Joe Barber Reviews “STARDUST”

by Joe Barber on Aug.10, 2007, under Joe Barber's Movie Reviews

Whimsical fantasy, rip-roaring adventure of some sly, slightly naughty sexuality are among the treats offered up by “Stardust,” a new film that shares more than a few elements with the much-beloved “Princess Bride.” What it lacks in fairy tale-like charisma, it more than makes up for in sheer audacity.

Set in a small English countryside town in (apparently) the late 19th Century, the film begins by recounting the legend of “the wall,” which sits in a field. Cross through the gap in this wall and you will be transported to a magical land in another dimension-or so says the legend. Nearly twenty years earlier, a young man crossed over to and returned from that land, but not befoire spending some time with a beautiful princess turned slave girl. Nine months later, a baby boy arrived on the young man’s doorstep with a note, naming the boy Trevor.

Raised by his father, Trevor finds it hard to concentrate on anything but the beautiful young woman (Sienna Miller) who is the viillage beauty. Determined to win her hand, he makes an outrageous promise: to cross the gap in the wall and recover the star they both saw fall as a present for the lass’s eighteenth birthday, which falls open week later. If Trevor does so, the girl agrees to run away with him.

But this love inspired quest won’t be easy. Besides getting past the surprisingly tough old man who guards the gap, Trevor must deal with a witch (Michlle Pieffer) who needs the srar’s power to regain her youthful looks, as well as the scheming sons of a dying king (Peter O’Toole, who also narrated the film.) The son who gains posession of the star will become the new king. Then there are the lightening pirates, who search the skies for, of course, lightening to sell on the black market. Oh, don’t forget the star itself which, when it falls to earth, becomes a person, personified in this case by Claire Danes.

As you can tell, there’s a lot going on in “Stardust.” Like “The Princess Bride,” the movie is based on a well regarded novel that both satirizes and embraces the conventions of the fairy tale while offering its own version of a classic tale of questr and love. Director and co-screenwriter Matthew Vaughn leans towards a slightly more adult look at the fantasy world, where the “Bride” tended to be a bit sunnier and romantic.

Taking Neil Gainman’s novel to screen, Vaughn and fellow screenwriter James Goldman clearly stick their tounges firml;y in their cheeks and work hard to add a bit of darkness to their absurdist journey through the land of happily ever after. Newcomer Charlie Cox is a fine and engaging young hero as Trevor, playing well off Danes and Miller. Pieffer’s witch is bothg scary and sausy, in a performancer that reminds us just what we’ve been missing while she’s been away from movies.

Like the Harry Potter” movies, the supportinmg cast is made up of the royalty of British acting and are clearly have a hoot of a time telling this tale., As for Robert De Niro, I’ll say only thi: strap your self into your seat and try not to fall out while laughing your herad off.

Though its dark and sexy underside makes it a better bet for audience members ten and older, “Stardust” delivers thew kind of magic at the movies we often quest unsuccesfully to find. MPAA RATING: PG-13 for mild violence, sexual situations and couple of intense horror special effects scenes. JOE’S RATING:THREE AND A HALF STARS.