Stardust [DVD]

Stardust mixes in romance and adventure, all in a fantasy movie guise, as it follows Tristan on his quest to retrieve a fallen star for the beautiful Victoria. Only it soon becomes clear that there’s a lot more going on as Tristan makes his journey (not least a companion more diverting than the aforementioned Victoria). Michelle Pfeiffer, for instance, returns to high profile movie making (after quite a break) in the role of the evil witch, while there’s space too for Robert De Niro’s pirate and an odd cameo from Ricky Gervais.

Seemingly one of a wealth of family films that made it out of the blocks off the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Stardust doesn’t quite hit those heights, but it has quite a sporting go. It’s an uneven tale, albeit one told with enough passion and enthusiasm to encourage you to cut it some slack. And when it gets to the end of the last reel, it’s hard to feel shortchanged by what you’ve just seen.

For while Stardust has problems, it also has laughs, adventure, action and a whole lot in its corner to recommend it. And it is worth your time and attention. --Jon Foster