There are those actors who I've never caught out in anything that wasn't very good. Despite her young age Millie Bobby Brown was shaping up to be one of those actors. Granted, I've only seen Stranger Things and the two Enola Holmes movies, but I like them both a lot, and I like her a lot in them. Damsel is not a bad movie. Not exactly. It has a wonderful cast including the divine Robin Wright, one of my favourite British character actors, Ray Winstone, and Angela Bassett, though the latter is given absolutely nothing to use her considerable talents on. And Millie Bobby Brown, up until now, has been that rare combination of a very good and very likable actor. But a very good cast cannot save a script that has nothing new to say or to show us, a dragon that never feels real and whose voice and dialogue verges on just plain silly. And Millie Bobby Brown herself, and maybe this is just me, but I think it isn't, seems to be putting on an accent despite being British. All of that makes it sound like Damsel is an awful movie. But it's not. It's good. But it's just good. And it has all the elements and the cast to have been a better than just good movie. And the presence of Robin Wright and Ray Winstone, who seldom make anything but very good or great things, and of Millie Bobby Brown herself suggests it started out to be something better than it turned out to be. Maybe they polished down the script until it was too generic, until it had no edges or quirks. Or maybe the direction went for glibness and hallmarks rather than texture and uniqueness. It just feels like Damsel wanted to be a much better movie than it turned out to be. As a star vehicle, which it was obviously meant to be, Millie Bobby Brown is just not given any moment to exercise her considerable charm. We don't see that almost goofy laugh or that smile. And maybe she herself wanted to try something more serious. But it's a mistake. Because we don't end up caring about or liking her character deeply the way we did in other roles. And similar things can be said for the other superb actors in this cast. We see little of Robin Wright's range or her command of subtlety. Ray Winstone has some moments, but they are few and the film definitely does not make use of this this actor's presence. All these actors are cast as types. Not characters. And the same can be said of Millie Bobby Brown in the lead. And again I'm making Damsel sound like a terrible move. It's not a terrible move. Many people will quite like it I'm sure. And then they'll go on to forget it. Who knows. Maybe the actors did give better performances and it all ended up on a cutting room floor. Well, they don't do that anymore. But you get my drift. Maybe some editor, the director, or some producer just took it and made it as generic as inoffensive and as safe as possible, and in doing so, cut the soul right out of this film. Or maybe they just made and settled for a good enough but not great movie. I don't know which would be worse. That they made this sort of good film on purpose. Or that something or someone happened to make Damsel less than the film it wanted to be. I'd give it a 6 out 10. I think there are enough good elements to raise it above 5. So, you decide.... If you're a Millie Bobby Brown fan, you'll probably still be one, just a little bit less of one, after watching Damsel. Or, if you want to remain a big fan... Maybe give Damsel a miss. At least for now...
Review of Damsel
