Review of The Princess Bride (1987) by Ahmedaiman1999 — 09 Mar 2019

32 years since its release, it's safe to say that The Princess Bride is a timeless classic. And the fact that this is the first time I watch it, and I don't feel that it has aged even a little bit is more than a proof of the movie's immortality. But it's not only that it has stood the test of time; it seems that it also remain as subversive as it was back in the eighties. Imagine if Shrek's sarcastic tone and in-jokes didn't come at the expense of the heart of the story, and you would get this movie. (Except that the story is completely different, and it has no ogres, and ....... actually the movies are totally different from each other but you get the idea anyway!).

With an awesome mix of swashbuckling, romance, comedy, fantastical elements, and insanely likable iconic character brought to life by a perfect cast, Rob Reiner put a magical spin on a happily-ever-after fairy tale and made it eternally fresh. But what stands out for me is the humor in particular. I was surprised by how the humor works perfectly well from the first second up to the very end of the movie. There is no single joke or gag that fails to land. The movie goes for the laughs relentlessly, and while this is a risk for sure; there are no joke that misses the mark. In fact, I couldn't stop giggling, and even laugh out loud, throughout this entire enjoyable adventure. I think the reason behind the movie's brilliant humor is that on the surface, the movie, of course, looks like an epic fantasy tale that its biggest concern is to show the heroic deeds of the protagonist and the lovely romantic relationship between him and his mistress; while Reiner insists, at any point of the movie no matter how serious it is, to take advantage of his eccentric characters and the fairly weird circumstances they face in an astonishing way leaning on the extremely witty dialogue and the charming cast.

Unfortunately, I have some small issues with the movie. First, I think the movie could have been more heartwarming than it is simply by making the dialogue between the grandson and his grandpa half as smart and vivid as that of the fairy tale. The movie is full of heart, though, but largely due to the movie's sincerity and genuineness. Secondly, I guess the movie could have moved more gracefully and fluidly from an act to another, as I felt that the structure was a bit staged. Thirdly, the the third act seems as if it betrayed a certain message, or rather a certain underlying theme that it had been establishing throughout its first two acts. That said, the third act is utterly satisfying, and it proves that The Princess Bride is a very solid film that even its flaws can't be easily noticed or take away anything from watching it.

Rob Reiner walks a very thin line between presenting a cute romantic damsel-in-distress story and a parody fairy tale. As a result, The Princess Bride is a good-hearted one-of-a-kind fantasy epic adventure of an enduring value.