Star-studded Wonder!

Rating: 10/10 (9 November 2007)

What can I say about Stardust? Well everything that's what! It was nearing the end of it's run here in New Zealand and I heard it was one of those hidden gems. I only went in with that knowledge and that it had Robert DeNiro, Michelle Pfeiffer and Claire Danes. DeNiro I was already a fan of and Pfeiffer was also a villain I saw in Hairspray (I guess she wanted something wicked this comeback season). Enough about that, what about the movie?
I was quite surprised that the UK side of the cast had quite a punch with Sir Ian McKellan narrating, Peter 'O Toole playing a less than scrupulous king and the likes of Rupert Everett and Mark Strong as part of the 7 princes. Their antics were quite enjoyable and showcased classical and sometimes surprisingly simple deception and trickery mixed with more contemporary humour. Ricky Gervais was also there as Ferdy the Fence with some pretty witty dialogue if you are familiar with him.
Prominent names aside for a moment, Charlie Cox managed to pull off what I would call a tightrope role. Playing Tristan Thorn, he had various qualities that seemed awkward and subtle, something unlike the typical fairytale hero archetype. I didn't think he was a total clumsy oaf, or a godly saviour like most fantasy genres tend to overdo. He managed to stay real and convincing which is a delightful rare occurrence. Cox will be big some day.
Claire Danes, the literal star of the film. I just loved how they used the SFX appropriately and many people would agree that the effects with Yvaine were indeed special. Playing this out of the world character was bang on the mark for Danes this time. It's been a nice comeback for Pfeiffer and her role as Lamia seeking youth is ironic as she is really one of the most gracefully aged actresses I've ever seen. Lamia is basically fearful like your normal witch but with the looks of a dangerous vixen. Oh yeah, DeNiro can still do it. I won't even bother to detail him as he is something that is best experienced firsthand!
All of this has been packed into a deep and magical world created by Neill Gaiman with a nice original score (with some orchestral classics). The plot goes in many directions and may seem a little bit cluttered, but when approached with an open mind like when you heard your first fairytale you'll fall in love with it.