dailynewsnblog
One of the best (and worst) things about fantasy is that you’re rarely done with a story after reading a single novel, watching just one movie, or even binging an entire season of television. Oh no, there are duologies, trilogies, spin-offs, and even 41-book franchises. Just look at Lord of the Rings, Wheel of Time, and The Witcher, to name a few — all have prequels, sequels, and more.
On the one hand, a long fantasy franchise means you’ll never run out of something to read or watch. On the other hand, whatever happened to just having a fantasy story where the tale gets told, and everyone either dies a miserable death or goes home happy? Stories don’t — and often shouldn’t — go on forever.
If you’re of that opinion, Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn’s 2007 adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s 1999 novel Stardust may be just what you’re looking for. And in even better news, it’s now available to watch on Pluto TV.
From the get-go, there’s a lot to enjoy about Stardust outside of the fact that it’s a complete story. The film features a cast of tremendous actors, such as Robert De Niro, Charlie Cox, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett, and Ian McKellen. Even Henry Cavill, best known for his roles as Geralt of Rivia and Superman, makes a surprising appearance in a role that, while it isn’t all that prominent, is certainly memorable.
Though the novel it’s based on is far darker than what Vaughn and screenwriter Jane Goldman envisioned in their adaptation, Stardust still manages to be compelling with its whimsical, almost fairytale-like nature about magic, community, and love — the latter notably due to the electric chemistry between Tristan (Charlie Cox) and Yvaine (Claire Danes).
The film follows Tristan, who lives in the fictional town of Wall in England, just on the border of the magical kingdom of Stormhold. To win the heart of the rich girl Victoria (Sienna Miller), Tristan crosses the border to find a star to gift her — only to discover that the star is a woman named Yvaine. As befits a fallen star, Yvaine has a powerful gift that draws the attention of others — namely three ancient witches who want to eat her heart to restore their youthful looks and grant them immortality. Selfish as he may be at first, Tristan protects Yvaine from these threats, and eventually they fall in love.
As mentioned, Cavill also appears in Stardust — but in a very different role from the tough, reserved hero he’s known for. As Humphrey, Victoria’s boyfriend, Cavill is practically unrecognizable in a blonde wig and mustache, with an ego big enough to make any self-respecting viewer root for Cox to take him down a peg or two. He does eventually get some redemption by the film’s end, though not enough to make us completely forget his foppish behavior. In truth, Humphrey being so far from Cavill’s usual taciturn characters is an eye-opening reminder that Cavill has the range for more comedic roles when given the opportunity.
Cavill isn’t the only one skilled at enhancing Stardust’s often tongue-in-cheek humor. De Niro’s portrayal of the pirate Captain Shakespeare is arguably one of his best roles, largely by how much obvious joy is reflected in his performance. The transformation from a threatening pirate to an arts enthusiast is seamless, and although De Niro’s role is brief, like Cavill’s, it enriches the lively, humorous tone of Vaughn’s adaptation at a time when fantasy was often so serious.
Given how much fantasy often leans into the epic and grand scale of adventure, fate, and destiny, Stardust’s characters and smaller scope give us a story that doesn’t require any follow-up, no matter how enjoyable the original film is. To do so would only dilute the original plot and ending, one where, fairytale as it may be, love truly does conquer all.
