Summary
One of her generation’s most successful actresses, 21-year-oldMillie Bobby Brownalready boasts a notable movie career. The smashingsuccess of the hit showStranger Thingsallowed her to secure an exclusive deal with Netflix, propelling her to stardom as one of the platform’s most beloved performers. While few of Bobby Brown’s movies havedominated the global box office, her Netflix films consistently rank among the platform’s most-watched original projects.
With Netflix recently unveiling its most expensive original film,The Electric State, starring Millie Bobby Brownalongside Chris Pratt, now is an ideal moment to look back at her prominent acting career. Granted, she has yet to land a universally acclaimed role to transcend her iconic portrayal of Eleven inStranger Things.Yet, there are still plenty ofgreat films for Millie Bobby Brown fansto explore.
This Kaiju disaster movie turned out to be adisaster in more ways than one. Annoyingly loud, often too dark, overlong, and haphazardly pieced together from disjointed monster and human segments,Godzilla: King of the Monstersis arguably the weakest and most forgettable entry in the MonsterVerse. It still offers some enjoyable moments for die-hard Kaiju battle fans, but it falls short of engaging the average viewer.
Millie Bobby Brown stars as Madison Russell, the 12-year-old daughter of Monarch scientists, who witnesses firsthand thedestruction caused by the monsters. Despite her acting efforts, with the sparse material typical of a Kaiju movie, the actress has few chances to stand out, blending into the ensemble of uninspired human storylines amidst the carnage.
Millie Bobby Brown’s latest project, the expensiveThe Electric State— loosely based on Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag’s dystopian illustrated novel —emerged as a disappointingly average Netflix blockbuster, diluting the original’s core themes and aesthetics to an almost unrecognizable degree. While the visuals are strong, the formulaic plot and characters makeThe Electric Statefeel like a lesser version ofReady Player One, replacing that film’s iconic character cameos with worn-out automatons.
Brown’s character, traumatized orphan Michelle Greene, embarks on a journey to find her younger brother Christopher with the mind of a genius, yet remains another unremarkable aspect of the film. Though relatable, supportive, and brave, Michelle Greene lacks defining traits that would make her truly memorable, making it difficult to pinpoint the actress’s strengths in this otherwise passable movie.
UnlikeThe Electric State,Damselturned out to be a pleasantly surprising mid-budget effort for Netflix, offering enough intrigue, nuanced performances, striking visuals, and exciting twists to captivate audiences. Even with its familiar premise of a princess being sacrificed to a dragon for the greater good of the realm,Damselremains a memorable watch.
Elodie Bayford, a young woman from a northern land, serves as a standout role for Millie Bobby Brown, who brings the heroine to life. With plenty of screen time (much of it spent in isolation),Damsellargely rests on Brown’s performance. Meanwhile, Ray Winstone’s strong supporting role helps elevate the filmbeyond a standard fantasy adventure.
Luckily for the MonsterVerse, Adam Wingard’s directionprovided exactly what the series neededafterKing of the Monsters. Brighter, more adventurous, and unapologetically fun,Godzilla vs. Kongaddressed almost every shortcoming of its predecessor. Perhaps its greatest strength was managing to make the human characters more fleshed out and engaging to watch.
Millie Bobby Brown reprised her role as Madison Russell, now 17. This time, she’s surrounded by allies and friends, allowing for more dynamic relationships and giving her something to do in driving the plot forward. While not as nuanced or compelling a presence as inDamsel, her heroine is easier to root for this time around. Paired withspectacularly captured Kaiju clashes,Godzilla vs. Kongmarked a promising step forward for the franchise, and delivered the highest box office gross of any of Brown’s films to date.
Enola Holmesmarked a significant milestone for Millie Bobby Brown. She not only starred as the titular character in both films (the youngest sibling in the famous Holmes family), but also took on the role of producer. These films remain her most personal projects to date, with Brown embracing the role of the spirited young detective from Nancy Springer’s six-novel series.
Despite being surrounded by a strong supporting cast, includingHenry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter, and Burn Gorman, Brown never gets overshadowed — a testament to her undeniable screen presence. With engaging performances and a fresh take on the classic detective formula,Enola Holmesmay not appeal to die-hard Sherlock purists, but it offers a charming andentertaining addition to Baker Street-inspired storytelling.
Building on its predecessor’s strengths,Enola Holmes 2is more of a good thing for fans of the original. Few streaming sequels match the quality of their predecessors, but with Brown’s dedication, the heavy-hitting returning cast, and the addition of the acclaimed David Thewlis,Enola Holmes 2takes the franchise to new heights.
With distinctive elements like its signature fourth-wall-breaking technique and lighthearted wit used to their benefit, it seems thatEnola Holmesfilms have along-lasting place in Netflix’s lineup, with a third movie already in the works.
Stranger Thingsis a defining project for Millie Bobby Brown, and has remained the role most closely associated with the star for nearly nine years. A breakthrough series for many young actors, including Finn Wolfhard andSadie Sink, the Duffer brothers' original vision has become one of Netflix’s all-time greats. Each new season has shattered viewing records and become one of the most discussed releases of the year.
Brown’s Jane Hopper (also known as Eleven or “El”), a traumatized test subject from Hawkins National Laboratory with powerful telepathic and psychokinetic abilities, is not justStranger Things’secret weapon for spectacular action sequences. She’salso the heart of the entire show. Her strong chemistry with David Harbour’s Jim Hopper, as well as the younger cast, further cementsStranger Thingsas a gem in her career and a perfect showcase of her immense talent.
