Not an Alvin or even a Chipmunk in Sight (Movie only) (Stardust (DVD))

Member Name: marandina

Product:	Stardust (DVD)
Date:	06/12/07 (157 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: One for the family

Disadvantages: Not for younger children

With the advent of the book to film translation of Philip Pullman's "The Golden Compass" (or as I prefer to know it "Northern Lights" which is the book's UK title) and my inevitable family trip to the cinema to catch this Yuletide's blockbuster, it seems an opportune time to reflect on a movie released late summer that loosely falls into the same fantasy/adventure genre. Narrated by British luvvie, Sir Ian McKellan, "Stardust" is a fantasy tale of witches and magic, heroes and villains designed to delight the audience with a roller coaster ride of action and adventure, set in a land far, far away but not a million miles from a village that could be just next door.

Set in the 1800's, Stormhold is a secret world hidden from a sleepy village by a cobblestone wall. Guarded by a mercurial guardian, Dunstan Thorne (Nathaniel Parker) crosses the ethereal boundary to encounter a mystical world of beggars and gypsies, magic and deception and having had a one-night stand with witch's captive, Una (Kate MaGowan), he inherits the consequences nine months on in the shape of baby Tristan left abandoned on his doorstep. 18 years later, Tristan (Charlie Cox) treads the same steps as his father by breaching the wall once more in order to retrieve a fallen star to prove his love for Victoria (Sienna Miller) who agrees to marry him should he meet her deadline for recovering the star and presenting it to her. Tristan has competition for the magical powers of the star. Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer), an ancient witch with a failing complexion needs to consume the stardust to achieve eternal youth. Meanwhile, prince Septimus (Mark Strong) needs the stardust to make him king of Stormhold following the death of his father. As the various parties converge on the titular "Stardust", a desperate struggle for ownership ensues pitching good against evil, noble against nave in a comical road trip of labyrinthine proportions.

For a movie with such a hefty leaning towards a children's tale, there is a surprisingly large element of adult humour resulting in its PG certificate. With occasional swearing, homosexual references (not that anyone minds these days and younger kids wouldn't pick up on it either) and a penchant for violence, the film is deceptively out of range of younger children. The cast is a powerful one. With Peter O'Toole, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro and Rupert Everitt amongst others, the movie tonks along on a crest of bravado and over acting. Claire Danes is suitably harassed in the lead role as the physical, female form of the fallen star and does her best to look and sound like Gwyneth Paltrow, all shoulder-length blonde hair and sparkling eyes whilst Charlie Cox playing opposite her is dutiful and dumb in his macho endeavor to take her home whilst fending off the various combatants determined to win her for their own nefarious purposes. Both Ricky Jervais and Peter O'Toole are reduced to cameo with the latter's early demise providing the trigger for a key plot strand whilst the former gets yet another bit part playing, essentially, himself with a cheeky leer and a staccato delivery of mildly funny one-liners.

The stars of the show are Pfeiffer camping it up as the head witch with both Rupert Everett and Jason Flemyng not far behind as the warring sons of the late O'Toole faction. The plot line that follows the murderous sons and their flagrant disregard for each other provides the movie's funniest and most imaginative moments with each becoming a ghost as a result of being dispatched to an early grave by their siblings and having the ability to become voyeurs to the unraveling chase along with well timed in-jokes that raise a smile.

In amongst all of this is a curious performance from De Niro who always looks slightly uncomfortable with comic roles despite critical acclaim for his Ben Stiller accompanied "Meet The Parents" capers and the occasional departure from his renowned method acting. Notwithstanding, he does get some great lines with a nod and a wink to the audience and provides the movie's most artistic moments gathering in lightening bolts in his airship and running around in women's underwear. Like a latter-day Peter Pan, De Niro traverses the skies surrounded by his loyal ship's crew of pirates providing the special effects team with work through a mix of CGI and blue screen shots. Filmed in the Isle of Skye and Iceland, some of the sets are breathtaking as are, on the whole, the special effects in a pastiche of "The Princess Bride" infused with more than a dose of derivative mysticism and witchcraft spawned by so many stories from all of our childhoods.

Directed by Brit, Matthew Vaughn, screen written by Jane Goldman and based on the DC comics series by author Neil Gaiman, "Stardust" is, ultimately, somewhat typical in its plotline i.e. princess pursued by all and sundry with a predictable finale following a twist just prior to the climax. The film's score is mainly classical pieces set to various scenes although Take That take the lead with the song "Rule The World" to bring things up to date.

With a run time of 128 minutes, "Stardust" is a stereotypical tale of witches and princes, magic and a resolute Englishness that transcends the boundary of childhood and will appeal to older children and grown ups of the kind that remember the "The Wizard of Oz" and other fables requiring suspension of belief. I have to say that I did enjoy the movie even if it was overloaded with sub plots and my kids absolutely loved the ride. "Stardust" doesn't break new ground or tell us anything that we didn't know already but we all secretly love "Happy Ever After" tales (don't we?) and this is just another story to warm the cockles of your heart.

Recommended.

Thanks for reading.

Mara

More info at: www.stardustmovie.com/

Summary: Overview of "Stardust"