Review of The Princess Bride (1987) by Gloone — 11 Oct 2015

I was completely unaware of this film until recently, when I heard it mentioned a couple of times as being a really great fantasy adventure -- so I gave it a watch. Unfortunately I felt pretty disappointed by it; given the hype, I was surprised by how weak it was in several key areas.

The fantasy setting lacks a feeling of substance, and is just generally nondescript. This is not helped by the visual execution; the sets, visual effects and cinematography are bland and amateurish. The story itself is very by the numbers, and lacks momentum and emotional resonance.

There's a framing device with a grandfather reading the story to his son, and while it was one of the better executed aspects of the film, I couldn't really see what it added. The characters are also generally rather clichéd -- the villains especially, and also the romantic duo, who lack any spark.

Most of the acting is also uninspired or poor, the main exceptions being the main hero, who is played with an eccentric unflappability, and a vengeful swordsman, who has a sort of portentous magnetism.

The interplay between these two near the start of the film was a high point, with good choreography and memorable dialogue. There are a good number of similarly memorable and witty lines throughout the film.

This is the film's saving grace, and the main reason that I'm not giving it a bad score. But equally, that one aspect on its own can't make up for the film's many deficits. In conclusion, I can see how the film's quotability could make it entertaining for repeat viewings of a devoted fanbase, and how the cheesiness and clichés could be endearing.

But personally I found that the cheesiness felt more like poor workmanship, and the clichés weren't self-aware or entertaining, but the result of blandness.