Review of Stardust (2007) by Jgm — 16 Sep 2007

Everybody wants to compare this movie to The Princess Bride, but where that film stands alone as a true original, you'll find equal parts of lesser fantasy films, such as The Witches, Death Becomes Her, and even Time Bandits weighing in here.

But taken on its own terms, Stardust is a refreshingly simple and sweet-hearted fantasy, with little of the Tolkeinesque grimness that has taken over the genre. The story is satisfyingly stirred together from ingredients of fairy tale and modern romantic comedy formulas, and feels nicely hand-made and quirky, taking its time winding its way around some genre-busting set-pieces leading up to a nifty final sequence that manages to find new angles on the supernatural-battle-in-a-castle theme.

The film is rescued from potential classic status mostly due to an unfortunate tendency to go too far, going for slapstick where a sly wink would serve better (notably in the over-use of the Greek chorus of dead heirs, and the eventual more-than-we-needed-to-know reveal of DeNiro's pirate character).

But this will make a fine addition to the DVD collection of anybody who is over the Disney princess thing.