Reviewed by Max Foizey.

Release Date: August 9, 2007
Directed By: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Michelle Pfeiffer
Rating: PG-13

I love Neil Gaiman. He's not only an inspiration, at this point he's a damn obsession.

If Walt Disney's severed head ever gets unfrozen and his tongue reveals the secret of switching bodies with another person (and you know that's always a possibility) I'd walk right up to the Magic Kingdom and tell Mickey's dad I choose Gaiman.

In the meantime (what's taking so long, Roy?) I read and re-read Neil's work, and try not to have a restraining order placed against me. If Neil Gaiman is ever in the same room as Natalie Portman, I think my head would explode. (Note to readers, Max will stop detailing his personal obsessions and get to the film review in the next paragraph.)

"Stardust" is the first of Neil's works to receive the big screen treatment, and it's a mixed success.

We open up in a town named WALL in which no-one travels beyond the circular borders of its namesake. Outside of the WALL is Stormhold, a magical place with witches and potions and unicorns and other standard fairytale fare.

The King of Stormhold (Peter O'Toole) is on his deathbed, and his sons, both alive and dead, are fighting for his crown. The King throws a ruby into the heavens, telling his offspring that whomever retrieves it will take his place on the throne.

Because this is a fairytale, the ruby knocks a star from the sky, and this star takes the form of Yvaine, better known to audiences as Claire Danes.

Meanwhile in the town of WALL there is a young man named Tristan (newcomer Charlie Cox) who is desperately trying to impress Victoria (Sienna Miller), a spoiled girl who has no time for him. They see the falling star, and Tris promises to bring it back for Ronnie, to prove his love.

So we've got the King's sons and Tristan looking for Ms. Danes, but that's not all; here be witches, led by Lamia (Pfeiffer), who seek the star to feed upon it and keep themselves youthful.

The cast is excellent, especially Robert De Niro as the fearsome Captain Shakespeare. Capn' Shakes is a whole lot of fun, and it's nice to FINALLY see the Raging Bull turn in a quality piece of work. Lord knows it's been many years.

Claire Danes is an inspired choice for the fallen star - she seems curious and approachable, and is much more believable in this tough role than someone like Angelina Jolie. (No dis to Jolie, though.)

The standout in the film is Michelle Pfeiffer, who has always been unnervingly underrated. Her evil witch isn't going for world domination, just trying to extend her existence. Of course she does this by feeding on Stars, which means she's the baddie of the piece - but her battle with mortality is instantly relatable, making her an interesting villain.

This is an adventure film, with a subversive, sometimes silly tone. Featuring excellent acting and decent special effects, it's the closest we've come to seeing a new "Princess Bride." Director Matthew Vaughn has even said he was trying to do "Princess Bride by way of Midnight Run" and he almost succeeds.

Vaughn's wife, SuperDuper Model Claudia Schiffer, read Gaiman's graphic novel "Stardust" and told her hubby it would make a great movie. Vaughn and Gaiman eventually hit it off, and he scored the opportunity to make the film, dropping out of his commitment to helm "X-Men 3" in the process. (Probably a smart move.)

As much as I enjoyed this film, it falls apart in spots, mostly because the action and humor are not mixed very well, making events uneven. The tone is very British, and Brit humor is all about timing - I'm not sure the timing here completely works.

My main issue with the film is the ending, which features many 'splosions and entirely too much bombast. Vaughn is obviously more comfortable with the action elements of the film, and I believe the story demands something smaller and more intimate than the treatment is receives.

Perhaps another director (Terry Gilliam?) would have been a better match for this material. Still, I expect this to become something of a cult classic, and my hope is those who enjoy it seek out Gaiman's written work. It's magic.

In addition to hosting 'Max on Movies' every Saturday at 2pm on 97.1 FM Talk, Max appears weekly on the Dave Glover Show Fridays at 5pm. A member of the Saint Louis Gateway Film Critics Association, Max has written about film and theatre for various print and Web media, and appeared as guest critic on various nationally syndicated radio shows. Max lives in Missouri and is a diehard Miami Dolphins fan. Sir Ian McKellen acts as Narrator for this movie, continuing his mission to be beloved by geeks everywhere. It's working Ian!