Rating: B-

Stardust (directed by Matthew Vaughn) is a $70 million adaptation of Neil Gaiman's novella. A concoction of fantasy adventure, romantic comedy, and allegorical fairy tale, the film has broad appeal. The star-studded cast includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Peter O'Toole, Claire Danes, Sienna Miller, Rupert Everett, and Ian McKellan. But despite its big budget and even bigger names, Stardust doesn't take itself too seriously.

Set in the 1870s, the film is sprinkled with modern references and slang. Like the book, beautifully illustrated by Charles Ness, the film is a visual treat. Filmed in Iceland and Great Britain, the richly colored landscapes offer a stunning backdrop for the story. It offers such fantasy staples as witches, unicorns, runes, and sword fights, with zombies and cross-dressing pirates thrown in for good measure.

The film starts out choppy, more like a movie trailer than a narrative. It moves along quickly, with multiple quick sweeps and dizzying dips across computer-drawn mountains and gorges. Thankfully for those with weak stomachs, the pace seems to gain even keel as the story progresses.

The tale begins with Dunston Thorne (Nathaniel Parker), a human from the village of Wall, who crosses a portal into the mystical realm of Stormhold. A romantic encounter with an enchanted princess (Kate Magowan) leaves him with a son, Tristan (Charlie Cox), whom he raises alone in the human world.

Tristan is the fallible, gullible hero who throughout the story grows from a love-sick shop boy to a royal swashbuckler. He falls in love with Victoria (Miller), the prettiest girl in the village, who agrees to marry him, but only after he crosses in the realm of Stormhold and retrieves a fallen star for her.

The star turns out not to be a charred rock, but a beautiful woman named Yvaine (Danes), who is the one really destined to be Tristan's true love. But whereas his father's mystical romance is love at first sight, Tristan takes a while to realize his love for Yvaine. Initially they spar in a way reminiscent of Hepburn and Tracy, but without the charm. Tristan drags the chained star back as the trophy to win Victoria, whom he still thinks he loves. As Tristan grants Yvaine more freedom, he wins her heart. She slowly grows from cantankerous to glowing and lovely.

Meanwhile, there are others who want Yvaine's heart for themselves. The dying king of Stormhold (O'Toole) declares that whichever of his seven sons (Primus through Septimus) can retrieve a necklace worn over Yvaine's heart will win his throne. Thus ensues a farcical quest of greedy, murderous princes who are one-by-one transformed into comical ghosts.

Also zealous in their quest to capture Yvaine are the comically evil witch Lamia (Pfeiffer) and her sisters, who must eat the star's heart in order to regain their youth and beauty. Watching Pfeiffer vacillate between gorgeous beauty and hideous hag is fascinating. Every time Lamia uses her magic, some part of her ages drastically. This makes it hard to hate her. What woman can't relate to panic over the sudden appearance of age spots and sagging breasts?

Along their journey, Yvaine and Tristan forge an unlikely friendship with the lightning-trading pirate, Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro). Much has been made of tough guy De Niro's surprising transformation into an over-the-top sissy who dances the can-can in pantaloons and make-up. De Niro's trademark New York accent stands out against all of the other characters, who at least attempt to sound British. Still, De Niro's performance is enjoyable, not because it's great work (in fact, it's somewhat embarrassing) but because it is obvious he is having so much fun defying our expectations.

Ironically, the only person who doesn't seem to be chasing Yvaine's heart is the very one to whom she willingly gives it. Tristan's quest is for pure and absolute love, which he eventually finds in both Yvaine and his mother. And though not seeking charm or strength, he finds both. The uplifting theme of the film seems to be that true power, beauty, and happiness are attainable only through self-acceptance and unconditional love.

Although a clever and original film, Stardust does evoke memories of The Princess Bride, The Brothers Grimm, and Claire Dane's role in Romeo and Juliet. Additionally, it makes several clever references to other famous films. When Yvaine and Tristan stand at the bow of Shakespeare's ship, the scene evokes Leo and Kate's famous pose in Titanic. The blimp itself, as well as other visual details, reminds one of Terry Gilliam's work in the Monty Python films. And when Robert De Niro first appears on a ship during a storm wearing a hooded raincoat and a scowl, he gives homage to his appearance as convicted rapist Max Cady in the 1991 thriller Cape Fear. The connection is further drawn by a suggestion that Captain Shakespeare intends to rape Yvaine, likely one of several details that gives this movie a PG-13 rating.

If viewers expect something literary or profound, Stardust is not the film to see. But when in the mood for a rip-roaring, silly adventure with a lot of heart, this fairy tale for big kids just might hit the spot.