I didn’t have high expectations for Damsel, mainly because Millie Bobby Brown’s film career has been largely underwhelming despite her evident skill as an actress. However, this Juan Carlos Fresnadillo directorial might be one of her more solid outings overall.
Initially, Damsel starts out largely bland and basic. The costumes, sets, and lighting are all pretty good, especially considering it’s a made-for-streaming movie where these aspects are often sacrificed to save money on the budget for big stars. However, it all feels rather generic, like a mediocre stage play brought to life with a slew of unconvincing performances (aside from maybe Ray Winstone).
However, the movie really picks up in the second act. The scenes with the dragon are compelling, and the action is thrilling at points. The effects and colors of the environment and the dragon add a lot to the film. Once the danger begins, the pacing really picks up, making it fly allowing Millie Bobby Brown to shine. There are moments that can be a little silly (such as improbable survival scenarios or lack of communication to resolve conflicts), but it’s entertaining nonetheless.
Overall, Damsel isn’t bad for a Netflix action film. It has slower moments that are hard to get through, and sometimes it feels like not everyone’s heart is fully invested in the project, but I believe it can easily find its audience among fantasy enthusiasts. Give it a try and see for yourself.
To follow up on some Oscar bait material, Peter Farrelly is returning to his roots with a half-decent comedy, and man, is it average. Will it be good for a couple of chuckles? Absolutely. I think that’s mostly attributed to John Cena’s committed performance. He’s not given a lot to work with, in fact, it’s quite minimal, but he does his absolute best.
Everyone does a pretty solid job. I’d say the only performance I wasn’t entirely sold on was probably Heather Mitchell’s, but that’s mostly because her character was cartoonishly evil. The movie tries to juggle a lot in terms of threads and narratives, many of which don’t get resolved (for example, Zac Efron’s character shows hesitation in having a kid with his girlfriend, which goes nowhere, and some people are suspicious of Ricky Stanicky but ultimately get over it).
Ricky Stanicky is decently funny and has plenty of fun gags that will leave you chuckling. It does go on for a bit too long, but it’s not a pain to get through; in fact, it’s an enjoyable watch. It’s probably a fun one to watch with your buddies, have a couple of drinks, and laugh at together.
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