Stardust

The story begins with a prologue to the life of a young man named Dunstan Thorn (Ben Barnes), who doesn’t necessarily believe in the wonders beyond the Wall guarded to keep the two worlds separate. Dunstan tricks the man guarding the Wall (David Kelly) and heads off to have the most incredible night of his life – meeting a young beauty by the name of Una (Kate Magowan), who gives him a glass snowdrop for a mere kiss, leading to the pair spending the night together. Nine months later, the guard delivers a baby named Tristan to Dunstan, setting the stage for the main story. If not for a letter from a scientist, the story would never have happened because it propelled Dunstan on his way to prove that magic and Stormhold were real.

Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox) is a humble young man who just wants to win the heart of his true love, Victoria – a woman who would have nothing to do with Tristan if she could get away with it. Though Victoria (Sienna Miller) is kind about it, Tristan is determined to prove his worth by any means necessary. He promises to bring her a fallen star, the kind of impossible task given to heroes in fairy tales to win the hearts of princesses. His father, Dunstan (Nathaniel Parker), has kept the truth about his birth a secret all these years. Still, when Tristan makes it clear that he won’t be stopped in his quest to find the fallen star, Dunstan reluctantly gives Tristan the tools to get him there. The other tools that Tristan receives allow him to capture the star, Yvaine (Claire Danes).

He doesn’t tell him everything, just enough to start Tristan on his journey. Granted, one genuine obstacle stands between Tristan and Victoria’s happily ever after: Humphrey (Henry Cavill). Victoria’s boyfriend is a handsome man who is capable with a sword. While he isn’t entirely dismissive of Tristan, Tristan’s advances certainly give Humphrey license to be.

On the other side of Wall is Stormhold, a fantasy land ruled by a dying King (Peter O’Toole). Their culture involves the many heirs who vie for the throne to compete with one another, fatally, to take on the reins of power – all to prove that they would be a strong king. By the time the film begins, Princes Quintus (Adam Buxton), Quartus (Julian Rhind-Tutt), and Sextus (David Williams) are already dead, with Prince Tertius (Mark Heap) and Prince Secundus (Rupert Everett) dying mere moments after his introduction at the hands of one of his brothers – the only two who matter, Primus (Jason Flemyng) and Septimus (Mark Strong). As a family, one can only imagine what it was like growing up in that castle. The king has given his sons a task because none have proven themselves worthy of ruling. All they have to do is find a ruby he tosses into the sky, and they will be crowned the King of Stormhold. Said ruby knocked a star out of the sky.

The prospect of feeding on a star is enough to make them consider venturing out, but not foolish enough to all go out together. With what they have on hand, they are able to imbue just one sister with enough vitality and power to potentially retrieve the star. Lamia is quick to rig the process they use to determine which of them will go, proving her to be the most cunning and selfish of the three. Because of this, Lamia takes center stage for much of the film as the main antagonist, while her sisters have little to do until near the climax.

Another antagonist, Ditchwater Sal (Melanie Hill), appears – holding Una captive. While the audience knows precisely who she is from the moment of her reintroduction. The threat she poses is minimal, but being a direct threat is not always the point of an antagonist. The damage she has caused this family through the backstory is more than enough to merit her being viewed with contempt.

While Primus, Septimus, and Lamia scour the lands seeking Yvaine, Tristan already has her in his possession, and his inability to view her as a person at first makes it difficult for the two to trust one another. The mere fact that a star could personify itself is, in and of itself, an interesting plot. Because of this lack of trust or camaraderie, she takes the first moment Yvaine gets to escape from him. This act puts Yvaine in danger for the first time in the movie – bringing her face to face with Lamia, who has set up a wayside inn as a trap for her. With Primus’ timely arrival revealing Lamia’s treachery, Yvaine and Tristan can escape, bringing the two closer.

Their journey fills the second act, bringing new allies and friends, led by Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro) and his crew of sky pirates. Captain Shakespeare is one of the most entertaining characters in the film – a man who knows what he loves but creates a façade so that he won’t lose the respect and admiration of his crew. A crew who knows the truth but protects his reputation because they love and care for him. Seeing this unfold in 2007 was quite honestly one of the most important things to cross my path. As the pair go along, they begin to trust one another more, and love begins to bloom – as it has a way of doing.

Stardust fills a niche – an epic adventure, a great love story, a thrilling cast of heavy hitters – that gives audiences a breath of fresh air. Ian McKellen voices the Narrator while Ricky Gervais has a minor role as Ferdiland “Ferdy” the Fence, proving that sometimes actors you wouldn’t expect to see working together can appear in the most interesting places. Ben Barnes and Henry Cavill, who would jettison up there in the New 10s, have minor supporting roles. Charlie Cox and Claire Danes remind us why they were destined for greatness in these leading roles.