12 Years Before 'The Witcher', Henry Cavill Starred in My Favorite Fantasy Flick You Forgot
If you want to experience the magic of the fantasy movies you watched as a child, Stardust is just what you need, and here's why.
It's hard to be a fantasy fan in the 21st century. There are few works in this genre, and even the good ones can end abruptly, as happened with The Wheel of Time.
That's why I seize every opportunity to watch a new fantasy project. This was the case with The Witcher until it became so bad that not even Henry Cavill could save it.
What warms my heart is that I can always return to another flick starring Cavill – Stardust – a forgotten but brilliant classic.
What Is 'Stardust' About?
A small village is separated from a magical parallel universe by a wall. The young Tristan recklessly promises the most beautiful girl in the village, Victoria, that he will retrieve a star that fell from the sky on the other side of the wall.
Along the way, he meets an all-powerful king and his scheming son, a powerful witch, a pirate captain, and a cunning merchant, and also finds his true love.
'Stardust' Is a Heart-Warming Fantasy Tale With an Impressive Cast
Stardust is the kind of movie you want to stumble upon by chance, one that will remind you of the wonders of childhood. Despite positive reviews and a successful box office performance, Matthew Vaughn's film has been largely forgotten.
At the same time, Stardust impresses with not only its magical and cozy atmosphere but also its stellar cast: Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, and Mark Strong.
A very young Henry Cavill plays one of the antagonists – Humphrey, Victoria's arrogant boyfriend.
'Stardust' Is Better Than the Book It Was Based On
Stardust, based on the novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman, has all the trappings of a cult fantasy – murdered ghost kings, a fallen star girl, evil witches, a unicorn, and Robert De Niro in a dress.
While the book focused on developing the fantasy world, the movie focused on fleshing out its characters.
Some books are written with Hollywood adaptations in mind, and Stardust feels like one of those – a rare adaptation that surpassed its original source.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Stardust'?
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Stardust has 77% from critics and 86% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.6/10.
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On Letterboxd, Stargust has 3.6/5.
Where to Watch 'Stardust'?
Stardust is available to stream on Paramount+.
