You're probably asking what is Stardust (2007)? I said the same thing when scrolling Netflix, and I decided to research the picture. Imagine my surprise at seeing a 76% from critics and 86% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Those are sturdy numbers for a science fiction/fantasy related movie since there track records do not generally hold up. Let's dive in and decide whether Stardust should have a resurgence.
➡️ STORY: There's a small town in England that borders a magical world. A young man promises to retrieve a fallen star for a woman and goes on a fascinating journey through the enchanted realm.
Charlie Cox plays our hero named Tristan Thorn. Paramount Pictures didn't want him at first, but the director, Matthew Vaughn, was adamant. Only after the likes of Robert De Niro signed on did they approve the casting. Thanks to Vaughn because Cox was the right choice. He's one of the reasons why I watched it because of his work in the fantastic Netflix Daredevil show. Tristan qualifies as adorkable. I don't like myself for using that word, but it's true. His character development is him transforming from a small-town boy into an adventurer.
He along with Claire Danes as Yvaine is what makes this a good movie instead of an average one. She doesn't do anything spectacular necessarily but is satisfactory in her role. She's playing a fallen star, so it was really up to her on how to act. I think the awkward and defiant traits worked.
Umm, I think it's better if you don't know much about Robert De Niro's character. It's interesting to say the least and a bit unexpected. De Niro accepted this role after regrettably turning down the role of Captain Barbosa in Pirates of the Caribbean. One is better than the other truth be told.
The humor in this movie is odd. It reminds me a little of films like Hot Fuzz, yet it's still different than that. The brother ghost guys are fairly funny among others. Also, a sword fight involving a voodoo doll is pretty funny and cutting the wrong chandelier in the fight. For the most part, I understand the gags, but I recognize it's not for everyone. Once or twice a joke involving the witches made me wince which rarely happens when I'm watching movies. It is PG-13, so it can have some borderline content.
Being a fantasy film, sets and production are important. The landscape is beautiful at times, but the cool imagery involves the skyship. Seeing it float through a lightning storm is epic. Also, anytime the main witch uses her magic, they show each detail. There wasn't a puff of smoke and there it was. No, they exhibit the pieces being assembled. It reminds me a little of all the moving parts in Transformers movies.
I'll say this to close. If you generally enjoy fantasy films, you'll approve of Stardust. It's not the best, but it's certainly not the worst either. You should give it a try! My film rating is B-.
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