A fantastic fantasy film that is a real surprise

Rating: 9/10 (12 August 2014)

This film is definitely one of the most underrated films of all time as this is a fantastic film and this is truly one of the greatest fantasy films I can think of. With the big name actors and actresses in this film it is a surprise to see Charlie Cox in the lead as Tristan and I must say he does a great job. He starts as an annoying brat but as you would expect he grows and his character becomes a heroic one who even becomes likable towards the end of the film as he makes the correct decision. The supporting characters are also fantastic throughout. Claire Danes as the star was a great choice and she is similar to Tristan as she starts off annoying but grows on you as the film progresses. The chemistry is good between the two and the relationship is good and believable. Mark Strong in Hollywood could be seen as one of the best bad guys around and he lives up to this as Prince Septimus. He is so evil and truly great in this villainous role, just like Michelle Pfeifer who thrives as the witch villain and she also thrives in this role and looks like she enjoys it. The biggest surprise was Robert De Niro's character as he really is different to what I expected but he is great and he is truly a class actor. The story from the outside could have been seen as over the top and cookie cutter but it does its job really well with the number of people on the chase for the star being right and the relationship/hero story is done very well. The script is decent with a good blend between drama and humour but sometimes some of the dialogue feels a little off on occasion. The style is so cool though with the mix of fantasy such as witches and pirates really creates a great blend and a new backdrop for a superb film.