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Bookmark this pageStardust (2007)
Director: Matthew Vaughn
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
User reviews of this film
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- Roxy said...
- Posted on Nov 22 2007 18:54 I was expecting this film to be a typical fairytale, and in ways it was, but it was really good! The star cast will have you in awe from the start when you see the characters they play, and the storyline is really strong. The film just works, and I am deffinately buying it on DVD.
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- Stacey said...
- Posted on Nov 22 2007 14:20 Im going to see it tonight, so il be on again to tell u all if its really worth watching
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- Alex said...
- Posted on Nov 21 2007 22:01 i went to watch this film because there were good reviews about it but it was asolutely awful. DO NOT GO AND WATCH THIS FILM, IT IS THE WORST FILM I HAVE SEEN THI YEAR
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- Aaron said...
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Posted on Nov 21 2007 11:53
Very good flim.
I went into the cinema doubtful and expecting it to be an expensive nap. It surprised me that I enjoyed it so much.
The best film this year, easily. - Report as inappropriate
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- Sue said...
- Posted on Nov 20 2007 16:39 Very good fairytale akin to the Pincess bride, feel good factor leavng the cinema about a 7/10. Robert De Niro performance was the funniest thing in the film.
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- john said...
- Posted on Nov 20 2007 11:40 very funny laugh out loud
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- john said...
- Posted on Nov 20 2007 11:39 very funny laugh out load
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- ben said...
- Posted on Nov 18 2007 13:25 I guess people can spell quite well on this site.....
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- Alice said...
- Posted on Nov 18 2007 12:38 Brilliant its a must see film the whole family can enjoy.This magical story is truly wonderful.Perfect comedy lines. One of the best films this year can't wait for it to come out on DVD. Im defonatily going to bye it when it comes out.
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- naturallyholistic said...
- Posted on Nov 18 2007 00:41 This film was excellent ~ took my 9yr old and 12yr old girls with me, who, equally enjoyed it. Quality performances, humourous & exciting. Would definatley recommend. Best film I have viewed in ages.............................
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- Emily said...
- Posted on Nov 17 2007 19:07 Brilliant film - fun for everyone! Very poor timeout review sadly.
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- camy said...
- Posted on Nov 17 2007 18:23 i haven't seen it yet but lods of my frend have and say it an arsume film and i can't wait to see it tonight 17/11/07
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- emily..x said...
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Posted on Nov 17 2007 10:23
i think this film is great x i love stardust the music is really good to x
i recomend this to everyone x x
the actors are good.. - Report as inappropriate
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- Peter Mckechnie said...
- Posted on Nov 16 2007 18:39 Im a 37yo bloke so wasnt expecting to like it when I took my daughter but I was suprised it was very good. Robert di Nereo made the fill for me . Most kids films usually get watched once by me but ill defo be buying it on DVD for Emily when it comes out althought a lot of the special affects will be lost on the small screen. Watch it youl love it!!!!
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- Helen said...
- Posted on Nov 16 2007 17:32 Everyone has different tastes!! My three sons, my husband and myself all absolutely loved it. I'd buy it on DVD.
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Cast & crew
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Cast: Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Sienna Miller, Peter O'Toole, Jason Flemyng, Rupert Everett, Ricky Gervais, Ian McKellen full cast
Genre(s): Action/Adventure, Fantasy, Romance
Rated: PG
Duration: 130 mins
UK Release: Oct 19 2007
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