By Frederic Germay
Out of all the movies in theatres right now, this film has the obvious distinction of being the toughest sell. The storyline revolves around a young man who tries to prove his love to a vapid girl (that he really doesn't love, but is merely infatuated with) by capturing a fallen Star for her hand in marriage. Little does he know that a rapidly aging witch, and a pack of princes are pursuing the Star as well. Based on the above, I had a strong urge to skip viewing this film, and select a more believable flick. Had I done that, I would have missed one of the greatest film experiences to grace the big screen this year.
Based on Neil Gaiman's best-selling novels, this fairy-tale epic tells the tale of a young man named Tristan living in the town of Wall. Wall is appropriately named due to the rather large wall running along the exterior, which is guarded by a rather acrobatic old man. Unbeknownst to the townspeople of Wall, outside the wall lies the magical kingdom of Stormhold. During the beginning of the film, Tristan desperately attempts to win the affection of a girl named Victoria. After they share a glass of wine, Victoria tells Tristan that her boyfriend has traveled a great distant to find a ring to ask for her hand in marriage. Tristan then declares that he would travel past the wall to retrieve a recently fallen star for her, and she agrees to marry him if he does.
Unfortunately, Tristan isn't the only one searching for the star. A group of three disgusting wretchedly old witches are also seeking the star so they can eat its heart, and remain young forever. Lamia, the apparent leader of the witches sets off on the journey to recover the star. In the castle of Stormhold, the king is about to die, but he is unsure of whom out of his four remaining sons to pass the kingdom to. So he sets them on a grand quest to recover a jewel, and whichever of his sons completes the test first will be king. To make matters worse for the "star" in question, she collided with the jewel that the princes were after.
Michelle Pfeiffer, who plays Lamia, delivers a truly enjoyable performance. Her own disgust at her aging, and her rather remarkable powers add together for quite a remarkable character. Robert DeNiro's feminine depiction of a pirate captain is the epitome of comedic brilliance. I defy you not to laugh during his dance with the feather dress. Claire Danes, who plays the star Yvaine, gives a wonderfully fresh performance. Unfortunately, Charlie Cox’s Tristan delivers quite a few choppy lines, and is certainly not the greatest actor of the film. However, I believe the best performance of the film belongs to Ricky Gervais. Although he spends barely any time on screen, he inserts his trademark side-splitting style into those scenes.
The best aspect of “Stardust" is that it doesn't take itself seriously. When you take the magnificent awe of the film's climax between the witches and Tristan into account, the film is definitely epic. However, contrary to many other great epics, this particular film seems a bit lighter in comparison. Perhaps a contributor to this film's bright feel is the frequent, yet refreshing, use of comedic relief.
At more than two hours, this film may be a bit too long. Fortunately, this film fills every single minute with its incredibly entertaining unique style. I give this film a 9/10.
