If there’s one reason to watch “Damsel,” one of Netflix’s latest originals, it’s to see Millie Bobby Brown in action. Brown, known for her iconic role in Stranger Things, once again captivates audiences in “Damsel.” Channeling her trademark charisma, she navigates a thrilling narrative filled with fire-breathing dragons, perilous adventures into the unknown, and courageous acts of familial devotion.

But despite Brown’s off-the-charts performance, “Damsel,” directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and released by Netflix on March 8, has received only mixed reviews among critics. The movie quickly and deservedly charted on Netflix’s “Top 10 list,” probably due to Brown’s strong performance as Elodie, but “Damsel” has not reached critical acclaim, scoring only 56% and falling into the “rotten” category on Rotten Tomatoes. Nevertheless, I still found the movie worth to be exceptional and worth your time. . 

The movie begins with Prince Henry (Nick Robinson) and Elodie, one royal and one non-royal, getting married. The royals occupy a land that was previously home to a dragon, leaving the dragon aggravated by the presence of the royals. Later, when their wedding occurs, Queen Isabelle (Robin Wright) gently slices each of the bride’s and groom’s hands, symbolizing the sharing of “royal blood” with the non-royal. 

As the ceremony ends and they process down the aisle, Prince Henry unexpectedly throws Elodie off a bridge into a dark abyss below the city as a sacrifice put forth to the fire-breathing dragon as repayment for taking the dragon’s land, crippling her during the fall. While in the abyss, Elodie attempts to survive while being hunted by the dragon, resorting to hiding and fighting. Eventually, Lord Bayfore (Ray Winstone), Elodie’s father, and other soldiers embark on a rescue mission. The search party distracts the dragon and gives Elodie a chance to escape, but sadly, her father doesn’t make it out alive. 

After the escape, the dragon becomes aggravated, leaving Queen Isabelle no choice but to sacrifice Elodie’s sister, Floria (Brook Carter). When Elodie finds out what’s happened to her sister, she feels she must go back to the cave and save her. Elodie comes armed with a sword and, in an intense fight scene, cripples the dragon to a state where she can attempt to reason with the dragon, explaining that she is not actually a royal, she just shares Prince Henry’s blood. The dragon appears to understand and accompanies Elodie to Prince Henry’s wedding to another woman. The dragon ruins the palace, dressing the royal family with much-deserved revenge. 

You are guaranteed to be impressed whenever Elodie is shown fighting the dragon or confronting danger head-on. The strategies and the can-do attitude of Elodie give the viewer no choice but to marvel. Elodie’s discoveries and countless head-on battles leave the viewer feeling inspired and in awe, as they are transported into the magical world.

Despite the slight gore, “Damsel” is worth watching. The sheer power and perseverance exhibited by all the characters, Elodie in particular, leads directly to my high rating. The defeat of the dragon and the grit despite Elodie being crippled shows how one can do anything they put their mind to. This movie might not be the one to watch with younger audiences, but it should move to the top of any other “watch list.”