About.com Rating
The Bottom Line
Neil Gaiman's Stardust book transitions to the big screen with Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro in leading roles and director Matthew Vaughn at the helm. The tone of Gaiman's fantasy tale is captured perfectly in the big screen version, with Gaiman's interesting and entertaining group of characters working just as well on the screen as on the page.
Pros
- Enchanting fantasy tale loaded with colorful characters
- Michelle Pfeiffer's terrific as a terrible - and sexy, at times - witch
- Great ensemble cast
Cons
- Not much in the way of bonus features
Description
- Starring Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Ricky Gervais and Rupert Everett
- Adapted for the screen by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn
- Directed by Matthew Vaughn
- Rated PG-13 for fantasy violence and some risque humor
- DVD Release Date: December 18, 2007
Guide Review - Stardust DVD Review
The Story
Tristan Thorne (Cox) resides in the sleepy little town of Wall which borders a fantastical land inhabited by a bizarre collection of characters. Tristan believes he's in love with a beautiful girl from his village (played by Sienna Miller) and makes a wild promise to her one night. Watching a star fall to earth, Tristan tells the lovely lady that he'll fetch the star and bring it back to her in exchange for her hand.
Now on a mission, Tristan crosses the wall and enters the forbidden world.
Once there, he soon discovers the fallen star is actually a woman (Danes) named Yvaine who isn't willing - at first - to go with Tristan just to be handed over to some stranger. As the twosome try and make their way back to the town of Wall, they're pursued by princes who need a necklace Yvaine has in order to be crowned king. They're also hunted down by a witch (Pfeiffer) who has to obtain Yvaine's heart in order to restore her youth and power. They're aided along the way by a wickedly funny pirate captain (De Niro) who enjoys women's clothing.
The Bonus Features
The Stardust DVD doesn't include a commentary track but it does contain a 30 minute Making Of featurette ('Good Omens: The Making of Stardust) that's comprehensive and entertaining. 'Good Omens' features interviews with the cast, director Matthew Vaughn, screenwriter Goldman, and Gaiman, along with an inside look at the set design, the visual effects, and how the cast came together for the film. The DVD also has a 5 minute pretty funny blooper reel that makes it appear as though the cast had way too much fun making this movie. There's also a batch of deleted, altered and extended scenes.
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