A timeless, funny, action-filled love story!!

Rating: 9/10 (15 June 2010)

"The Princess Bride" is a fun ride that audiences will enjoy. When you mix pirates, sword wielding Spaniards, good-natured giants, evil masterminds, six-fingered counts, and the Cliffs of Insanity, what do you get? An adventurous, fun-filled, action-packed movie that will have you laughing, crying, cheering, and counting your fingers! The story opens to find a young princess, Buttercup (Robin Wright) and her servant, a quiet, well-mannered Westly (Carey Elwes). As they fall in love, Westly decides he must leave Buttercup to pursue his fortune so he may provide a life for her. Westly leaves and is not heard from again, thought to be killed at the hands of the Dread Pirate Roberts. Buttercup, broken-hearted, is then betrothed to a Prince Humperdink (Chris Sarandon) who is not as kind as Westly.
At this point, the movie becomes a witty, dialogue-driven, action flick. Buttercup is kidnapped by an evil mastermind (Wallace Shawn) and his henchmen; a Spaniard (Mandy Patinkin) bent on the revenge of his murdered father, and a giant (Andre the Giant) who just wants to do things right. Chasing the kidnappers is Buttercup's fiancé, Humperdink, and the shadowy figure in black, the Dread Pirate Roberts.
Not all are who they seem to be as the characters interact. The action continues as the settings change quite rapidly throughout the movie, as does the pace. This tends to keep the viewer reminded of the original theme of the movie, which is the love story. And even though it is of the age old plot to rescue the beautiful princess from the mean old bad guy, the entertainment value of the film is well worth it. Movie goers that may have seen the film "Willow" can relate to the type of plot, settings, and characters here.
Though the comic lines and sometimes even silly dialogue might suggest this film is aimed at children, the action sequences might suggest otherwise. A few scenes display violence and blood, contemplation of suicide, and big, scary rodents.
Another positive for this film is that it is timeless. It should never grow old and out of date as it has a medieval setting, including castles, villages, horses, torches, and swordplay. It is a great story that any one, at any age, can relate to because it appeals to the hero in all of us. Viewers will love the characters, the action, the love, and will find themselves rooting for the good guys.or are they the bad guys?