Flawless Comedy-Fantasy Hybrid

Rating: 9/10 (22 April 2008)

This movie was one of the very first theatrical experiences of my life, and I remember my dad took me to watch it. I had always had "snippets" of the movie come back to memory (like that lovely scene on the cliff) for some reason. So I decided to watch it again, almost 20 years later.
This is an incredible film. A wild mix of comedy/fantasy/action/romance, the movie excels in all these levels. The cast is superb, and the one-liners and catchphrases will be stuck in your head. I for one will never forget Inigo Montoya! For something made in 1987, I was surprised to find out that this film was not dated at all (with the exception of the R.O.U.S.S - see the cold war pun?), and funny, well-paced and just memorable overall. No CG effects here to spoil the fun.
It makes reference to a number of fairy tales, fantasy movies and swashbuckling, making fun of them all the way through. Things do not happen as expected. And the themes of honor, persistence and true love, things that have been long forgotten, are the highlights here. Robin Wright Penn looks just like a princess and Cary Elwes is incredible in this, showing his comedic timing as well as his acting abilities. All of the cast is great really.
This is the perfect movie to watch if you're in a bad mood. As a kid, I don't think I enjoyed it as much as I did today. And now I know why those scenes got stuck in my head, it's because this is one of the best fantasy movies I've ever seen.
9 out of 10 cups of iocane powder.