THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

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Car chases and action set pieces are one thing, and comic-book superheroes and zillion-dollar special effects another but, in my estimation, nothing compares to the sweep of a fantasy epic. Stardust is an epic fairy tale and a whale of a good time for 10-year-olds—of all ages—who still have the capacity to believe and to dream. This is the movie for the non-cynics; those who still love Peter Pan, can't wait for another trip down the yellow brick road or who live for the moment Mary Poppins gently descends to earth clutching her umbrella. Stardust does what the best of fantasy films do—it makes you gasp as you realize with delight that here is a rare example of a movie that delivers on its tantalizing promise to create magic. I think it's an instant classic of the genre and I loved, loved, loved it.

The story, derived from a novel by Neil Gaiman, is the surprising work of director Matthew Vaughn, who co-adapted the script with Jane Goldman. It's surprising because, to date, Vaughn has produced the tough-as-nails modern-day movies of director Guy Ritchie and directed the equally toe-curling, harsh Layer Cake himself. The lush world that Vaughn expertly creates in Stardust is far, far away from the gritty reality of the drug dealers of Layer Cake. It's a bit jarring to know the same talent could handle both genres—the same reaction one would have if Quentin Tarantino were at the helm.

Gay icon Sir Ian McKellen narrates the story, which is set in two parallel lands—a quaint Victorian village called Wall and the magical kingdom of Stormhold ( both beautifully realized ) . Our hero, Tristan ( Charlie Cox ) , is the product of both worlds but doesn't know it. The sweet though socially inept Tristan is a loner who loves Victoria ( Sienna Miller ) , the vain village beauty who, on a whim, promises to marry him if he can retrieve a falling star from Stormhold. At the same time, the throne of Stormhold is being hotly contested between a band of bloodthirsty princes after their father, the king ( Peter O'Toole, having a rip roaring good time ) , dies without naming a rightful heir and laying down a challenge. One of the princes, played by Rupert Everett, is quickly dispensed and reappears along with his brothers throughout as ghosts.

Everyone is after the falling star, which has taken on a female form in the person of Yvaine ( Claire Danes ) after landing in Stormhold. Aside from Tristan and the surviving murderous princes, there's a trio of nasty witches, led by Michelle Pfeiffer, chasing Yvaine. Pfeiffer, who is allowed to wither and age and regress to her own breathtaking visage, has as much fun with her role as Bette Midler did in the unfairly overlooked Hocus Pocus. Pfeiffer's a delicious villain ( her second bad girl in a month, following closely on the heels of her nasty but fun turn in Hairspray ) .

At first, Tristan only wants to drag Yvaine back to Wall so he can hold Victoria to her promise but as the adventures pile up, the two slowly fall for each other. They are helped by Robert DeNiro as a bloodthirsty ship's captain whose vessel patrols the skies, capturing lightning. DeNiro, we quickly learn, is hiding a secret from his crew—he's really a feather boa-loving transvestite who loves getting in touch with his feminine side away from the prying eyes of his roustabout men. DeNiro plays the character with the delighted relish Gene Hackman brought to his cameo role in Young Frankenstein, but is given much more screen time ( and an even more delightful resolve when his secret is revealed to his villainous crew—a development that hints at gay acceptance ) .

All of these plot strands are handled with precision by Vaughn and it's enervating to be in the hands of a filmmaker who knows exactly what he's doing. ( The movie is perfectly paced with not an ounce of fat on it. ) Vaughn utilizes his gorgeous Scottish and Icelandic locations and, though there are plenty of fantastic visual effects, they serve the story instead of replacing it. It's a movie with many of the unforgettable set pieces—the first sighting of DeNiro's ship trolling the skies, O'Toole's fantastic castle perched high atop a mountaintop, the mournful ghosts offering advice to their surviving brethren, a country inn instantly realized via a witch's spell—that are required for unforgettable fantasy.

Stardust is one of those movies that I'm afraid will exceed the expectations of a fickle audience. For parents frustrated that the latest in the Harry Potter series is not kid-safe, Stardust is a great alternative. I hope that young and old moviegoers will embrace it with the attention it deserves, but even if they don't, I shall live happily ever after each time I head for Stormhold along with Tristan in search of that not-so-elusive falling star.

Check out my archived reviews at www.windycitytimes.com or www.knightatthemovies.com . People can leave feedback at the latter Web site, where there is also find ordering information on my new book of collected film reviews, Knight at the Movies 2004-2006.