Bridget Nordquist

A human shooting star, a gay pirate and a youth-obsessed witch all add to the silliness that is the adventure fantasy movie entitled Stardust. When I heard a review that touted Stardust as a blend of The Princess Bride, Willow and Lord of the Rings, the movie became a must-see for me, considering I love all of the above-mentioned films. All things considered, Stardust was not as amazing as any of those three movies, but was fun enough for frivolous entertainment.

The movie is set in England in the not-so-distant past. Young Tristan hopes to entice the beautiful Victoria to marry him with little success. When he sees a falling star, Tristan vows to bring the star to Victoria in order to gain her love. He sets off to find the star, throwing himself into a world of danger and adventure. Tristan soon discovers that the star is actually a young woman named Yvain who puts him in danger of losing both his heart and his life. Along the way, Tristan and Yvain face vengeful witches, a band of confused pirates and a family of dead but dangerous princes.

To say the least, Stardust features an exciting, all-star ensemble cast. Claire Danes shines as the star Yvain, partially because her hair is blindingly white-blonde. Michelle Pfeiffer portrays the archetypal wicked witch and sells it just as well as she did in Hairspray. Robert De Niro steps out to play the flamboyant, gay pirate. Other characters include gorgeous newcomer Charlie Cox, Peter O’Toole and funny man Ricky Gervais.

Stardust was generally funny and whimsical enough to make me overlook its dopiness. The humor is reminiscent of The Princess Bride. Robert De Niro dancing around a pirate ship in a corset and petticoats garners belly laughs. A few short scenes with Ricky Gervais, the creator of the British The Office, also make the movie worth seeing. The seven undead princes add hilarious commentary throughout the adventure as well.

Ultimately, Stardust may not become a classic like Lord of the Rings or The Princess Bride, but it definitely is worth a look. The movie thrills, amuses and frightens. Hitch a shooting star to the theatre, and catch Stardust before it fades away.