Every so often a movie can surprise you, some for the good and others for the bad. So often I have a basic idea of what I am getting myself in for and I have an idea if I am going to love or hate a movie, but this movie was somewhat of wild card for me. The story seemed interesting and it had some good actors, but the trailers never really gave me an idea of what to expect. Could a movie about a falling star be good, or would it just come off as weird and cheesy? It is billed as a fantasy movie, but what does that really mean? After a summer of being disappointed in "fantasy" like Pirates and Harry Potter, I wasn't sure I was really going to be interested in this movie. But again, every so often a movie can surprise you- good or bad.
Stardust begins with Ian McKellen narrating a story about a teenager who believes there is a magical world just on the other side of the wall that keeps his town separated from everything. The teenager has written a scientist about this theory but no one seems to take any stock into what he is saying. The teenager wants to cross the wall but there is a gatekeeper of sorts there keeping him out. The teen tricks the gatekeeper and ends on the other side eventually coming to a town seemingly full of magic. He meets a girl who claims to be a princess trapped by an evil witch. Naturally they have sex. 9 months later a baby is dropped off at his door. The story fast forwards 18 yrs and we meet Tristan(Charlie Cox), the baby who is now grown up. Tristan is after the heart of a young woman, Victoria (Sienna Miller) and when they see a falling star(Claire Danes) Tristan says he will bring her the star to prove he loves her. 3 witches are also after the fallen star because if they cut out the heart of a fallen star they can gain eternal youth. Michelle Pfeiffer is the leader of these witches and she sets off to find the star. Also there is a storyline involving a dying king and his sons. The king dies but as he is dying he says that whichever brother can find the ruby will be king. He throws the ruby into the sky, it hits the star, which causes it to fall and now the star wears the ruby around her neck. So in all, Tristan, the witches and the 4 princes are all after the star.
This movie is surprisingly good. It is hilarious, whimsical, magical and heart warming. It is everything a fairy tale should be because after all it is a fairy tale. We have witches, princes, magic and even pirates. The humor comes fast and it comes early. If you aren't laughing at the the first scene with the princes then you might not get the rest of the jokes, but the humor is very random, smart and very funny. It is also pretty dark humor, which was the biggest surprise for me. Fairy tales are usually pretty light hearted in nature, but this found humor in murder and even some in torture. The story comes across as a bit basic, but the way it is played works for me. We all know where the movie is headed from beginning to end, but that never takes away from the fun we have watching it. The effects are all fun and while they aren't going to change the way effects are done, they fit well into this kind of story. The score is perfectly epic to match all of the swooping camera shots. Director, Matthew Vaughn certainly loves big swooping cameras and making 360 degree circles letting us take everything in before moving the story forward.
On the performance level, Cox and Danes have a wonderful light hearted chemistry and Cox gives a very earnest and charming portrayal as a man in love. Danes shines playing something as opposed to someone. We are told that stars watch us so Danes was able to pull form that giving a performance that had a wide eyed innocence, but also a hint of street smarts to go along with it. Pfeiffer is having an absolute blast as the witch who starts to age every time she uses her powers. She starts off looking about as good as she ever has and then she wrinkles and hair falls out and her boobs sag. The princes don't all have much personality, but they provide some hilarious moments throughout that I do not want to ruin it because being surprised by it was half the fun. Also, Robert De Niro shows up as a pirate in a cameo that is as hilarious as it is weird.
Of course, this is not an all out comedy though. Don't worry the action is as much fun as the comedy. There is a sword fight between our hero and a zombie that is more thrilling than any of the sword fights in the last two Pirates movies and on top of that moment the entire climatic event is fun and thrilling. The movie moves quickly and while it comes in at a little over two hours it does not at all feel like it. Vaughn has recently been tapped to direct the Marvel Thor movie and if this movie is any indication, it should be a good movie, especially the way lightening looks and is used in this movie. I have not read Neil Gaiman's novel that this movie is based on, but as a stand alone movie it really works in every way. There are a few other cameos by famous English actors like Peter O' Toole, Rupert Everett and Ricky Gervais that are all entertaining and actually I wanted more for Gervais because he is really funny here. But, I guess if my only complaint is that I wish a cameo had been extended, well that means it was a pretty damn good movie. A pretty damn good, and very surprising movie. Who could ask for more from a movie with such a predictable story and one that even ends with "And they lived happily ever after."
1 comment:
I think that The Princess Bride comparisons are waranted but not to the extent that people are doing. Both movies are classically told fairy tales with very wicked comedy. The differences though lie, for me, in the comedy and how self aware each of them are.
The Princess Bride is blatantly aware of what is going on. I mean, I know that is stating the obvious, but much of the comedy extends from the little boy's reactions and how the play the comedy with the basic outline of a fairy tale.
Stardust is a movie that takes a fantasy world and does some new things with them, but it isn't as tounge in cheek about it. The movie doesn't pick it apart for us. Yes, we AND the movie know exactly where it is going, but we don't have somebody telling us how to react and how we should re act.
That and Stardust is MUCH darker. But they are both movies that are truly enjoyable for everybody no matter what you like because there is something for everyone.
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