Stardust is a fantasy tale and a love story about the adventures of a young man called Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox) and the people he encounters. Tristan lives in the town of Wall and is in love with a girl named Victoria, the town’s greatest beauty. He is not having much success at winning over her heart though, as she seems to be saving her affections for whichever suitor can bring her the best and most expensive presents. The crux of the film starts when Tristan and Victoria see a star falling to earth in the distance, and Tristan promises to bring her back the star in order to win her hand in marriage. To get to the star though, Tristan has to cross the wall that divides his town from a parallel universe called Stormhold and enter this other realm.

Things are very different in the world of Stormhold to what Tristan is used to. For one thing, this star he is looking for is not a rock, but a beautiful woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes) with a heart that offers eternal youth and immortality. Tristan discovers his task is a bit more difficult than just picking up a rock and carrying it home. He now has to bring home an entire person, with a mind of her own, and who doesn’t seem particularly pleased at the prospect of being presented as a present to a complete stranger. Tristan is actually a blessing in disguise to Yvaine though, as it turns out he’s not the only person looking for her. There are a group of old haggard witches who want to cut out her heart and eat it, as this will bring them eternal youth and make them more powerful. The Princes’ to the throne of Stormhold are also looking for her, as she is carrying the jewel that they need in order to be crowned the King of Stormhold.

This is really a film about searching. Every character is looking for something that will help them achieve their dreams, whether it be love, the heart of a star, or a missing ruby. These searches fuel the quest of each character and result in an action packed film, as each person fights for what they want. Michelle Pfeiffer is truly frightening as the grotesque witch Lamia who will stop at nothing to get the heart of the star. Mark Strong also gives a notable performance as the ruthless Prince Septimus, who will do anything to become King. He manages to be comedic and pull off amusing dialogue, whilst at the same time being convincingly brutal in his murderous actions.

I was least impressed with the character Robert De Niro played, Captain Shakespeare. It wasn’t particularly bad or anything, but it was a role of a ship captain, who likes to dress up and try on women’s clothing when he’s by himself, but who has to pretend to his crew that he’s a cold blooded killer in order to gain their respect. The role isn’t a major part in the film, and seems merely there to provide comedy. I personally think it would have worked better had a lesser known actor played this part, as it’s impossible to forget in the short time he’s on screen that you’re watching a movie legend, and so instead of enjoying the scenes, I found myself thinking ‘this is a bit weird, what is he doing?’ It was still kind of funny though, so this is only a minor complaint.

This film genuinely does have a magical quality to it. It contains all the necessary elements that a fairytale needs; true love, a wicked witch, and without spoiling the plot too much, a happy ending. Claire Danes somehow manages to make the viewer believe that she is a star, possibly helped by the cinematic effects that make her literally shine whenever she’s on screen. It’s a beautiful film that lets you experience an altenative fantastical world.

Starring: Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro

Dir: Matthew Vaughan