roland-spindler

Giving this movie a bad rating feels a bit like shooting the messenger, but I cannot remember a movie that made me more angry since - well, ever. Is this an accurate depiction of American high school life in the 70s? I am from Europe and I was born the year this movie is set in, so I couldn't tell.

What I do know is that hurting and humiliating someone who is weaker than you is wrong. Doing it just because you can and because this is supposed to be fun is even worse. In this movie violence for fun is the basic premise of the plot. I could live with that, if it were shown in a reflective and discerning fashion. This is not the case. Everyone from the teachers to the parents to the seniors and even to the freshmen accepts and embraces this culture of violence. The movie makers do not convey disagreement with those practices, therefore in the best case they feel indifferent to it. The only ones who choose to refrain from violence are the nerds, but they are depicted cowardly, not courageous.

I couldn't help but think of scenes from several holocaust movies I've seen. There are people hurting and humiliating others just because they can and because it makes from feel strong. However, in movies like Schindler's List or The Pianist the inequity is obvious to the viewer. In Dazed and Confused it is not. It's just a couple of kids having fun, right? Right?

As I'm writing this, The Princess Bride is ranked 194 in the IMDb Top 250 list with an average rating of 8.1. Considering the rating and the fact that I love fantasy, I had high expectations. Long story short - I was very disappointed.

It's not that The Princess Bride is bad. It has its moments and a unique kind of humor. But the overall impression is lackluster at best. The plot is thin, the acting is sub-par, the main characters nothing but clichés and the special effects are barely worth a laugh. Just look at those guys it rat costumes. Is that supposed to be frightening or hilarious?

To mention a few good points, the minor characters of Inigo Montoya and Fezzik are very good. Also the cuts between the plot and the frame narrative about a grandfather and his grandson are pleasantly surprising. On the other hand, the frame narrative itself is unnecessary and only exists to provide the beginning and the ending that the plot is missing.

Why do one third of the viewers rate this 10? According to my wife, she loved the movie as a kid, but was disappointed too when she saw it recently. I guess it just did not mature well.

Everything in this movies comes from somewhere else. The camera style from Blair Witch Project, the plot from 28 Days Later, and the finale from The Silence of the Lambs.

The special effects are minimalistic and serviceable at best. The acting is acceptable, but not great. The movie is a bit on the short side - after 70 minutes the credits start rolling.

Despite all those problems the movie is enjoyable and captivating. Watching it on the stationary bike was one of the few times where I spent more time exercising than usual - simply because I forgot to check the time.

Clone or homage? Who cares! Strongly recommended, especially for horror fans.