Tried watching it today, and, meh. The book was fantastic, but for reasons the movie didn’t even begin to explore. But the film… meh. Is it a “catch it at the right age” thing? A nostalgia thing? Other?
I’m with you. People tend to remember its many quotable lines years after the fact, and not its mediocre editing, inconsistent pacing, and general flatness.
For its time it was unique, it was irreverent, and appealed to a particular audience. But it was not a box office success, so if you also don’t respond to it positively, you are far from alone.
I was the right age for it when it came out, so I adore it unconditionally.
I watched it again in 2024, and I found I still enjoyed it. (Also watched Beetlejuice and found it was still enjoyable.) It has an excellent cast, the dialogue is fun without being crass, the characters are interesting, and it all adds up to a good movie you can enjoy with the entire family.
It came out when I was in my mid 20s so I think I am a bit too old to have been in the demographic to have watched it in the theater. I had heard a lot about it of course and all of the catch phrases for years. In 2008 I saw that my then girlfriend had the DVD so I finally watched it.
I didn’t like it at all. I’m not saying that it’s bad. It’s a classic for a reason. I assumed at the time that it was a nostalgia thing and it would have had to have grown up with it. Thinking more about it, it’s just not my type of humor. The equivalent that is of my era that comes to mind is Airplane. I didn’t like that either.
I’m not a big fan, either. I don’t dislike it, but I think I was past the prime first-viewing age when I saw it.
Agreed.
I’m not sure what “the right age” is or isn’t for the film; I saw it on its opening weekend, when I was 22, and in grad school, and I instantly fell in love with it.
Yes, there certainly are memorable catch phrases sprinkled throughout it, but I still enjoy it, and at least for me, it still holds up. As @Odesio notes, it has a great cast, all of whom (IMO) were well-cast for their roles, it’s fun dialogue, and at least for me, it doesn’t really have slow spots.
But, I suppose, like any film or TV show that has a devoted fan base, they remember the best bits.
It was released in 1987 when I was eleven, but I didn’t see it until circa 1992 on video. It doesn’t seem like the type of movie a teenage me would have enjoyed, but enjoy it I did. The movie itself just seems like more than the sum of its parts. It’s like a big plate of mac ‘n cheese. Is it haute cuisine? No, but it really hits the spot.
Frankly, because it’s clever. And a great movie.
(Is it perfect? No. Does it appeal to all people? No. But those comments apply to EVERY film ever made).
The reason it is held in high esteem has a lot to do with self-perpetuating myth: everyone says it is awesome, so people who like it, agree. And it gets put on a higher pedestal.
But at its core, it is still a very good movie. It’s not its fault it got elevated to manna from the Gods.
I tried rewatching it a few years ago, but gave up pretty early. Found it schmaltzy.
I never saw the movie until after I had read the book. I found it so-so as an adaptation of the book, but it’s a fun movie that feels like a love letter to the swashbuckling epics of the black & white era.
I’ve always wondered why they left out the Zoo of Death.
I don’t remember hearing much about it until maybe the past 10 or 15 years, and decided to see it, and wondered the same thing myself.
I guess it’s one of those things that attained cult status years after the fact.
I saw the movie first, and loved it, then read the book later. There is a different tone to them. I tend to say that the book is a satire of fairy tales, and the movie is a parody of fairly tales. If that’s what you liked about the book, that’s great.
Satire or parody, they were both done by people who love fairly tales. I think that comes across especially well in the movie. It pokes fun at the all the tropes of such stories, but in a deeply affectionate way. We know the good guys will win in the end. Reiner, and all the cast knew it. It’s not about surprises, plot twists, or how the story ends; it’s all about having the most fun possible while telling the story. On that level, I think it’s brilliant.
I agree that the pacing isn’t perfect. The chase where Westley is pursuing Vizzini, Fezzik, and Inigo is the best part of the movie.
I always recalled it fondly and then attempted to watch it with my son some years ago. I think I ended up apologizing for subjecting him to it.
You were supposed to show him the “just the good parts” version, you fool!
I first saw it in my mid thirties. Totally cold. I had heard of it but had no idea it was even well liked.
When it was over I thought to myself, that was a surprisingly good movie.
Has anyone who’s seen The Princess Bride also seen The Congress? The Congress (2013) - IMDb
Robin Wright plays herself in that movie, as an aging actress who once was in Princess Bride but is now struggling to find work. Can’t say much more without spoilers.
Just wondering if it makes more sense if you were a fan of Princess Bride.
I mean, people like what they like. But I think some people like it because it has a bit of everything, and some people hate it because again, it has a bit of everything. I probably -am- in the key age group for it to hit well, and it did, and does (I probably rewatch it at least once a year), but I acknowledge it’s flaws.
I mean, from a certain POV, in the 80s, comedies were King. So many great (and very much NOT great) options to choose from. From unique works, to parodies, to insult comedy, rom-coms, the sky was the limit.
By the standards of the day though, and strictly IMHO, it had far better acting, casting, and managed to be a loving send-up without being mean-spirited. And the last was probably one of the stand out features for it’s era - without being too Disney-esque, the good guys won, the bad guys were defeated, and yet you never once felt you were watching a child’s movie.
There are others of that era that are more original of course, but few are as memorable, and for any comedy to have a dedicated following nearly 40 years later is still impressive, hype or not. Especially the way we’ve talked about how hard comedy is to translate across time periods and cultures.
A couple of additional thoughts, on why I enjoyed the movie back in '87, and still enjoy it today.
First, I was a fan of fantasy fiction going back to childhood, and was (and still am) an avid Dungeons & Dragons player. The Princess Bride ticks a lot of boxes for both of those, and it (along with Monty Python and the Holy Grail) yields a lot of quotes which get eternally used during D&D games.
Secondly, and this is only partially about the movie’s content: especially over the last 10-15 years, I’ve learned a lot of stories about the making of the film itself – including, yes, Andre’s epic fart – and those have made it clear to me that the cast (and Rob Reiner) had a great time making the movie, and that it formed bonds of friendship between them which endured. The fact that it was such a special movie for them to create makes it even more special to me.
I haven’t seen that movie since it came out and I still tell people to have fun storming the castle, on occasion.. I’ll just keep it as a pleasant memory; watching 80s movies through my jaded 2026 eyeballs is almost always disappointing.