The Princess Bride

In a story marked by numerous trials and unhealthy fixations on revenge, a character lived, didn’t live, lived, didn’t live, and eventually lived... It was a fairy-tale farce flirting with parody. Set against strange backdrops, featuring the dashing Elwes and humor falling below expectations and potential (with one crystalline exception). It was like a version "The Prince and the Pauper" with a chastity belt. Mrs. Columbo’s grandson enjoyed it, but I didn’t much. Perhaps it was Rob Reiner's role as the reader that affected my enjoyment. (29/12/2023)

A wonderfully whimsical fantasy tale. The humor feels like something straight out of Terry Pratchett’s books, though surprisingly, he wasn’t involved. It’s fascinating how, in the 80s, someone crafted such a delightful fantasy with warm, quirky humor. There’s truly nothing else like it. Plus, that 80s vibe just makes it all the more charming. (22/09/2023)

Well... I mean... I have to say that compared to the book, The Princess Bride disappointed me. The plot is more or less identical and the dialogue and all the "catchphrases" are the same (Goldman wrote the script himself, so it's not surprising), but somehow I missed the magic that made me read on and on, the funny narrative language, the fiction with the non-existent Morgenstern... And what's worse - most of the things I laughed at in the book, I didn't find funny here at all. Partly it was Cary Elwes, partly it was Knopfler's really ugly music and the cheap-looking production design in general (yes, I know that was probably the intention)... In the end, it amounts to about three stars. If I hadn't read the book, I might add. (02/12/2011)

This fairy tale didn't really captivate me in any significant way. It's a comedy + fairy tale + fantasy mix, which is quite normal for America. It moves along at a good pace, has interesting characters, and Robin Wright is beautiful, but overall, it didn't quite grab me. It definitely isn't an equivalent to Czech fairy tales for me. It's different, it has a different poetic quality, and it didn't stir any strong emotions in me, at least not in terms of moving me deeply. (15/01/2014)

Leaving aside Disney’s animated movies, The Princess Bride must be the most fairytale American fairytale, and this is despite the fact that the script is often ironically subversive and communicates with the viewer to explicitly defend some of the clichés. It’s a shame that at times it’s spoilt by the routine TV look, because Reiner is not afraid to come up with bold ideas (the switch of the main character, the unexpected change in settings and atmosphere) and the narration flows along smoothly. Also, Robin Wright looks great, Mandy Patinkin creates one of the best fairytale characters ever – his search for revenge is perfectly portrayed and supported by a monologue with deserved cult status. A very nice movie. (27/12/2019)