STARDUST by Matthew Vaughn
Near the English town Wall there is an old stone around a realm that nobody is allowed to enter. Tristan Thorne (Charlie Cox) crosses the wall to retrieve a fallen star for the girl he loves, Victoria (Sienna Miller). To Tristan’s surprise the fallen star is a beautiful young woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes), but that doesn’t stop him. He traps her with a magic chain and promises to return her to the skies, but only after she comes with him to Victoria first.
The journey back to Wall is long and difficult – others have seen the star falling and are eager to retrieve it.
The witch Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer) wants to cut out Yvaine’s heart and eat it to restore her youth and beauty. The princes of Stormhold want the ruby diamond she wears. And then there is the pirate Captain Shakespeare (Robert de Niro) who is very proud of his bad reputation, and the witch Ditchwater Sal – and Tristan has only one week to deliver the fallen star to Victoria, or she will marry her other admirer, Humphrey.
Evil witches, dashing princes, a magic kingdom, true love, unicorns and notorious pirates – Stardust has everything you expect from a fairy tale, even an incarnate star – and a stellar cast (a stunningly beautiful Michelle Pfeiffer, the incomparable Robert de Niro, a glowing Claire Danes, and young stars Sienna Miller and Charlie Cox, who proves he can carry a movie). Not to forget a decent plot that neatly balances characterization, action, swordfights and romance. All that makes the quite dreadful music and dowdy special effects forgivable, especially since the most important special effect is rather simple but all the more touching – it’s Claire Danes glowing when her star is feeling comfortable and loved.
Not as sharp as The Princess Bride
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