Paramount pictures and Marv Films present a PG-13 rated approximately two hour film superbly directed by Matthew Vaughn and starring Charlie Cox (Tristan), Claire Danes (Yvaine), Robert De Niro (Captain Shakespeare), Sienna Miller (Victoria), Michelle Pfeiffer (Lamia), Jason Flemyng (Primus), Sarah Alexander (Empusa), Ben Barnes (Young Dunstan Thorne), Adam Buxton (Sextmus), Henry Cavill (Humphrey), Jake Curran (Bernard), Elwin 'Chopper' David (Pirate), Rupert Everett (Secondus), Dexter Fletcher (Skinny Pirate), Ricky Gervais (Ferdy the Fence), David Kelly (Old Guard), Kate Magowan (Una), Ian McKellen (Narrator), Peter O'Tolle (King of Stormhold), Nathaniel Parker (Dunstan Thorne), Josie Rees (Xenia), Joanna Scanlan (Mormo), Mark Strong (Septimus) and Mark Williams (Billy).
In a fairy tale land known as Stormhold located right outside the mortal land of the Wall there once lived a dieing king, father of seven sons, all of whom were trying to kill each other to become heir to the throne and one daughter, Una, who was a prisoner to an old ugly witch. A daughter could not become king so she made no threat to any of the brothers and their journey. When the king is fed up with the sons immature antics before he dies he flings a ruby out to the skies which lands miles away attached to a falling star, her name is Yvaine. The ruby now white will only turn red once in the hands of the one true new king of Stormhold who holds the royal bloodline in his veins.
Dunstan Thorne's son, Tristan, a special gift from a fling with a young woman kept as a slave in Stormhold eighteen years earlier is a bit of a misunderstood young man who holds but one wish and that is to find a falling star and bring it back to his one true love, Victoria, so that she will marry him and live happily ever after. Well, it's a fairy tale adventure drama so of course nothing goes as planned without a bit of fantasy thrown into the caldron. When word spreads that a fallen star has crashed in the lands their are many out for it's true powers, immortality and youth forever. Well, who better to set foot on the stars trail then Lamia, an aging ugly witch, out to obtain the heart of the star which will bring beauty and mortality to not only Lamia but her two gruesome sisters as well.
But parallels are crossed with the witches, Tristan and others when the seventh son of the dead king along with his surviving brothers and their ghosts are also on a quest for the ruby in which the star wears around her neck. Many characters are presented along the way which lead resemblances to some "Monty Python" meets "Witches of Eastwick" moments but of course layered with many of their own original spellbinding scenes. The film contains a strong and sometimes mystical score with some breath-taking cinematography sure to captivate your every visual appetite.
Where would a fairy tale story as such be without the discovery of true love and friendship? Tristan and his love for Victoria over taken by the brilliance of a shining star. The cross dressing flamboyant Captain Shakespeare out to protect his reputation as a fierce vessel warrior learns the true values of being who you are meant to be and that it is not worth the fight to be accepted by the ignorance of others. He takes pleasure in helping Tristan and his star find their way home while lending a familiar moment straight from the "Titanic" line, "I'm king of the world". Animals are used quite often in this well adapted story line some as beautiful as a unicorn out to protect Yvaine. Others like caged ferrets, wolves and crocodiles brutally gutted in order to envision the trail of the witches victims. Albeit thankfully of course, no animals were harmed in the making of this impelling film but remember in the movie world like in life what sometimes goes around comes around.
Throughout the story romance does flourish shining a bright light on the fact that love is unconditional and that a broken heart does no one any good. But overall love does have many forms and conditions that is sometimes standing right in front of you but shines to bright for you to see it. Like a falling star all you need to do is wish and sometimes dreams do come true. In the end battles are drawn and several souls are extinguished but that of true love does continue for many years both on and above the land of Stormhold.
When the film first started I must admit I was a bit confused on where it was going but as the story continued all the pieces and the players fell exactly into place making this fantasy fairy tale a delightful yet dramatic movie experience. Cox, Danes, Miller, of course O'Toole and several of the supporting cast were superb. Pfeiffer even though she started off a bit weak for me pulled it together as the plot continued. As for De Niro he was a bit over the top but I must say also a bit convincing bringing many moments of comedic antics to a film filled with a number of great special effects, dramatic writing, and dark wizardry all accompanied by some exquisite costumes fitting to the period and theme of the script. So, remember next time you're looking into the sky at a shining star it sometimes may be looking back right at you.
Reporting for Talkin' Pets, I'm Jon Patch.