Predictable from fade-in to fade out, "The Marsh King's Daughter" benefits strictly from the sterling performances of its gifted cast as well as the sprawling beauty of its Canadian scenery. "Illusionist" helmer Neil Burger directed this straightforward, by-the-numbers yarn based pm Karen Dionne's bestselling 2017 novel of the same name. "Revenant" scenarist Mark L. Smith and his daughter Elle Smith penned the screenplay. Suspense is singularly lacking in this psychological thriller. Cast as our heroine Helena, Daisy Ridley of "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" is the adult daughter of a rugged outdoorsman, the eponymous Marsh King (Ben Mendelson of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"), who raised her as a tomboy so she could not only live in the wilderness but also live off the land. He teaches her how to shoot a rifle and how to track wild game by the impression that the animal makes on the ground. Jacob teaches young Helena (Brooklynn Prince of "Cocaine Bear") everything she needs to know about being a skilled hunter. First and foremost, he indoctrinates in young Helena the necessity to protect her family. Ultimately, this proves to be Jacob's undoing. Unfortunately, Helena's seemingly bucolic lifestyle is marred by the evil circumstances surrounding her mom's predicament. Initially, Jacob abducted Helena's mom, Beth (Caren Pistorius of "Slow West"), and he took her against her will deep into the woods far from civilization as she knew it. He forced her to live in a remote spot where she couldn't escape. During her captivity, Jacob and Beth had a child Helena, and their little girl lives in blissful ignorance about her background.
Eventually, everything changes for better and worse when a guy on a four-wheeler who is lost in the woods cruises up to their cabin searching for directions. Without a qualm, Jacob shoots and kills him. Later, the authorities, primarily Sheriff Clark Bekkum (Gil Birmingham of "Wind River"), rescues Helena and her mom and arrests Jacob. Many years later, Helena winds up marrying a handsome college professor, Stephen (Garrett Hedlund of "TRON: Legacy"), and they have a daughter, Marigold (newcomer Joey Carson), and are living happily ever after in their own home. After Clark rescued Beth, he wound up marrying her. One day, Helena learns his estranged father has escaped from prison while being transferred in a prison van. Later, the authorities discover Jacob's body in the flaming wreckage of a stolen vehicle. They make a positive identification because the corpse had some of Jacob's teeth. However, Helena suspects Jacob is not dead, despite the assurances of the FBI and the local enforcement who are satisfied entirely that Jacob has bought the farm. Meantime, Helena has revealed to Stephen nothing about her checkered past life as well as her murderous father, so Stephen is caught off completely guard and stunned by the news that an escaped convict is none other than Helena's diabolical dad.
Acting on her gut feelings, Helena plunges into the woods and eventually confronts her father in the wilderness near their old stomping grounds. Helena's delusional dad wants Helena and Marigold to accompany him to Canada where they can grow old together as a family. Naturally, Helena wants no part of this proposition. When Clark comes looking for Helena, Jacob guns him down. Earlier, Jacob had wounded Helena in the leg and held her at gunpoint. Earlier, our heroine has recovered her old lever-action rifle from the cabin where she grew up and followed Jacob. She shoots at him and his canoe overturns. When she goes to investigate the capsized canoe, Jacob surprises her and takes her hostage. Since his canoe is ruined, Jacob forces his wounded daughter to take him to the canoe that she used to enter the marsh. Cleverly, Helena outwits Jacob and she ends up shooting him in the head. Had this been a lame horror story, Helena would have wounded rather than killed him. Happily, she puts Jacob out of her misery. Altogether, "The Marsh King's Daughter" amounts to little more than an average, boilerplate thriller that springs few surprises and lacks spontaneity.
Eventually, everything changes for better and worse when a guy on a four-wheeler who is lost in the woods cruises up to their cabin searching for directions. Without a qualm, Jacob shoots and kills him. Later, the authorities, primarily Sheriff Clark Bekkum (Gil Birmingham of "Wind River"), rescues Helena and her mom and arrests Jacob. Many years later, Helena winds up marrying a handsome college professor, Stephen (Garrett Hedlund of "TRON: Legacy"), and they have a daughter, Marigold (newcomer Joey Carson), and are living happily ever after in their own home. After Clark rescued Beth, he wound up marrying her. One day, Helena learns his estranged father has escaped from prison while being transferred in a prison van. Later, the authorities discover Jacob's body in the flaming wreckage of a stolen vehicle. They make a positive identification because the corpse had some of Jacob's teeth. However, Helena suspects Jacob is not dead, despite the assurances of the FBI and the local enforcement who are satisfied entirely that Jacob has bought the farm. Meantime, Helena has revealed to Stephen nothing about her checkered past life as well as her murderous father, so Stephen is caught off completely guard and stunned by the news that an escaped convict is none other than Helena's diabolical dad.
Acting on her gut feelings, Helena plunges into the woods and eventually confronts her father in the wilderness near their old stomping grounds. Helena's delusional dad wants Helena and Marigold to accompany him to Canada where they can grow old together as a family. Naturally, Helena wants no part of this proposition. When Clark comes looking for Helena, Jacob guns him down. Earlier, Jacob had wounded Helena in the leg and held her at gunpoint. Earlier, our heroine has recovered her old lever-action rifle from the cabin where she grew up and followed Jacob. She shoots at him and his canoe overturns. When she goes to investigate the capsized canoe, Jacob surprises her and takes her hostage. Since his canoe is ruined, Jacob forces his wounded daughter to take him to the canoe that she used to enter the marsh. Cleverly, Helena outwits Jacob and she ends up shooting him in the head. Had this been a lame horror story, Helena would have wounded rather than killed him. Happily, she puts Jacob out of her misery. Altogether, "The Marsh King's Daughter" amounts to little more than an average, boilerplate thriller that springs few surprises and lacks spontaneity.