Finally, a fairy tale for an older audience.

 

When you watch a movie in theaters, ask yourself one question -- is this a film I would like to see again on DVD?  If the answer is yes, than you have, at least, an automatic 3 out of 4 star rating.  With the recent flux of fantasy movies that have been released in the past few years, I've seen them on the big screen yet I find myself unfulfilled and not having an urge to see these titles on home viewing.  "Stardust" is the first movie in quite some time where I am eager to see again. 

 

"Stardust" is a film that is truly original, presenting a fantasy world that mixes multiple genre themes together without confusion or clumsiness.  While the film's trailers might not indicate the concise direction, "Stardust" has a clear vision and takes the viewer on an exciting and charming adventure.  Some critics state that the direction of the film is all over the place and that's simply not true.  I think some individuals might be overwhelmed by the originality more than anything else. 

 

The general plot centers on a young lad named Tristan who seeks to win the affection of a young woman with whom he is interested in.  To do this, he vows to trace down a fallen star in the restricted area of Stormhold and promises to deliver the star to her as a gesture of his devotion.  When Tristan sets off on his journey and finds that the fallen star is actually an enchanted woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes), the remarkable adventure in Stormhold begins.  (One of the things I enjoyed about the early portions of the film is that there is no question that Stormhold is a real place which exists within England.  It's presented as a fact and I was eager to buy in.)

 

As the film opens up the magical tale even further, we get to meet a self obsessed witch, an ambitious prince and many other interesting characters all tied to the fallen star in one way or another.  The witch, played naughtily by Michele Pfeiffer, seeks the power of the star to use as her personal fountain of youth while the dark prince greedily seeks it for another reason -- to recover an amulet from the star that will grant him his own throne.  Caught in the middle of this is Tristan and his simple wish to bring the star over to England and claim the affection of his the woman he is courting. As peril develops, Tristan and the Fallen Star begin forming a relationship that changes the way he thinks about his original wish and makes him reconsider what true love really is.

 

Though much of what I wrote about "Stardust" to this point is very positive, perhaps the highlight of this picture is the performance that Robert De Niro turns in as a "ruthless" sky pirate.  Questionable going in, I didn't know if such a recognizable face would fit into a fantasy yarn of this sort but De Niro certainly did and then some.  His scenes offered some of the best moments in the film and added another element of humor to the story.

 

The special effects and the music are all spot on in this film as are the acting performances, which in a film like this is even more important since a dodgy performance can cause the entire story to unravel due to the fantastical nature of the film.  It's imperative to believe your characters are who they say they are and I felt this confidence throughout my viewing.  Other nice touches include a good hearted, heroic unicorn, a pack of humorous ghosts and well rendered special effects.  I also was touched by the use of the glow effect on the Yvaine, as each time she felt joy and love, you could visibly see her grow brighter.  Very sweet.