Fantastic proverbial fantasy

Rating: 8/10 (1 January 2008)

Stardust is a fantasy about a young man named Tristan, who journeys to collect a fallen star that he and a girlfriend notice in the sky one night. In doing so, he journeys from his "real world" town of Wall into a magical land that is hidden behind a wall nearby. But he is not the only one after the star; a band of witches and the son of a King also pursue the fallen star. The star turns out to be a woman that carries an attitude of her own, further complicating the quest. The film has several subplots that are important but too complicated to describe here. When everything comes together, you get a fascinating and elegant structure that forms a perfect fantasy tale.
The movie is, above all else, creative. The fallen star visibly glows as she becomes happy and strong, the witches grow old and ugly as they cast magic (which is why they are after the star; the star's heart regenerates their youth), the King has a unique method of choosing his heir, and there are countless magical spells or objects that are remarkable to imagine (Babylon candles, witch hexes, trapped lightning). One of my favorite ideas is that of Captain Shakespeare (perfectly played by Robert DeNiro), a pirate that believes reputation is everything. The imaginative use of the fantasy world and bright characters is the factor that puts it above most movies.
Stardust does suffer from occasional acting or dialog problems, although none are too distracting. The music is fantastic; its not too intense or overused, but perfectly suits the style. Depending on your personal tastes, it could be a little slow, but for most people the pacing should feel perfect. The finale was especially put together well, with a few exciting surprises to wrap up all the subplots.
I recommend the movie for people of all ages. It has a magical atmosphere that you can't go wrong with. People who love fantasies, dreams, or adventures will like it the most.