A boy discovers manhood as he embarks on adventure for the love of his life.

Rating: 10/10 (19 March 2015)

Stardust follows the adventures, and there are many, of Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox) as he sets off to find a fallen star to prove his devotion to the love of his life. He must cross a wall (known as the wall) in his village, which is a border to a magical land called Stormhold, and bring back the fallen star he and his love interest, Victoria (Sienna Miller), witness falling. Much to Tristan's surprise, he discovers the star is a beautiful young womanone who is not as eager to complete the adventure as he is. To gain her compliance, Tristan promises to help put her back in the sky after he presents her to Victoria. I'm sure this will go perfectly as planned, with no complications what so ever. It's not like he and Victoria were the only two to witness the failing star, right? It's not like Tristan is the only one seeking it, right? Wrong. Beware; there are witches to outsmart, flying pirates to fight, zombie swordsmen to defeat and life lessons to be learned. In the end Tristan learns first hand what manhood is all about and what true love iswhat it really is.
The theme is both plot based and character driven. It is clear from the beginning, thanks to the narration, what the heart and soul of this film are about. The narrator states: "This is the story of how a boy becomes a man". That statement alone sums up the character development you can expect to witness. The adventure that takes place, forming Tristan's manhood transition, is the plot-based theme that keeps this adventure story moving forward, hitting all the essential stops along the way.
Tristan's story shares the film's runtime with three other interrelated events. The first is the brewing love between Tristan and the fallen star, Yvaine (Claire Danes). Though their relationship faces less then humble beginnings, they grow closer as they share the trials and tribulations of the journey back to the wall.
Tristan and Victoria were not the only two who witnessed the star fall from the sky. A trio of witches and a group of princes also observed the event. The witches need the star for a youth potion (essentially eternal life). The princes need to bring back a magical necklace sent out by their father, the King of Stormhold, which is what originally knocked the star out of the sky in the first place. The King states that the son to return the necklace shall be the next King of Stormhold. How does this tie in? The fallen star, Yvaine, is wearing the necklace. Now that we've tied up that loose end we can continue.
Stardust keeps audiences on edge through the interwoven story telling of these several events as they unfold. As one can imagine, as the climax draws nearer so do these interwoven events, until the final show down and one party is left victorious. Does Tristan make it back to the wall with Yvaine? Do the witches cut out her heart and make their potion? Or do the princes competition steal Yvaine away altogether? What becomes of Victoria? These questions and more await answers, all you need to do is click play.