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Stardust (2007)

Time Out rating

Average user rating

158 reviews

Synopsis

Based on the best-selling graphic novel by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess, 'Stardust' begins in a village in England and ends up in places that exist in an imaginary world. A young man named Tristan (Charlie Cox) tries to win the heart of Victoria (Sienna Miller), the beautiful but cold object of his desire, by going on a quest to retrieve a fallen star. His journey takes him to a mysterious and forbidden land beyond the walls of his village. On his odyssey, Tristan finds the star, which has transformed into a striking girl named Yvaine (Claire Danes). However, Tristan is not the only one seeking the star. A king’s (Peter O’Toole) four living sons – not to mention the ghosts of their three dead brothers – all need the star as they vie for the throne. Tristan must also overcome the evil witch, Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer), who needs the star to make her young again. As Tristan battles to survive these threats, encountering a pirate named Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro) and a shady trader named Ferdy the Fence (Ricky Gervais) along the way, his quest changes. He must now win the heart of the star for himself as he discovers the meaning of true love.

Movie review

From Time Out London

There’s a lot of seductive qualities in this knowing, pomo, digitally assisted, widescreen, family oriented fairy tale.

It’s adapted with roistering glee by Matthew ‘Layer Cake’ Vaughn from Neil Gaiman’s cult comic-strip, a time-travelling fantasia with princely rivalry, piratical villains, chivalric romances, marvels, magical spells, mythical struggles and Hovis-ad English villages. It plays like a live-action riposte to ‘Shrek’. As if to compensate for carrying human baggage – sorry, actors – Vaughn throws everything at the screen he can. Castles in the sky and hovels on the ground come hurtling towards you courtesy of combined computer and visual effects. Before you settle into its amusingly generic ‘Victorian’ England setting (and the comforts of Ian McKellen’s velvety voice-over), you’re rocketed off on Google Earth-style journeys to the magical, mock-medieval, manically overdesigned virtual world of ‘Stormhold’, then back again to its teeming, independent microcosmics satellite hidden behind the olde village’s guarded stone wall. Like Gulliver’s puny captors or the ropes on Munchausen’s balloon-ship (which is quoted here), the film’s cast has the task of tethering its chaotic flights of fancy.

Charlie Cox, in naturalist register, makes a fist of the young, cambric-shirted hero – Tristan , charged with bringing back a fallen ‘star’ (which turns into an annoying Claire Danes) by his hiss-ably haughty love (tressed-to-kill Sienna Miller). But the rest – O’Toole, Pfeiffer, Gervais et al – wisely camp it up, with Robert De Niro out-camping everyone in a film-stealing turn as buckleswashing Captain Shakespeare. You could call it a cousin of ‘Time Bandits’ or ‘The Princess Bride’, but it lacks the former’s originality and the latter’s heart. No matter, little kids will like the miniature elephants herding in specimen bottles; this writer liked the futuristic gifts – plastic flowers!

Author: Wally Hammond

Time Out London Issue 1939: October 17-23 2007

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User reviews of this film

jay said...

Posted on Oct 05 2011 18:28 wow really loved it. and especially claire danes. i'm in love with her after seeing this.

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bob said...

Posted on Dec 14 2009 14:55 amazingly brilltastic

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Cathy said...

Posted on Aug 08 2008 21:34 This is the best film ever! And the novel which this film is decended from is by my favourite author Neil Gaiman. I loved this film and it is so oringinal with many twists in the plot. It is one of those rare gems that everyone will enjoy!
However I think it is unsutiable for anyone under the age of 13 due to the violence and sexual inuendo that is contained in this film. Eventhough it is a PG it should really be a 12a. Again, fantastic film!

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masterchief-117 said...

Posted on May 11 2008 18:27 word count=231

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john said...

Posted on May 11 2008 18:27 this is the best review ever!!! should get a 7!!!!! the film is bad, the review is great!!!

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Nour said...

Posted on Apr 12 2008 08:51 i loved the movie to bits. it was awsome, and i don't think that this reviw gave it the amount of attention it deserves.

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Maria said...

Posted on Mar 27 2008 17:25 For god sake-anyone that found this too cheesy is surely heartless!!! It was lovely! Have watched 5 times and im still not fed up!

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Hannah said...

Posted on Mar 18 2008 15:23 A great film for all the family!

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LSP lord said...

Posted on Mar 07 2008 17:36 Fairly good film. Good Acting and great storyline, but if you're over about 13ish and under about 18, then don't bother. You'll come out thinking you're back in Year 4. Still, good film, with a few nice little twists. All i can say is Ricky Gervais wasn't used enough. He's a funny bloke, but only turned up in a couple of scenes. Oh, and you'll never see Robert de Niro the same way ever ever again. Great ideas. Whoever wrote it has the imagination of my dreams.
Thanks, LSP lord.

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Kimmi said...

Posted on Mar 03 2008 01:03 Brilliant.loved every minute.

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Susan said...

Posted on Jan 28 2008 23:22 Loved it. Bit of a slow start but then what a wonderful, warming, heartfelt, lovely, film. Love the title track too, practically brings tears to the eyes!

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bill said...

Posted on Jan 02 2008 01:30 great flick

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Cameron said...

Posted on Jan 01 2008 16:55 realy realy realy realy realy realy great!!!

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Amy said...

Posted on Jan 01 2008 16:51 Deffinitly up my street and I realy enjoyed it.

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irka said...

Posted on Jan 01 2008 15:13 Another fantastic film. It has everything in it, great effects. Great moral values another fairy tale mmde modern. I will go and see this one again, love it , love it!!

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