Damsel (2024) is a dark fantasy film that overturn the classic fairy-tale narrative of a helpless princess waiting to be rescued. Instead, it presents a story of survival, resilience, and self-determination, centered on a young woman forced to rely on her own strength when tradition and power turn against her.
The film follows Elodie, a dutiful and kind-hearted young woman who agrees to marry a handsome prince to save her impoverished kingdom. What begins as a seemingly noble alliance quickly reveals its horrifying truth: Elodie has been offered as a human sacrifice to an ancient dragon, part of a long-standing royal bargain meant to protect the royal bloodline. Betrayed and abandoned, she is thrown into a vast, treacherous cave system where survival seems impossible.
( The above picture is not mine)
Alone in the darkness, injured and hunted, Elodie must confront not only the dragon but also her own fears. The film places heavy emphasis on her ingenuity and endurance as she learns to navigate the deadly labyrinth, using intelligence rather than brute force to stay alive. Flashbacks to her upbringing and her relationship with her stepmother add emotional depth, reinforcing the theme that true strength is often taught quietly, not inherited through power or privilege.
Visually, Damsel leans into moody lighting, rugged landscapes, and an oppressive atmosphere that mirrors Elodie’s isolation. The dragon is portrayed not merely as a monster, but as a symbol of a cruel system upheld by generations of deceit and sacrifice. Rather than framing rescue as the ultimate goal, the story challenges the idea that salvation must come from a prince.
Ultimately, Damsel is a feminist reimagining of fantasy folklore. It replaces passivity with agency and romance with reckoning, delivering a tale where survival becomes an act of rebellion and a woman’s refusal to be sacrificed becomes the story’s most powerful triumph.