A personal favorite, but mediocre. The whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Rating: 7/10 (23 October 2011)

Despite the glaring flaws you will find in this movie. It remains one of my favorite ones to watch for a number of reasons.
1) It has EVERYTHING! Action, comedy, drama, suspense, revenge, fairy- tales, heroes, villains, pirates, giants, miracle men, even rodents of unusual size. There is a reason it is always among the list of Best Movies, Funniest Movies, and Best Love Stories of All Time.
2) The CAST. Hard to name a more fitting princess than the beautiful Robin Wright, Cary Elwes can sweep you off your feet as a farmboy or a masked man, Mandy Patinkin delivers the most memorable quote of his career, and the rest of the ensemble transport you into their magical world.
3) It has ROBIN WRIGHT in it! Did I say that already?
4) It brings out the KID in me and the nostalgia of those days. If only for two hours you can go to a distant land and be on an adventure and feel positive and young again.
5) It has plenty of MEMORABLE LINES and scenes.
SOME MISSES: - SPECIAL EFFECTS are pretty lame, even by 80's standards (the rodents could not have been more fake and some of the props are sub-standard) - STORY: Predictable and full of clichés - SCRIPT/DIALOGUE: While there are numerous memorable lines, they are repeated too frequently throughout the course of the movie. The script was simplistic. And to be objective, not too funny for most adults. - ACTING: There isn't much depth to any of the characters but the script didn't give the actors much to work with, for starters. Younger audiences may not notice it, but older ones may cringe in some scenes - CHEESE FACTOR: oh boy, it has plenty. It openly deals with "True Love" in a fantasy environment so it's pretty much set-up for sappy-ness.
FOR: - People who still have their inner child intact somewhere - Family movie night - Slumber Party with the girls - Reminiscing with others who have seen this movie as a kid
NOT FOR: - Kids who are too young (who might get scared by giant rats, some fighting, torture, talk of killing, and kissing scenes) - People who take themselves too seriously or are jaded cynics - Grown-ups who will be seeing this for the first time and have been misled by the high ratings
BOTTOM LINE: Cheesy Mac & Cheese with bacon bits. My favorite food ever since I was a kid. It was yummy then and still yummy now and I don't have to explain why I love it, I just do. If only for the fact that I've carried my love for this movie since childhood, my sentimental attachment to it would give it a 10/10.
But then my Mac & Cheese, no matter how yummy, is never gonna get 3 Michelin stars next to a dish with fancy truffles. As a MOVIE, stripped of my nostalgia, this one is mediocre at best. There are more imaginative fantasy movies, funnier comedies, more romantic love stories, and more exciting adventures.