Stardust Movie Review
I saw Stardust last week and I have to say that it’s the most entertaining movie that I’ve seen so far this year (followed by Ratatouille). It’s even better than all the summer blockbusters combined. I just know that it is based from Neil Gaiman’s work but I have no idea what it is all about. But when I finally saw it, I immediately rrecommended it to my sisters and watched it again with them.
The technical aspects of the film are also great. I really like the camera work, the swooping shots (eg. from The Wall to Stronghold) and the-feeling-that-you-are-there-shots that are best experience on the big screen. The special effects are not that magnificient but it’s enough to tell the story.
The great thing about this movie is that it is something fresh from the fantasy genre. It’s not at all that serious. It’s a bit unconvential and yet charming. There’s no complex background story, no good vs. evil war and no sequels. It’s a light movie, one of those movies na nakakalimot talaga ng problema sa buhay. It’s pacing is fast, the plot is easy to follow but also unpredictable. This is a really good movie but I wonder why it flopped in the U.S. box-office. My best guess is the poor marketing. They are selling the actors and not the story.
Speaking of actors, the movie is well-casted except for Claire Danes who, as she becomes older, also becomes uglier…not to mention that half of the Filipino people hate her because of his comment on Manila years ago. The rest of the cast is perfect and Robert De Niro’s Captain Shakespeare is the one character to watch out for. He delivers one of the hilarious moment in the film.
As a fan of film music, I know a good film score when I hear one. The music from Ilan Eshkeri, a composer I haven’t heard before, is a pleasant surprise. I immediately grab a copy of the soundtrack and immensely enjoyed it. It’s a good listenng experience and shares three common themes from LOTR. The Stardust OST is a decent score while I wait for the release of Return of the King: Complete Recordings (November). Hehehe…
I seldom endorse a movie to my sisters to the point na ililibre ko sila para lang mapanood nila sa big screen ang movie. Stardust is one of them.
November 3rd, 2007 at 3:41 pm
I have been waiting for the release of that movie since pre-production since I was a big fan of the book. There is a lot difference on it but the premise was pretty much the same. Gumawa nga ako ng post para dito kasi favorite ko ito.
I was really surprised when Claire Danes was casted but I like her despite her nasty comment about the philippines, she can act really well buit as Yvaine, there were other options. But she is a great actress.
I think despite the disappointment with the ending… a lot different (but still nice), I like how they treated the material despite making it “more” Hollywood-y (panget ng term).
And the Captain Shakespeare part was good. Inaabangan ko na yung Beowulf (Gaiman din na-i-base yung story mula sa epic).