Damsel, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's fantasy action adventure starring Millie Bobby Brown, is now streaming on Netflix, and the review embargo lifted late last night shortly before the movie premiered.
This is never usually a great sign, and sure enough, the majority of critics have not been won over by the 28 Weeks Later director's surprisingly gruesome (for a PG-13 rating, at least) foray into the fantasy genre.
With just over 50 reviews counted, Damsel currently sits at 54% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Critics seem to be all over the place on this one, with some hailing Brown's performance as a highlight, and others far less convinced by the Stranger Things star's lead turn. Similarly, the movie's dragon - voiced by Shohreh Aghdashloo - has been singled out by some as a terrifying creation who elevates the movie whenever she's on-screen, while others feel that the creature is brought to life via sub-par CGI.
For me, the dragon is by far the best part of the movie, but I wouldn't say it's a total washout by any means.
Check out a new clip of Elodie preparing for battle below, and let us know if you plan on giving Damsel a go despite the mixed reviews in the comments section.
Brown plays a princess named Elodie, who believes all of her dreams have come true when she is betrothed to Prince Henry. However, she soon comes to realize that the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to a dragon to repay an ancient debt.
Elodie is abandoned in the fire-breathing beast's cave, and when it becomes clear that no knights in shining armour are coming to save her, she decides to take matters into her own hands and slay the fire-breathing beast herself with the aid of an indomitable spirit and a very large sword.
Damsel was helmed by 28 Weeks Later director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, from a script by Dan Mazeau (Fast X). Brown also serves as an executive producer along with Mazeau, Robert Brown (Hell’s Kitchen), Mark Bomback (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes), and Sue Baden-Powell (Alpha). The movie also stars Jurassic World's Nick Robinson, Black Panther's Angela Bassett, and Black Widow's Ray Winstone.
"A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, she must rely on her wits and will to survive," reads the official synopsis.