Amazon.co.uk Review
An adaptation of the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name,
Stardust brings a strong cast together for an enjoyable family feast, with plenty to enjoy.
Stardust mixes in romance and adventure, all in a fantasy movie guise, as it follows Tristan on his quest to retrieve a fallen star for the beautiful Victoria. Only it soon becomes clear that theres a lot more going on as Tristan makes his journey (not least a companion more diverting than the aforementioned Victoria). Michelle Pfeiffer, for instance, returns to high profile movie making (after quite a break) in the role of the evil witch, while theres space too for Robert De Niros pirate and an odd cameo from Ricky Gervais.
Seemingly one of a wealth of family films that made it out of the blocks off the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Stardust doesnt quite hit those heights, but it has quite a sporting go. Its an uneven tale, albeit one told with enough passion and enthusiasm to encourage you to cut it some slack. And when it gets to the end of the last reel, its hard to feel shortchanged by what youve just seen.
For while Stardust has problems, it also has laughs, adventure, action and a whole lot in its corner to recommend it. And it is worth your time and attention. --Jon Foster
Synopsis
Director Matthew Vaughn (LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS) takes his experience with credible crime capers and applies it to the fantasy genre in this charming but not too precious adaptation of Neil Gaiman's novel. The many threads of the story intertwine seamlessly, unfolding at an unforced pace that complements the movie's magical special effects. Charlie Cox (CASANOVA) stars as Tristan, a somewhat bumbling shopkeepers assistant in the sleepy English village of Wall, so named for the stone barrier that separates it from the magical realm of Stormhold. Tristan is in love with the beautiful, dismissive Victoria (Sienna Miller), who much prefers her other suitor, Humphrey (Henry Cavill), since he has travelled all the way to Ipswich to buy her an engagement ring. Tristan, in a last-ditch effort to win Victoria's affections, offers to bring her a fallen star they've just seen, and she agrees to marry him if he can deliver. Unbeknownst to Tristan, he is the product of his father's (Nathaniel Parker) sole excursion to Stormhold, where he had a tryst with a mysterious slave girl (Kate Magowan) who said she was a princess. As Tristan retraces his fathers steps he discovers that the 'star' is actually a beautiful young woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes). A trio of witches, led by a delightfully wicked Michelle Pfeiffer, wants to capture Yvaine to cut out her heart and gain eternal youth, while the three remaining sons of the recently deceased king (Peter O'Toole) compete with one another to find the gem Yvaine wears around her neck. With special effects that never outshine the performances and a sweet story peppered with hints of Gaiman's dark sensibility, STARDUST is a truly enchanting fairy tale.