Stardust

I had not heard of the film Stardust until my neighbor brought the DVD over one night for my husband and I to watch together. Ian McClellan narrated this 2007 adventure/fantasy from England where the characters travel to different worlds in search of love and family.

My neighbor described it as being reminiscent of The Princess Bride. It has been years and years since I saw that film, but I recalled it as having some good humor to it. This film was also funny in the situations that arose and the dialogue between the characters.

Young Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox) decides to travel beyond “the Wall” that is a barrier between the town in which he lives and another world, where no one is ever to visit. He wishes to find a star to present to the object of his affections, a vapid young lady named Victoria (Sienna Miller). Beyond his small town, on the other side of the wall, is Stormhold, a world of magic and intrigue. He soon meets pretty Yvaine (Clair Danes), and they set off together on a journey that will test them.

This journey brings them into the paths of witches, who are a trio of aged sisters led by Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer), as well as seven princes all vying for the throne as their father (Peter O’Toole) languishes on his deathbed. The crown must be passed to a male heir and besides that, their only sister has disappeared years ago. Two actors I recognized, Rupert Everett, and Ricky Gervais, lend great comic humor to their characters. Surprising developments have all these players on their three separate journeys or quests, colliding into one shared journey in the least likely of star-crossed stories.

Tristan and Yvaine at one point find themselves the reluctant passengers of a vessel plying the skies guided by Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro). This captain’s role is one of the funniest and most entertaining of all, and a great character for De Niro to inhabit.

Tristan must grow up quickly and turn himself from victim to champion in his quest for the star. As could be predicted, he and Yvaine are getting along famously, and this beautiful star that has a glowing countenance, especially around Tristan, finds herself in the earthly world that she has only ever been able to look at from afar.

I thought the special effects were good for the type of scenes that were staged, and quite fun. The magical kingdoms are quite wondrous with all the fantasy one could dream up.

The screenplay is based on a novel by Neil Gaiman. The film is rated PG-13 for some fantasy violence and risqué humor. It was filmed in Scotland and Iceland, and the scenery is breathtaking, very desolate and wild.

I liked Stardust. It was a sweet fantastical film, one that can take you far away from your current circumstances and place you in a world of danger, intrigue, magic and most importantly, of love. I recommend it.