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Through the centuries, many men have sought to find the secret to immortality—whether though alchemy or the quest for the Fountain of Youth—believing that immortality brings power. And in the long-delayed drama The King’s Daughter, a powerful king tries to find a way to stay in power forever.
The King’s Daughter follows King Louis XIV (Pierce Brosnan) as he seeks immortality to keep himself on France’s throne. He’s sent his trusted captain, Yves De La Croix (Benjamin Walker), to capture a mermaid and hold her captive until the solar eclipse, when he’ll be able to steal her life force. But his plan is complicated by the arrival of his long-hidden daughter, Marie-Josephe (Kaya Scodelario), the court’s new composer, who feels an instant connection with the mermaid (Bingbing Fan). And when she discovers the king’s plan, she becomes determined to stop him.
Brought to Versailles on the king’s orders after being raised by disapproving nuns, Marie-Josephe suddenly finds herself in a completely foreign environment. It’s definitely a striking setting. She’s given her own room in the grand chateau, filled with beautiful gowns and musical instruments. She can wander through the lush, manicured grounds whenever she wants, chatting with her lady-in-waiting. But she’s also surrounded by the excessively made-up men and women of the court, who judge and gossip and are jealous of the attention the king is paying to this common girl who knows nothing of the style and customs of the day. Despite the pressure to behave like a lady of the court, though, she chooses to stay true to herself—which makes her an incredibly admirable character. Of course, her refusal to compromise her feelings and beliefs causes problems for her long-lost father, though, who will sacrifice anything in order to have absolute, eternal power (except, perhaps, for his long, flowing locks—because they’re pretty magnificent).
As their story plays out, it brings plenty of dramatic tension—along with a little bit of magic and romance, too. It’s definitely melodramatic, and it often feels like many of the teen drama series available on Netflix (I know this because my daughter has watched them all). For that reason, it will most appeal to tween and young teen viewers, who will love the drama and fantasy and romance of it all. But it’s not one that will appeal to a more mature crowd.
Thanks to its grand settings and underwater fantasy, there is something magical about The King’s Daughter—at least for those younger viewers. But don’t be fooled by the impressive cast list; this one is purely fluffy teen drama.
The King’s Daughter opens in theaters on January 21, 2022.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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