Not "The Princess Bride," But Then Few Fantasy Films Are

Rating: 7/10 (9 January 2008)

Fantasy adventure is a genre I very much enjoy, and it's a genre too neglected by Hollywood. "Stardust" is a fun and enjoyable addition to it, even if it won't go down as the cult classic it so obviously wants to be.
The film's biggest flaw is that there's simply too much going on, too many plot strands, and the film itself is too long. You can feel it working overtime to create the same kind of whimsy that infused a movie that IS a cult classic, "The Princess Bride." But that movie was small, charming and simple. It didn't stuff itself to the brim with digital effects and thunderous action the way "Stardust" does, and the latter film doesn't come close to the former. But I did appreciate the humour in "Stardust" and its refusal to take itself seriously. Charlie Cox and Claire Danes are likable enough as an impetuous English lad and the fallen star he falls in love with, respectively. Michelle Pfeiffer looks gorgeous (at least at first) as a witch intent on regaining her former beauty, even if she's not at home with the film's comic elements. Unfortunately, Robert De Niro is miscast as a swishy pirate with a penchant for corsets and boas, and his big comic scene just feels uncomfortable. But Ricky Gervais adds some fine comedy in a couple of brief scenes, and Peter O'Toole lends the whole thing some credentials by virtue of his mere presence.
Even if it has its faults, I liked "Stardust" and hope to see more films like it.
Grade: B+