Like many (but, ultimately, too few) movies, “The King’s Daughter” was not made with the adult male in mind.
At the risk of over-generalizing, it was constructed to appeal to the young female, at least largely.
So understand that when we say this history-meets-fantasy tale landing in theaters this week — about a French king, his orphaned daughter and a mermaid whose death could lead to immortal life for another — is too silly for its own good, we probably weren’t ever supposed to really get it anyway. It was never designed to pull us in and move us emotionally.
But it is pretty silly. And it sure doesn’t.
Hey, it’s not as if the latest effort from director Sean McNamara (“Soul Surfer,” “The Miracle Season”) doesn’t have a couple of aces up its sleeve in veteran actors Pierce Brosnan and William Hurt, who share the screen quite a bit in “The King’s Daughter.”
Plus, its lead — Kaya Scodelario, of “The Maze Runner” franchise — is plenty appealing.
However, screenwriters Barry Berman and James Schamus fail to do anything interesting with the tale and, along with McNamara, struggle to establish anything close to an infectious rhythm.
“The King’s Daughter” is not, as you may have assumed, an adaptation of the 1974 young-adult historical novel of that name but instead of Vonda McIntyre’s 1997 Nebula Awarding-winning book, “The Moon and the Sun.”
Following some on-screen text educating us on the long reign of this fictionalized version of France’s King Louis XIV and his desire to rule forever, prompting his commissioning of an expedition to find the Lost City of Atlantis, the “Once upon a time” tale truly begins.
Borrowing “Enchanted” narrator Julie Andrews, “The King’s Daughter” first takes us to a seaside convent, where Scodelario’s orphaned Marie-Josephe has learned to play the cello and compose music. She long has been drawn to the water, much to the dismay of the convent’s nuns, whose punishments have not made a difference.
Meanwhile, in Versailles, Louis (Brosnan, sporting fabulously long hair) is plotting his course to immortality. The aim of the Atlantis endeavor — led by the courageous captain Yves De La Croix (Benjamin Walker of “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”) — is to procure a mermaid. Encouraged by medical adviser Dr. Labarthe (Pablo Schreiber, “Orange Is the New Black”), Louis has bought into a legend that says sacrificing a mermaid at the moment of a solar eclipse will bring one immortality.
Sure, sounds scientific enough.
Well, Louis’ spiritual advisor, Catholic priest Pere La Chaise (Hurt), doesn’t like it one bit. But while Louis values taking confession with him — and quickly being granted forgiveness for the previous night’s sins — he isn’t compelled by La Chaise’s constant objections to this plan.
The mermaid (Chinese star Fan Bingbing, who’s also in theaters with lackluster action offering “The 355”) arrives in Versailles, as does Marie-Josephe. Unaware she is the daughter of royalty — as well, of course, of the mermaid’s existence — she has been brought under the guise of a need for a composer to create a special piece of music for a coming eclipse-centric celebration.
Marie-Joseph introduces herself to the king by falling into a fountain, but Louis is taken by his daughter all the same, the young woman instantly reminding him of her late mother and stirring emotions in him.
Soon, she, in turn, befriends Yves, but she also forms a deeply meaningful bond with the mermaid, who calls out to her in song. The two being going for swings; it’s a whole thing.
Let’s just say when Marie-Joseph finds out what her father has planned — not only for the mermaid but also for her — the family connection of which she’s long dreamed is in serious jeopardy.
Aside from its odd collection of parts, there are few surprises to be found in “The King’s Daughter.”
For example, it’s obvious early on Marie-Joseph will be drawn to Yves, not a wealthy young duke portrayed by Ben Lloyd-Hughes (“Divergent”) whose presence is important to Louis.
However, Scodelario (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” “Spinning Out”) and Walker have obvious chemistry — hardly surprising, considering they are married in real life — which lifts the scenes they share a bit.
The same can be said for the aforementioned moments shared by Brosnan (“Die Another Day,” “Cinderella”) and Hurt (“A History of Violence,” “The Miracle Season”), but they’re nothing special, unfortunately.
Mostly, though, “The King’s Daughter” — even with all the zig-zagginess that gets us to its predictable climactic moment — is pretty forgettable.
Maybe it will prove to be otherwise for some young women, which would be great.
We wouldn’t bet the life of a mermaid on it, however.
‘The King’s Daughter’
Where: Theaters.
When: Jan. 21.
Rated: PG for some violence, suggestive material and thematic elements.
Runtime: 1 hour, 38 minutes.
Stars (of four): 1.5.
