The Princess Bride (1987)

The critic describes the film as a warm and silly fairy-tale played with giddy delight, directed with humour by Rob Reiner and written with authority by William Goldman. They single out the affectionate comic tone, postmodern storytelling elements and the exaggerated but treasured ensemble performances for making it an unqualified success.

The critic praises Rob Reiner for triumphantly adapting William Goldman's half-serious fairy tale, transcending the spoof sword-and-sorcery genre by treating children with respect and blending adult humour with childlike fantasy. Strong, steely performances from the cast help avoid camp and deliver fun for parents and offspring alike.

The critic calls the film swashbuckling, bright, breezy and delightful, praising its witty lines that work on multiple levels and Rob Reiner's confident direction that avoids gratuitous effects while fitting the theme perfectly.

Reiner follows Stand by Me with this curious but charming fable that balances child-friendly adventure with adult chuckles. An eclectic cast including Patinkin, Crystal and Guest makes it an unexpected family delight.

The review highlights the film's remarkable forwardness, honesty, and humor, crediting William Goldman's screenplay for its insightful one-liners and efficient storytelling, along with Reiner's apt casting that captures the folkloric tone.

The story mixes traditional fantasy with knowing commentary on its conventions but the tone wavers between adventure and spoof, with vacuous leads and forced absurdities. It still has innocent charm that kids will enjoy, thanks especially to Guest and Patinkin.

Director Rob Reiner’s film is a purer piece of escapism: a gently sophisticated, tongue-in-cheek barrage of wry swordplay and blithe sorcery. It has more comic depth thanks to Goldman’s script and Reiner’s sure-handed touch, with lovable characters and a special triumph in Mandy Patinkin’s Inigo.

The film works on two levels as both an engaging fairy tale for younger viewers and a sly parody of sword-and-sorcery epics for adults. Reiner succeeds by doing justice to the underlying form while delivering good-hearted fun and memorable supporting performances.

The Princess Bride succeeds as a full-length fairy tale thanks to its sweetness, sincerity, delightful cast and a gentle, disarming style that wins over even a skeptical young listener. Reiner handles the material with fundamental niceness, presenting it as a pure bedtime story without excess silliness or broad parody.

This post-modern fairy tale challenges and affirms genre conventions but is hampered by a screenplay that doesn’t fully support the horseplay. Cary Elwes and Robin Wright as the central couple are nearly comatose and inspire little passion.

The critic calls it marvellous entertainment for all ages and endlessly rewatchable, praising the charming humour, excellent swordfights, and satisfying revenge sequence while noting some overly sentimental moments and the unnecessary framing device.