Netflix users praise movie with 'better dragon' than House of the Dragon

A Netflix release has been praised by a viewer as featuring a dragon superior to that shown in Game of Thrones' prequel House of the Dragon.

It's a bold claim to be sure, but the movie has already seen a flurry of praise online despite only being released yesterday (March 8).

Catch the trailer:

The film

Starring Stranger Things lead Millie Bobby Brown as a princess called Elodie, the movie sees the royal left to fight for herself after her Prince Charming doesn't make the cut.

And as you'll find out when you watch it, the prince doesn't just not step up to the plate, but really backs out of the whole classical prince-saving-princess narrative entirely.

Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and written by Dan Mazeau, the dark fantasy film offers a more feminist take on the classic princess plot, focusing its story instead on a damsel who doesn't actually need to be saved and who goes on to save herself in more ways than one.

Alongside Brown, the Netflix release also stars the likes of Nick Robinson (Prince Henry), Robin Wright (Queen Isabelle) and Angela Bassett (Lady Bayford) and while it subverts the typical princess tale, one role is still very much present and that's the role of the dragon.

Netflix

The reaction

The dragon in the movie - titled Damsel - targets Queen Isabelle’s royal family, hungry for justice after three of its own children were attacked and killed years before.

The role is voiced by Shohreh Aghdashloo and the dragon has received an outpouring of praise online for both Aghdashloo's characterisation and performance of the beast but also its design, one viewer even going so far to weigh in up against the dragons in House of the Dragon.

Taking to LADbible's Facebook group Netflix Bangers, one user questioned 'how' the movie is.

To which another replied: "Amazing! Better dragon than house of dragons. Eleven was badass here. Better role than stranger things."

And the compliments for the dragon's design don't end there either.

Netflix

One viewer took to X to write: "#Damsel was good... definitely worth watching (and I really liked the Dragon design)."

"I watched Damsel on Netflix and it easily has the coolest dragon I've ever seen in a film #Damsel," another added.

"#Damsel was so much fun and had a lot of cool dragon action. Give me more fantasy action movies please! Plus, it's always good to see Millie Bobby Brown, Robin Wright, and Angela Bassett. #DamselNetflix," a third commented.

And a final resolved: "New mother of dragons 8/10 #Damsel."

Damsel is available to watch on Netflix now.