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The Princess BrideRating:
Release Date: 18 July, 2000 Retail Price: $19.98 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: Complete Cast (16 total) |
The Princess Bride Reviews
Rob Reiner's Best
"The Princess Bride" is 1 hour and 38 minutes of excellent entertainment. It is based on the book of the same name, which is worth checking out as well. The witty dialog and charm of the movie is no accident ... it comes straight from the book.
The movie is set in medieval times ... in a fictitious kingdom called Floren ... and it is a story of true love. The heroine and hero (Buttercup and Westley) express and affirm their love for each other ... but are then separated ... and the movie is the story of their efforts to re-unite. A subplot involves a Spanish sword fighter's 20 year quest to avenge his father's murder. And these two story lines are rounded out by an affable giant's effort to be helpful ... in both situations.
"The Princess Bride" begins and ends (and is interspersed) with a modern-day scene: a wise and loving grandfather reading the original book to his smart aleck grandson, who is sick in bed. This ... plot device works wonderfully, as it draws us in and makes the story, which is already pretty good, even more personal and lovable.
There is not a dull scene in the entire picture, and there are many superb performances. Whenever you can say that ... Peter Falk's performance ranks lowest among those of the principle actors and actresses ... you know that the quality of the acting is pretty high. And such is the case here.
The best job is turned in by Cary Elwes, who plays Westley. He is very charming and likable, and he handles some pretty complicated scenes (and lines) with ease ... or so it seems. Robin Wright, as Princess Buttercup, is also excellent. Her natural beauty and innocence make her character a woman who, without a doubt, a man would risk his life to rescue. Mandy Patinkin plays the Spanish sword fighter Indigo, and he makes him into an endearing and good-hearted character ... even though he's a character who kills people with his sword. The giant is played by the good-hearted Andre the Giant ... a role straight out of the book ... and a role that Andre seemingly was born to play. Andre is kind-of hard to understand at times in the film (English was his second language in real life) but his good nature comes through loud and clear. Fred Savage plays the sick grandson, and he absolutely nails the part. Chris Sarandon plays the bad guy Prince Humperdinck. It must be a thankless job to play the heavy, but here he is none-the-less effective ... and it is easy for us to loathe his character.
But "The Princess Bride" ... Rob Reiner's best movie, I think ... is the story of the triumph of love over adversity. There is plenty of action, and plenty of suspense and drama, but it is this theme of love that gives the movie its life.
Death Cannot Stop True Love. All It Can Do Is Delay It For A While.
The Princess Bride is a 1987 movie directed by Rob Reiner and adapted from the William Goldman novel of the matching title. The rom com fairy tale adventure was originally a modest box office success, but over the years it has generated something of a massive cult appeal.
Narratively speaking, The Princess Bride has enough charisma and wits to overcome its often embarrassingly predictable material. Reiner's picture can almost be seen as a preface to the more recent fairy tale satires like Shrek. And while it can be categorized as a love story, The Princess Bride's universal presentation of the subject is alot more endurable than some other so-called "romance/chick" flicks.
Rob Reiner's direction is somewhat applaudable. Many of the exteriors in Ireland, more specifically The Cliffs of Insanity, add to the delicate and gentle side of the tale. Unfortunately, the score is pretty dated and production values are blatantly poor. Many of the special effects and sets pull the viewers out of the ambiance. Most of the performers come off as replaceable as well. Though, Wallace Shawn does offer quite a few laughs with his portrayal of Vizzini.
Overall, The Princess Bride is an enjoyable journey that balances strong points with weak.
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