They say revenge is a dish best served cold. And, Neil Burger’s under-the-radar 2023 pic takes this idea and runs with it… into the wilderness and beyond. The Marsh King’s Daughter is the specific movie in question. For the unaware, it’s largely a cocktail of compelling abduction thriller, with some familial drama thrown in for good measure. For some reason, though, it’s performing really well on streaming services right now.
According to streaming aggregator FlixPatrol, The Marsh King’s Daughter has managed to nab the fourth spot on Amazon Prime’s global Top 10 chart. Furthermore, the film has snagged top 10 positions across 24 countries on Amazon Prime, one country on Rakuten TV, and even the number two spot on Hulu in the US. In short, it’s doing great on streaming platforms at the moment.
When it launched theatrically last year, the psychological revenge thriller didn’t make much of a dent at the box office. In fact, with a measly $3 million haul, it’s fair to say that the flick was a financial disappointment for Lionsgate. Adding insult to injury, The Marsh King’s Daughter also didn’t fare too well with critics. As it stands, the pic holds a 41 percent ‘Rotten’ rating over on Rotten Tomatoes, with a far more impressive Audience rating of 73 percent.
Based on the best-selling novel by Karen Dionne, the narrative centers on a dysfunctional family who’ve been kidnapped by their father. Said fella is dubbed the titular Marsh King (excellently portrayed by Ben Mendelsohn). And while things initially seem pretty peachy, things take a grave turn. That’s right, Helena (played by Daisy Ridley) realises that her doting father isn’t all he’s cracked up to be.
While The Marsh King’s Daughter is far from a stone cold classic, its blend of familiar themes, strong performances, and back-country photography do coalesce into something better than the sum of its parts. Sure, there are moments that feel a little trite and on the nose. And yes, there are some story beats that you’ll see a mile off. But Daisy Ridley’s gripping performance undoubtedly steals the show. Ultimately, there’s plenty worse you can do with 108 minutes of your life.
