The King's Daughter
The King's Daughter
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
2/5
Moderate
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
1/5
Allusions
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
1/5
Accessible
Adult themes
1/5
Mild
Expert review
This live action fantasy tale unfolds at the court of Louis XIV, with an atmosphere of elegant adventure, gentle romance, and underwater magic. Sensitive material mainly involves a mermaid being held captive, a planned killing in pursuit of immortality, several moments of physical danger, a serious arm injury, and a continuing sense of pressure created by royal power and forced decisions about the heroine's future. The intensity is moderate and not graphic, with repeated tense scenes rather than truly frightening ones, and the overall tone remains suitable for families familiar with slightly dramatic fairy tale storytelling. The romance is very mild, the language is clean, and there is some background alcohol use connected to the historical setting without emphasis. Parents may want to prepare younger viewers for the idea of a feeling creature being imprisoned and threatened, then use the film to discuss freedom, empathy, and how powerful adults can still make harmful choices.
Synopsis
King Louis XIV's quest for immortality leads him to capture and steal a mermaid's life force, a move that is further complicated by his illegitimate daughter's discovery of the creature.
Difficult scenes
The mermaid is captured and kept confined in a water chamber beneath the castle. For a young child, the idea of a sentient creature calling for help, suffering from separation, and facing death for an adult's benefit may be the most upsetting part of the film. Marie Josèphe falls from a horse and badly injures her arm. The scene emphasizes pain and the doctor's alarming statement that amputation may be necessary, which can be intense for sensitive children even though the injury is not shown in a graphic way. The king and his advisers speak fairly clearly about removing the mermaid's heart during a ritual in order to gain immortality. This threat returns several times in the story, creating ongoing moral and emotional tension around the creature's fate. The heroine learns that her father is trying to control her future and arrange a marriage for status and money. There is nothing sexual in the presentation, but the family pressure, sadness, and crying may affect children who are very sensitive to parent child conflict.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
Availability checked on Apr 01, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 2022
- Runtime
- 1h 34m
- Countries
- Australia, China, France, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, United States of America
- Original language
- EN
- Directed by
- Sean McNamara
- Main cast
- Pierce Brosnan, Kaya Scodelario, Benjamin Walker, William Hurt, Julie Andrews, Fan Bingbing, Pablo Schreiber, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Rachel Griffiths, Paul Ireland
- Studios
- Firstep, Brookwell-McNamara Entertainment, Kylin Pictures, Bliss Media, Lightstream Entertainment, Ingenious Media, Gravitas Ventures, Fame Universal Entertainment, Interface Productions, Lionsgate
Content barometer
Violence
2/5
Moderate
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
1/5
Allusions
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
1/5
Accessible
Adult themes
1/5
Mild
Expert review
This live action fantasy tale unfolds at the court of Louis XIV, with an atmosphere of elegant adventure, gentle romance, and underwater magic. Sensitive material mainly involves a mermaid being held captive, a planned killing in pursuit of immortality, several moments of physical danger, a serious arm injury, and a continuing sense of pressure created by royal power and forced decisions about the heroine's future. The intensity is moderate and not graphic, with repeated tense scenes rather than truly frightening ones, and the overall tone remains suitable for families familiar with slightly dramatic fairy tale storytelling. The romance is very mild, the language is clean, and there is some background alcohol use connected to the historical setting without emphasis. Parents may want to prepare younger viewers for the idea of a feeling creature being imprisoned and threatened, then use the film to discuss freedom, empathy, and how powerful adults can still make harmful choices.
Synopsis
King Louis XIV's quest for immortality leads him to capture and steal a mermaid's life force, a move that is further complicated by his illegitimate daughter's discovery of the creature.
Difficult scenes
The mermaid is captured and kept confined in a water chamber beneath the castle. For a young child, the idea of a sentient creature calling for help, suffering from separation, and facing death for an adult's benefit may be the most upsetting part of the film. Marie Josèphe falls from a horse and badly injures her arm. The scene emphasizes pain and the doctor's alarming statement that amputation may be necessary, which can be intense for sensitive children even though the injury is not shown in a graphic way. The king and his advisers speak fairly clearly about removing the mermaid's heart during a ritual in order to gain immortality. This threat returns several times in the story, creating ongoing moral and emotional tension around the creature's fate. The heroine learns that her father is trying to control her future and arrange a marriage for status and money. There is nothing sexual in the presentation, but the family pressure, sadness, and crying may affect children who are very sensitive to parent child conflict.