Stardust (2007): Narratological Principals

Rating: 7/10 (20 November 2012)

Director Matthew Vaughn follows up his directorial debut gangster flick Layer Cake with a film that is the complete opposite. Based on the novel of the same name by author Neil Gaiman Stardust could be best described as a modern day fairy-tale or to quote its tag-line: 'the fairy-tale that won't behave'. Although this is true in that the film aims to appeal to children and adults alike such as containing violence with blue blood rather than red, this film still shares key narrative plot points and character functions of traditional fairy tales.
The film begins with the obligatory opening narration that can be found in any of Disney's adaption of traditional fairy tales. This accompanies a short backstory serving to build up the introduction to primary protagonist Tristan (Charlie Cox); the action begins when he is dispatched by the girl he loves, to retrieve a fallen star. A journey which takes him to the mysterious world on the other side of a stone wall running alongside the Victorian village he lives in. This gives a sense of reality to the magical world buy juxtaposing it with the 'real' world opposing traditional fairy tales where the worlds are often fictional and self-contained. A child is likely to believe that a fantasy world can exist parallel to their own, based upon this plot point.
The action really starts to take place with Tristan discovering the star he has been sent to retrieve is anthropomorphic. The film then focuses on Tristan's journey to take the star back home with the traditional binary opposition of good versus evil coming into play when he must protect her from others who want her heart such as a trio of evil witches. This is when the film really starts to play upon the narrative conventions of traditional fairy tales.
All of Propp's character functions are presented to the audience with a good twist being the sub plot involving feuding princes trying to wipe each other out introducing us to false hero Prince Septimus (Mark Strong). A clever device toying with fairytale conventions and how the audience often associates Princes with being the standard fairytale hero out to save the princess-not try to kill them as is the case here. The film also contains some brilliant support from Robert De Niro playing completely against type as a camp pirate captain who helps the protagonists. The film starts out as a Tristan's quest to retrieve a fallen star, 'the princess' but actually charts his journey into manhood.
Although Cox gives a good performance he is somewhat over shadowed by the immense status of stars such as Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer, whilst numerous cameos feel at times to be shoehorned in. despite this some brilliant cinematography and set pieces keeps the audience engaged. Stardust has its faults but that does not stop it being a great reinvention of the traditional fairytale narrative that is destined to be loved by audiences both young and old for decades to come.