Netflix viewers know Millie Bobby Brown well: starring in Netflix's iconic sci-fi shows "Stranger Things" and the "Enola Holmes" series, she has shot to the top of the ratings rankings with her new movie.

"Damsel," in which Bobby Brown faces off against a fire-breathing dragon, ranked higher than "Spaceman," starring Adam Sandler, "Ruby Gilman: Teenage Kraken," and even "The Super Mario Brothers Movie."

Netflix must be pleased that one of the biggest films of 2024 was such a big hit. However, "The Maiden" is not universally well received, so if you are trying to decide whether or not to add this new fantasy film to your watch list, you need to know the following.

In "The Maiden," Millie Bobby Brown plays a young maiden named Elodie. Daughter of Lord Bayford (Ray Winstone), Elodie is a precocious royal who is asked by Queen Isabel of Aurea (Robin Wright) to marry her son, the handsome Prince Henry (Nick Robinson).

Elodie is initially reluctant to accept, but for the sake of the kingdom's development, he agrees to the marriage with a large dowry. Unfortunately, Elodie's engagement gets off to a rocky start. For the wedding is soon revealed to be a front for an evil plot to sacrifice the young royalty to a fearsome dragon in order to pay off an age-old debt.

But Elodie has no intention of becoming friends with the dragon without a fight, and after summoning all her courage, she decides to prove that she is more than a mere maiden.

"Damsel" got off to a strong start, reaching number one in the ratings less than a week after its premiere on Netflix, but the film received less than stellar reviews from critics. The site's Critics Consensus cited a "lackluster story" and "occasionally unconvincing effects" as reasons for the low rating

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David Opie of Empire magazine felt the film had a conflicting tone. It is "too childish and shallow for adults, but too cruel and grotesque for children. IndieWire's Kate Erbland, meanwhile, gave the Netflix film a C+ and was particularly scathing: "Of course the woman can slay the dragon, but can we get one more passing grade on the script before heading into battle?"

There were also somewhat more favorable reviews, most of which praised Millie Bobby Brown's performance. Rovia Jaquette of The Hollywood Reporter said, "Brown brings the same energy here as she did in her role in the Enola Holmes series," which is definitely a compliment, given that the 2020 detective mystery film and its 2022 sequel have been very well received

"I am very happy to be here.

"The Maiden" appears to be one of those Netflix films where critics and viewers disagree, with a fairly poor critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, but a 72% audience rating from a total of over 1,000 reviews. This suggests that Netflix subscribers enjoyed "Damsel" considerably more than the critics.

"The Maiden" probably won't be topping Netflix's list of best films anytime soon. While the basic premise is compelling, the story has some problems and the special effects are not up to the quality one would expect from a theatrical blockbuster. Nevertheless, fans of Millie Bobby Brown will want to see this Netflix original.

"The Maiden" is not a complete skip, but it is far from the most essential film on Netflix. You may still want to add it to your watch list, but it probably doesn't deserve to be at the front of your Netflix queue. But if you're looking for top quality stuff to stream this week, you might want to catch up on some of this year's Oscar-winning films you missed instead.

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