Fantasy is one of my most favorite genres. While it can often lead people into idealism and romantic notions of what knighthood would be, and while it quite commonly depicts good and evil as simple black and white dichotomies, and while it is usually just escapism, it can also express limitless philosophy. And it is entertaining the entire time it is doing it. It is a very open-ended genre.
And there isn't much fantasy for the movie-going public. Even less for video-gamers. For good fantasy, one almost always has to turn to books.
And Stardust doesn't do a whole lot about this. Because Stardust isn't really a "fantasy" in the common way. It is a Fairy Tale. Which is a type of fantasy but one that will never compete with the Lord of the Rings.
It's better than that; it competes with The Hobbit.
It shouldn't be too surprising for most people what happens in the overall plot. What is interesting and enjoyably about Stardust is the turns it makes on this adventure. They are always entertaining, usually amusing, sometimes preposterous, but never dull or boring. There are a few scenes that are a little flimsy and unthoughtful, but they are quickly overshadowed by the overall enjoyability of this very "Fine Fairy Tale". I'd love to give this movie the rating of a "Fine Faery Tale", in the Tolkienian sense, but it doesn't quite have that charm to me. Gaiman's land of "Fairy" is not quite the same as Tolkien's "Faery". Besides, Gaiman chose the word Fairy himself.
For those who have read the book, Stardust the movie doesn't even try to remain true. Or so I hear. I haven't read it yet. For many this will be a very big problem. However, the movie stands on its own. It isn't a companion to the books, a la the Harry Potter movies, or some inexpert abridgment, a la Watership Down. The problems with the movie are less distracting than they are in Inkheart.
And, of course, good music makes a good movie.
I was very impressed with this movie. Even more so than I expected to be. If you like fantasy, go see it; if you like a good fairy tale, go see it; if you loved the book and didn't want to see any changes, you probably shouldn't.
Analysis (spoilers to follow):
Why did the prince just have to stay at the fake in? More importantly, why in the hell did the witch Lamia get up and admit them? Why?
It's the biggest detraction from this otherwise great movie.
No comments:
Post a Comment