This damsel is in distress, but she has to save herself. Millie Bobby Brown plays a woman who’s betrothed to a handsome prince, only to find out that she’s part of the family’s ritual sacrifice. She’s tossed (literally) into a chasm that would have severely injured any mortal. Instead, she jumps up to encounter a fire-breathing dragon (who also talks in the sultry voice of Shohreh Aghdashloo). While her dilemma starts out to be relatively thrilling, by the time she’s run the gauntlet of credibility-straining challenges, it just feels absurd. Plus, her eventual haggard look is simply too glam. Brown does OK in the role, but it’s Robin Wright, as the evil queen, who brings the only interesting character to the film. Even though the visuals can be grand and attractive, the CGI is terrible and often looks fake. As an action adventure, this movie checks some of the boxes, but it’s ultimately a clumsy vehicle for Brown. 
(2 / 5)