Stardust [2007]

Shikyo's Ratings: 4 outta 5 PoPcOrNz!

Enchanting and Entertaining fairy tale with an Expected happy lovey-dovey Ending.


I'll admit, I went into the theatre with very high expectations because I'd picked up the graphic novel some two years ago. There's a couple major surprises (both good and bad) in the movie which I'll cover later, but let me just say what Neil Gaiman expects us all to say: "The movie's good and all, but the book's better!"

Let's look at the graphic novel first -- it's called Stardust: Being A Romance Within the Realms of Faerie publish by DC Vertigo and for those who didn't already know... yes, this is indeed the same DC line that publishes those famous superheroes known to all as Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman.

How does Stardust tie into the DC Universe? It doesn't really, most of the Vertigo stuff can be read as stand-alones with subtle ties linking back to the DC Universe.

What "hints"? I'm glad you asked =) There's only one reference and that's to Death being a "she" ...this is something that only readers of the DC Vertigo Sandman series will pick up... and no, it is no coincidence that Neil Gaiman is the author of said series.

So here is my personal lovely copy of Stardust ...just recently picked it up at a sale for S$40 =D





I absolutely love the story because it's not your ordinary just-for-kids wimpy fairy tale. Stardust captures a real story of magical beings, not a magical story of real beings.

Wut do you mean? I'll try my best to explain. The book doesn't go all out to convince readers that this magical world could possibly exist; it doesn't waste time explaining and detailing where the magic comes from, and what else you'd expect to find enchanted in that world, etc. The book assumes you're a magically inclined person and it's giving you a tale of ordinary circumstances. All the characters encounter some sort of (random) unexpected mishap that they have to deal with and then life goes on. Not one person does anything outlandishly impossible (if that's possible in a magical world) or impossibly heroic, nor do they undergo an abrupt personality change. It is a real story of magical beings.

The way it has been written, with no perfect heroes and no perfect ending, and with a smooth plot that doesn't suddently do a one-eighty shift, the story just makes perfect sense (the way blissful things always make sense).

Now on to critiquing the movie... but first! Le friendly warning sign:

* S * P * O * I * L * E * R * S *

Here's where you stop reading
if you haven't seen the film,
and you intend to do so

* A * H * E * A * D *

The Introduction: In which some guy tries to contact an astrophysicist to look into the pecular anomally at Wall (a small village where the hero of the story comes from). I thought this was just trying too hard to connect the fantasy world with the scientific world, and really it just utterly confused me from the get go. Honestly if you confuzzle people at the beginning of the film, they might not want to stay and finish watching it =(


The Hero: If you want a dashing and handsome young hero worthy to satisfy your eye-candy cravings because you've been told the film falls under the romance genre, then please... don't see it. Our young hero is quite blah-looking. And because I'm a gal, I'm prolly no expert to go into details about Yvaine and the WitchQueen's hot-ness.


The Comedy Bits: Loved it. There's plenty of good ole sarcasm too =) Cross-dressing Captain Shakespeare is definately something that differs from the book (as does his name) but it's all good, and the best part is that nothing is drastically changed by this addition. I actually liked that there was a bit of character development on the sky-ship as the graphic novel didn't really go into it.


The Climax: Hated it. Yet another deviation from the book but this time it's a incredibly bad one. Here's how things went down >=(

*WitchQueen has knife blade over Yvaine's heart ready to carve it out... but INSTEAD severs Yvaine's bonds (the very bonds trapping Yvaine to the table of death)*
WitchQueen : Sniffle-snif... my life is ruined... go, go now and leave me alone...
*Tristran and Yvaine makes for the door*
WitchQueen : BWAHHAHAHA!
*WitchQueen majickally seals all windows and doors*
WitchQueen : Fooled you! I still want your heart >=) Betcha didn't see this coming...
Tristran : Oh noez... we is going to die ='(
Yvaine : Tristran! Hug meee!
*Tristran complies and Yvaine goes supernova*

WHY did the WitchQueen do that? She wants the Yvaine's star-heart but yet she lets her go in a moment of self-pity, and then later she decides she wants the heart. For a Witch Queen, she's got a case of antagonist-fail.

WHY didn't Yvaine go supernova sooner? She already knew that Tristran loved her... he came back from Wall, discovered she'd been kidnapped and rushed all the way to rescue her. How could she NOT have been "truly happy" when her beloved showed up and started fighting to save her. Must they really be sharing huggles for her powers to work?

Remember what I said about "outlandishly impossible or heroic" stunts and people "suddenly undergoing a personality change"? We see that happening in the space of ONE minute which totally ruined the climax of the movie.


Now, I know I'm prone to misunderstanding scenes from movies, so let's be fair and see how Wiki has it written: "As Lamia (aka Shikyo's WitchQueen) is about to strike the final blow, she instead cuts Yvaines bonds while weeping about how eternal youth and beauty is pointless without her sisters. At first the couple tried to leave but Lamia reveals her happiness that she can keep Yvaine's heart for herself. Yvaine tells Tristan to hold her, which sets off a massive burst of starlight so intensely hot that Yvaine's light kills Lamia. She tells Tristan that she could only do that when she was truly happy, as she was now that she knows he loves her."

Right.

Here's a pleasant scene from the movie, while I continue my long winding wtf rant behind it >=(





Well there you have it. Stardust: Being A Romance Within the Realms of Faerie (the graphic novel) is far better than Stardust (the movie) especially if you hate brainless antagonists.

So, word of advice... READ THE BOOK! =)