Matthew Vaughn directs this scattered adult fairy tale with too many characters and a complex about whether it is a comedy or adventure or romance, based on the 1997 comic books by Neil Gaiman (and illustrated by Charles Vess). Essentially, the film is Hollywood's shorter, poorer version of the BBC's magnificent series, Gormenghast, based on the trilogy of books written by Mervyn Peake way back in 1946. Stardust is the tale of Tristan (Charlie Cox), an 18-year old born of a witch and a human father, who sets out on a quest to find a star in human form named Yvaine (a miscast Claire Danes), claim his love, and live happily ever after. Along the way - as is typical with such adventures - Tristan runs into a nasty MacBeth-worthy witch (a perfectly cast Michelle Pfeiffer); a cross-dressing dirigible sailer (played by Robert DeNiro); the son of a king who's set his sons on each other and challenged them to find a red ruby (conveniently tied around Yvaine's neck) to claim the throne; and a sextet of the king's sons, now ghosts, which act as a comedic Greek chorus. Got all that?! ... Yes, it does make for too much, and, special effects and Pfeiffer's great performance aside, it is a bit of a falling star. It's main downfall is too many characters and its freudian complex of what it actually wants to be as a film.
My rating 6 out of 10.
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