Released: August 10, 2007
Director: Matthew Vaughn
*****
Part comedy, part adventure, part romance, Stardust might as well have been titled The Princess Bride Part 2. In order to win the hand (and heart) of local spoiled girl Victoria, Tristan journeys into the kingdom of Stormhold to acquire a fallen star. Competing with him on this quest is a witch (Lamia), who wants the star's heart to make her young; and a prince-Septimus-who is after a jewel around her neck which will supposedly make him king. It's a typical quest tale, filled with action spectacles, near escapes and all manner of assorted creatures. But it's a quest tale done with pinache.
Imagine Lord of the Rings with a sense of humor. Not just from the good guys, but from everyone involved. If Sauron's eye peeked around rocks and trees looking for Frodo; if the ghost warriors in the third installment started talking to Aragorn about the weather...you get the idea. In fact, I wouldn't have been surprised to see the name "Mel Brooks" pop up somewhere in the credits. Stardust has the gumption to carry through on its convictions, especially where the closet case Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro) comes into play. All the players know the stakes in this piece, yet they retain their humanity. We see young Tristan learn how to sword fight and how he falls in love with the star. On every step of their journey (the, indeed, the journey of everyone around them), we understand every last motivation.
In a film full of scene chewing roles, no one is better than perhaps Michelle Pfieffer as Lamia, a haggered witch desperate to become young again. She's the best thing on the screen, the most enjoyable to watch and arguably the most deranged of the group. Even in the finale, when she seemingly allows Tristan and the star-Yvaine-go, she is still as deliciously plotting as we'd expect her to be. Her storyline harkens to the quest for eternal youth instead of growing old gracefully. Inspired casting that an actress like Pfieffer was offered the role.
Much will also be said about De Niro's gay pirate. A bit much at times, especially when he puts on a corset, De Niro knows he's in a fun movie and takes every last moment he can to engage in that playfulness. Actually, every actor does. There's no sense of overt seriousness in the film, no sense of "big bad danger." Hell, when dead princes mock the currently living ones, you know we're in the realm of comedy. Stardust is bigger that that, though. It's about love and what it means to be in love. You shouldn't have to buy love with things; if someone truly loves you, they will go to the ends of the earth for you. And that's the beauty of the film: a simple message disguised completely as entertainment. One of the most fun film experiences of the year.