stardust: fine for fans of fantasy
Bob RossFantasy epic follows fan-friendly rituals
Stardust (opens Aug. 10)
(PG-13; 128 minutes)
A young man on a quest joins forces with the sweet-tempered human incarnation of a fallen heavenly body in “Stardust,” a mildly satiric fantasy about magic spells, wicked witches and the power of love.
Seemingly aimed at the audience that made hits out of “Harry Potter,” “Narnia” and “Lord of the Rings,” this edgy fairy tale is set in the late 19th century but strives for the timelessness of those other epics.
English actor Charlie Cox has the central role of Tristan, a boy on the verge of manhood who has a serious crush on beautiful Victoria (Sienna Miller), who seems way out of his league.
These folks live in a quaint kingdom called Stormwood. It lies next to an enchanted forest that all residents are forbidden to enter. In a prologue, the audience learns of Tristan’s secret roots on the other side of the wall that divides these territories.
Stormwood is apparently ruled by ruthless killers who would assassinate a son or brother while seeking power. This leads to a goofy joke in which deceased siblings become black-and-white ghosts who comment on the other characters’ actions. It was funnier in “Beetlejuice,” but this film can use all available comic relief.
Another, more pertinent plot gets rolling when Tristan learns he can win Victoria’s hand by bringing her a star from the forbidden land nearby. This “star,” we soon learn, has reddish-blond hair, a slender figure, an injured foot and a bad English accent. Claire Danes plays the fallen star, Yvaine, and she becomes Tristan’s unlikely ally.
But you can’t have a magic fairy tale without scary opponents. Michelle Pfeiffer leads this delegation. She plays a gleefully evil sorceress who summons all her strength to change from a hideous hag to a magnificent beauty. The makeup is impressive, but Pfeiffer’s performance is even more so as she plots against Tristan, Yvaine and everything decent. It’s a grand performance — the best such work since Anjelica Huston starred in “Witches.”
Sad to say, Robert De Niro takes a pointless minor role as a swishy pirate captain. He must have thought his grandkids would like it. Peter O’Toole’s cameo is shorter and less appalling.
Even so, “Stardust” delivers enough vibrant effects and magical mystery to please fans of the genre.
We give it a B-.
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