The Princess Bride

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. (12/27/2019)

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. (01/15/2014)

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. (12/29/2023)

Probably one of the best fantasy tales I've seen. Perhaps only Stardust has similarly resonated with me, and it too wasn't afraid to take a slightly different path in its film adaptation than mainstream audiences would expect. The Princess Bride stands out above all for its great characters, who (thank goodness!) are not one-dimensional or cookie-cutter, with very few exceptions. In fact, thanks to their imperfections and flaws, they are much closer to real characters, which often results in unexpectedly funny and touching moments. It's really a very nice fairy tale. [85%] (08/21/2022)

A fairy tale that doesn’t even feel like a fairy tale, more like a parody of fairy tales. I laughed more than I’d expected. The story features many great characters, but I was most impressed by the irresistible Spaniard played by Mandy Patinkin. The logic holes sometimes became abysses. I can't figure out why the princess lived in some shepherd's hut with a lascivious-looking squire, but I chose to ignore such matters as I had great fun. (02/21/2017)