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Review #502 of 365
Movie Review of Stardust (2007) [PG-13] 128 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $14.25
Where Viewed: Harkins Ciné Capri at Northfield 18, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 10 August 2007
Time: 6:25 pm
DVD Release Date: 18 December 2007 (click date to purchase or pre-order)
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer
Soundtrack: order the CD below
Directed by: Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake)
Screenplay by: Jane Goldman ("Baddiel's Syndrome") • Matthew Vaughn (debut screenplay) based on the novel by Neil Gaiman
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Charlie Cox (Casanova) • Ian McKellen (Flushed Away) • Ben Barnes (Split Decision) • Kate Magowan (Kidulthood) • Sienna Miller (Casanova) • Nathaniel Parker ("The Inspector Lynley Mysteries" ) • Peter O'Toole (Ratatouille) • Mark Strong (Sunshine) • Jason Flemyng (The Death and Life of Bobby Z) • Mark Heap (Scoop) • Rupert Everett (Shrek the Third) • Michelle Pfeiffer (Hairspray) • Claire Danes (Evening) • Robert De Niro (Arthur and the Invisibles)
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
In England, there's a small town called Wall. So called because it is near a wall the completely surrounds a big field in the town. The wall has been there for centuries, or a far back as anyone can recollect. The only gap is guarded day and night to keep anyone from Wall from getting the idea that he or she should go through. And the sanctity of the Wall has been assured until a young scientist named Dunstan Thorn (Ben Barnes) gets an idea that he really must see what's on the other side of the Wall, and he fairly easily tricks the guard and rushes through the gap. Once on the other side, he finds the field looks pretty much just as it had from his side, in other words, ordinary.
"…Stardust rivals and, arguably, streaks past…Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix when it comes to imagination and story."
However, his curiosity lures him deeper into the forest across from the field and eventually a spectacularly magical kingdom called Stormhold is revealed to him with fanciful people and creatures and witches. A young slave girl named Una (Kate Magowan) fancies him, but she is secured to the cart of her mistress, a horrible witch, by a magical silver thread that cannot be cut without immediately healing itself trapping her forever until the witch dies, which, unfortunately for Una, these witches can live for hundreds of years and even be restored to their youthful appearance if they are able to cut the heart from a fallen star and consume it. So, she has no choice but to lure the dashing young man into the cart while here mistress is away and have her way with him. Upon his departure, she leaves his with a magical white flower she says will always bring him luck. Approximately 9 months later, hmm hum, a basket appears by the gap with a note for Dunstan Thorn and a bouncing baby boy. He accepts his responsibilities and properly raises the child named Tristran who grows up following pretty much in the footsteps of his father. One evening, while courting his first true love, Victoria (Sienna Miller), the now teenage Tristran (Charlie Cox) spots for her a falling star. She promises to break off any potential marriage proposal from her main suitor who has traveled all the way to Ipswich to get her a ring, if Tristran is able to return to her in one week with that fallen star for her. She doesn't properly realize Tristran's resolve and intent to win her heart by completing the challenge of pure devotion. Nor does he realize that his calculations, which put the destination of the star's impact with the earth, solidly on the other side of the wall where he will then travel and find himself in the middle of a battle to capture the star's heart between a sisterhood of three witches led by the eldest Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer) and three princes Septimus (Mark Strong), Primus (Jason Felmyng), and Secundus (Rupert Everett) all of whom are vying to find a magical gemstone that will place them on the throne after their father, the king (Peter O'Toole) has died leaving no clear heir. The last surviving male heir who possesses the stone as indicated by its transformation back to its perfect ruby red color will be king. Using a similar trick as his father, Tristran violates the gap and races to the location of the fallen star. By some miracle, he is the first there and soon discovers that in Stormhold, stars to not crash to earth as rocky rubble and star dust, but rather as they actually are, people-like beings with the incredible ability to make dreams come true and glow brilliantly. This star happens to be named Yvaine (Claire Danes) and she's been knocked from the sky by the magical gemstone tossed up by the king for his prince sons to find. She wears the necklace and makes herself a dual target for the princes, but it is her beating heart still coveted by the witches. Using the last bit of heart from their last fallen star, the sister witches send Lamia out looking beautiful again on her quest to find the star. None of the suitors realize how their fates are intertwined and a far greater destiny for Tristran eventually awaits him. Thus is the incredible beginning of Stardust, the wondrously imaginative new fairy tale film based on Neil Gaiman's novel and directed by Matthew Vaughn from his screenplay co-written by Jane Goldman. What is this fantastical film doing being released in August, a month usually relegated to the wasteland of films sandwiched between the testosterone blockbuster spectacles of July and the dramatic Oscar®-contending independent films of September? With enchanting characters and myth, Stardust actually does put some new spins on familiar yarns, which would seem hard to do. The curious idea that stars, actually are beings that could fall to earth and offer the perspective of their vantage point in shining brightly upon our little world and following our every move throughout the ages as Yvaine reveals her own fascination with our ability to love, truly love another, was genius. Clair Dane's performance, as lovely as her own Juliet some years ago, endows Yvaine with both an inner and outer beauty to behold. She is simultaneously whimsical, powerful, and luminous just as one might expect a good star to be. Charlie Cox has an equally challenging role for he must transform the shy and clumsy Tristran into a star-saving hero worthy of her heart. Their eventual relationship, which their first encounter foreshadows by entangling them in the sorts of arguments in which old, married couples routinely engage, stands out as one from which dream-like, storybook legends are forged. Meanwhile, Michelle Pfeiffer, who has been enjoying a new renaissance, of sorts, to her glorious career, delivers, herself, and inspired and wickedly funny performance as the evil witch Lamia.
"…a nearly perfect fantasy film with both comedy and heart."
The vanity of these witches manifests itself so deeply they will stop at nothing to capture and rip out the heart of a fallen star to preserve their youthful appearance and provide more energy for their magic. This includes transforming humans into goats to pull their carts and do their bidding and killing anyone who might get in their way. And even with these three truly commanding performances, they all three might be slightly upstaged by Robert De Niro who taps his inner feminine side to create Captain Shakespeare, a high flying air-ship pirate who's ship captures lighting bolts and sells them to the highest bidders in port town throughout the kingdom. With a ruthless and terrifying reputation as the most villainous pirate of them all, discovering he harbors an inner lust for musical theatre and costume was something truly to behold. Full of surprises, mystery, intrigue, and twists, Stardust rivals and, arguably, streaks past the other great fantasy film of 2007, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix when it comes to imagination and story. Of course, to be very clear and candid, unlike HP&OotP, Stardust was not directed by someone who thinks that in order to make a great film, it must have the shortest possible running time, so this assertion that Stardust is a far better film, is not meant to imply that had HP been given it's full due on film, it might have been a far better film than either the real film or Stardust. In any case, Stardust is a nearly perfect fantasy film with both comedy and heart. The special effects are grand, the costumes and sets lively and magnificent, the writing and directing well paced and pitched, and the acting simply irresistible--it seems Orlando Bloom finally has some competition in Charlie Cox as he's destined to become the next swoon-inducing, 'it' guy from the UK. Go see Stardust. If you enjoy fantasy films and a grand love story set in a magical kingdom where dreams can come true, you'll love this movie.
Yvaine (Claire Danes) is saved by a Unicorn | Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro) guides his 'nephew' Tristran | |
Tristran (Charlie Cox) lets Victoria (Sienna Miller) down | Evil Witch, Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer) enroute to the star | |
Lamia in all her glory | Tristran protects his star, Yvaine |
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring Stardust (2007)
Cast Members
Charlie Cox
• Ian McKellen • Ben BarnesKate Magowan
• Sienna Miller • Nathaniel ParkerPeter O'Toole
• Mark Strong • Jason FlemyngMark Heap
• Robert De Niro • Michelle PfeifferDirector
Matthew Vaughn
Writers
Jane Goldman
• Matthew Vaughn| Book | DVD | VHS |
| CD Soundtrack | ||
Stardust, the wondrously imaginative new fairy tale film based on Neil Gaiman's novel and directed by Matthew Vaughn from his screenplay co-written by Jane Goldman, is a fantastical film somewhat out of place sandwiched between the testosterone blockbuster spectacles of July and the dramatic Oscar®-contending independent films of September. With enchanting characters and myth, Stardust puts some new spins on familiar yarns. Full of surprises, mystery, intrigue, and twists, Stardust rivals and, arguably, streaks past the other great fantasy film of 2007, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. When it comes to imagination and story, Stardust is a nearly perfect fantasy film with both comedy and heart. The special effects are grand, the costumes and sets lively and magnificent, the writing and directing well paced and pitched, and the acting is simply irresistible. If you enjoy fantasy films and a grand love story, you'll love this movie.
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