- Film Review
- Reviewed By Brian Pendreigh
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4 out of 5
This adaptation of Neil Gaiman's fantasy graphic novel (co-written by Mrs Jonathan Ross, Jane Goldman) invites comparison with The Princess Bride and Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen for its fantastical imagination, scale, humour and cross-generational appeal. Charlie Cox plays Tristan, a young shop assistant in rural Victorian England, who enters a magical parallel world in pursuit of a fallen star in order to prove his worth to indifferent sweetheart Victoria (Sienna Miller). The star has taken on the earthly shape of Yvaine (Claire Danes) and the two find themselves pursued by Lamia the witch (Michelle Pfeiffer) and a motley crew of murderous princes, several of whom are dead. Salvation comes in the unlikely form of Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro), the transvestite captain of a flying pirate ship, and the initial animosity between Tristan and Yvaine slowly gives way to affection. The pace is brisk throughout and the story delightfully picaresque, while director Matthew Vaughn makes the most of some awesome Scottish and Icelandic backdrops and impressive studio sets.
Plot Summary
Fantasy adventure based on the graphic novel by Neil Gaiman, starring Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert De Niro. In Victorian England, young Tristan Thorne goes in search of a fallen star to prove his love to the village beauty. His quest takes him to a magical parallel world, where he faces competition from cunning witch Lamia and an assortment of dastardly princes - some living, some dead.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Yvaine
- Claire Danes
- Tristan Thorne
- Charlie Cox
- Lamia
- Michelle Pfeiffer
- Captain Shakespeare
- Robert De Niro
- Septimus
- Mark Strong
- Ferdy the fence
- Ricky Gervais
- Victoria
- Sienna Miller
- Primus
- Jason Flemyng
- Secondus
- Rupert Everett
- The King
- Peter O'Toole
- Skinny pirate
- Dexter Fletcher
- Narrator
- Ian McKellan
- Guard
- David Kelly
- Young Dunstan
- Ben Barnes
- Ditchwater Sal
- Melanie Hill
- Dunstan
- Nathaniel Parker
- Tertius
- Mark Heap
- Sextus
- David Walliams
- Quartus
- Julian Rhind-Tutt
- Quintus
- Adam Buxton
- Empusa
- Sarah Alexander
- Billy
- Mark Williams
Crew
- Director
- Matthew Vaughn
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