasn't enough. Since it lacked deepness, some moments seemed like they made no sense.

My boyfriend hadn't read the book, but he went to see the film with me and he also felt like it was rushed and that they just tried to summarize a complex story with complex characters.

It's a very good story though and it will keep you entertained, specially if you know nothing about it. Also the acting isn't bad at all. I give it a 6 based on the film itself, ignoring the existence of the book.

Anyway, I hope you get to enjoy it.

"The Marsh King's Daughter" is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Based on the novel by Karen Dionne, the movie tells the story of Helena, a woman who must confront her traumatic past when her father, a dangerous fugitive, escapes from prison. The film expertly weaves together elements of suspense, drama, and mystery, creating a tense and atmospheric experience for the audience. The performances are top-notch, with strong portrayals from the lead actors. Overall, "The Marsh King's Daughter" is a haunting and intense film that will leave viewers thinking long after the credits roll.

I was quite lucky I didn't read the IMDb synopsis for 'The Marsh King's Daughter' before seeing it, because it would've completely ruined the film's opening - and the opening is the strongest thing this film has going for it.

From there the film falls into "perfectly fine" land. Everything is passable and it's a mildly entertaining way to pass 110 minutes. But there's nothing daring or original or memorable here sadly.

The film also relies heavily on characters making nonsensical decisions that only make sense as a method to drive the plot forward. You either get used to that in this film or you're unlikely to have a good time.

As I mentioned, if you go in with a positive attitude and you're not looking for perfection you might just have a reasonably good time with this film. Even if you do however, I doubt you'll think about it again a week after seeing it. 6/10.

The characters in this film extremely well portrayed by Mendelsohn and Daisy Ridley. Helena (played by Daisy) young girl brought up in the marshes and taught to survive in nature. I loved this a real bond between father and daughter in the wilderness later in the film you can see how torn Helena is between the modern world and the natural world, not quite knowing where she fits, the film lays out the extreme Bond and love between a mother and a daughter and the idolisation of a father. This one is definitely worth a watch story runs at a good pace it delivered well. Most mothers would die for their children you will have to watch the film to see if this is necessary.