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Friday, September 19, 2014

The Princess Bride Review.

Ahoy there me hearties! Today is International Talk like a Pirate Day, and to celebrate I am reviewing the Princess Bride for Hamlette's Piratical Blogathon over on Hamlette's Soliloquy, so go check it out. For more of my pirate posts, please check out the links at the end of the review.

The Princess Bride, the cult classic fantasy comedy about the adventures of a Wesley trying to save the Princess Buttercup, and along the way he meets some interesting characters.
 When watching the film for the first time, I was very skeptical about the movie due to its name, which sounds like a "chick flick." However after reading some more reviews I finally decided to watch it, and it certainly lived up the cult following.

Directed by: Rob Reiner
Genre: Adventure Comedy, Fantasy, Parody/Satire, Family,
Release Date: September 25, 1987
Running Time: 98 minutes
MMPA rating: PG



The Good: Fun sword fights, Clever humor and parody, Hilarious at times, Memorable quotes, Humorous dialogue, Witty comedy throughout, Cleverly self aware, Iconic scenes,

The Bad:

Plot: 8.6/10- Despite taking 10 to 15 minutes to find its groove, once the characters of characters Inigo Montoya and Fezzik are on screen the movie really picks the pace. Using the narrative device of a story within a story, the Princess Bride is a satire of the fantasy in general, and it most definitely succeeds. While some plot elements are clichéd, the clichés are intentional to produce some very clever humor.

Characterization: 8.0/10- The Princess Bride is full of fun and quirky characters, and since the film is a satire of sorts, there is not necessarily much development, but at the same time, development is not really necessary.
 Princess Buttercup is a clichéd “damsel in distress” for most of the movie, yet that is not a bad thing, being that the entire movie is a satire. Westley is a fun character in the typical “Prince Charming” role. However, it is Inigo Montoya and Fezzik who steal the show with some of the best comedic parts of the film.


Action: 7.8/10- Even though many of the action sequences are played for laughs, one sword fight is both cleverly humorous and well choreographed. It is actually one of the most memorable duels in cinema history, despite the extremely lighthearted tone.

Acting: 8.2/10- The performances from the cast are mostly very strong and humorous with most of the cast being able to sell the utter ridiculousness of everything. Mandy Patinkin as Inigo Montoya is easily the best the cast, while Wallace Shawn is a lot of fun in his lesser role. Billy Crystal make a hilarious cameo during the movie as well.

Special effects: 7.0/10- Most of the effects are dated with many of them being intentionally cheap for comedic affect.

Soundtrack: 7.6/10- The soundtrack is not great to listen to on its own; it is mostly used to punctuate sound effects for comical effect.

Humor: 8.7/10- While not constantly hilarious, the Princess Bride is a very clever satire and comedy. The movie is able to ride the fine line between corny and cleverly satirical well, with only a few scenes crossing the line.
Unlike Mel Brooks’ movies, where the parody goes too far into stupidity, the parody in the Princess Bride is not overly ridiculous most of the time. It is also entirely aware of how absurd and silly it is which works to its advantage. However, at times, the movie is a little too corny for its own good delving into not funny.

Entertainment Value: 8.5/10- The Princess Bride is a fun movie. There are plenty of laughs and the quotes are completely unforgettable.

Overall: 8.6/10- From the clever comedy to quirky characters, The Princess Bride is a fun storybook like movie that is just generally entertaining to watch, and it is fun for the whole family (for the most part anyway).

Closing comments: As with most “cult classics,” The Princess Bride will surely not appeal to everyone, and while this is not my absolute favorite movie, it is one of my favorites, and one of the best fantasy flicks of the pre-Lord of the Rings era.

Recommended for: Adventure Comedy fans, Fantasy fans, Parody/Satire fans, Family movie fans,

Below are more Pirate posts:
Top 10 Fictional Pirates
Space Pirate Captain Harlock Review
Click here to check out more of my movie reviews.

If you want to contact us or have any question please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

19 comments:

  1. A friend of mine took fencing lessons for a while, and her fencing master had them watch the duel between Westley and Inigo to show them what really good fencing should look like. They trained with a master swordsman, and according to the commentary track, whenever Cary Elwes and Mandy Patinkin were on set and not actively filming, they were rehearsing for that duel. Which is why it is 100% fantastic.

    Er, I mean, ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

    Thanks fer sailing on me first blogathon voyage!

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    1. Actually, he had us read the fencing scene in the book for its accuracy, not watch the movie version... :-D I actually liked the book a lot more than the movie. But that sure is a fun duel to watch, regardless!

      Nice writeup!

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    2. Very interesting! And thanks for clearing it up DKoren.

      Thanks both of y'all!

      -James

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  2. This is another classic movie just like Clue! Billy Crystals character is hilarious, its a great cameo! I still don't understand the whole 'Mawwiage' pronunciation, but I laugh every-time and quote it way more than I should ha. Glad you liked this movie!

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    1. Indeed, his cameo is classic! Me too! It is just too funny.

      -James

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  3. I love this movie, I'm so glad you like it! :) It definitely does have a bunch of unforgettable quotes, which makes it fun to meet other people who like it. Then you can great, them without creeping 'em out, by saying, "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya...Prepare to die." Nice review, James. :)

    xx

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  4. Great review! :) I agree, this movie is a lot of fun and I remember loving it the first time I watched it! :) It's very funny and I love all the quotes and humor-ish scenes. I didn't like Buttercup at first but now that I realize it's a parody, I get why she was like that(since damsels in distress are a cliche).
    Inigo Montoya is definitely a high light, as are the others in the group he was in originally(that group was hilarious! XD. "Move that thing! And the other thing!"). I really need to watch this film again....

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    1. Thanks! :) Yep, Buttercup is a complete parody of the cliche, so it makes. LOL Great scene!

      -James

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  5. Haha, I remember not wanting to see this the first time either. But it was because I was so young I just wanted to watch whatever it was I was currently watching over and over again. (I was really big on that) I was persuaded by the title. And wasn't disappointed. :D Definitely very high on my favorite movie list still.

    And that duel scene. They just don't make 'em like they used to...

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    1. My younger brother kept watching the same movie over and over again like that too! lol Agreed, they don't. :)

      -James

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  6. I'm in the minority of not understanding the big whoop about this film. It had it's moments but the cheese came off too strong for me. :P I do like the Inconceivable line, though. :)

    ~Jamie

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  7. I know a lot of good things about it, haven't watched it since I was a boy. I'll remember to review The Princess Bride when I'm done with other movies I have seen.

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  8. A personal favorite of mine, always had a soft spot for it. Showed it to the wife recently and she really enjoyed it as well.

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    Replies
    1. Glad you like the movie too. It is definitely a classic.

      -James

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  9. I love this movie so much, so I'm very happy that you enjoyed it!

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One rule: No strong profanity. If you want to link to one of your posts, please do; I am always interested in other reviews and such.

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