The King's Daughter (2022) - Welcome Escapism in Difficult Times - 7/10 (10/02/22)

The King's Daughter is a fantasy drama with historical elements that was filmed eight years ago but only released now due to Chinese actress Fan Bingbing being involved in some legal issues and the ongoing pandemic making a release quite challenging. This movie impresses with lush locations and decent acting sequences. The plot remains rather shallow however and won't leave a lasting impression.

The story revolves around Marie-Joseph who grew up in a French convent by the sea. As a child and teenager, she had a rebellious attitude and didn't always respect the rules. As she becomes a young woman, she is brought to the court of the King of France. Along with her personal assistant Magali, she is amazed by the lush locations and falls in love with a fisherman called Captain Yves. Things however take a sinister turn when Marie-Joseph learns that a beautiful mermaid is supposed to be sacrificed to grant the King of France eternal life. The surprises don't stop there as the young woman discovers that the King of France is actually her father. He expects her to marry the son of a rich businessman. Marie-Joseph now must decide whether she should follow her heart and escape with the mermaid and the fisherman or follow her mind and sacrifice her ideals for her country and her King.

This movie has several strong elements that should keep viewers watching until the very end. First and foremost, the locations, settings and special effects are truly impressive. Some scenes were filmed on location in Versailles. The majestic castle and its gigantic gardens look absolutely stunning. The scenes filmed in the water cave and on the ocean also ooze with atmosphere. The skillful light effects make the settings look even more glamorous.

The acting performances are overall also very decent. Kaya Scodelario convinces as rebellious daughter of the King of France. Her performance strongly reminds of the acting chops of Kristen Stewart but she even manages to be more versatile than said icon. Pierce Brosnan also convinces as King of France and portrays a charismatic character that is perfectly balanced between selfishness and empathy, self-confidence and fear, ignorance and wisdom. William Hurt delivers the goods as resilient Père La Chaise and it's refreshing to see a member of the Catholic Church being portrayed as an empathic hero rather than a closed-minded villain once in a while.

The film however also has its share of flaws. The story is very predictable and rips off numerous fairy tales as the King's daughter falls in love with a poor fisherman and confronts her father who prefers her to marry the wealthy but superficial son of an influential businessman. The idea to include a mermaid even further transforms this movie into a childish fairy tale, especially since that element doesn't add much to the story line. Fan Bingbing who incarnates the mermaid looks heavily processed by visual computer effects and doesn't speak one single word throughout the movie. The mermaid could have really been played by any actress and Fan Bingbing's talents are certainly underused here and one has to wonder if the only reason for her to get cast was to get attention from Asian cineasts.

At the end of the day, The King's Daughter is a lush fairy tale that should especially please children and young teenagers. Especially girls and female teenagers should easily empathize with the rebellious protagonist and the exotic mermaid. As for the parents and older audiences who might watch this movie, they should simply focus on the beautiful settings and impressive special effects that have aged very well. The movie was certainly worth to be released almost eight years after it had been filmed. While The King's Daughter entertains from start to finish and offers welcome escapism in difficult times, it doesn't leave a lasting impression and doesn't exploit its full potential.