Stardust is, in the end, a lot of fun, if inconsequential. Its appeal is limited by some frightening moments and darker characters, but it concludes on a note of hope and love—a storybook ending to an enchanting summer’s tale.
Questions or comments about this review? Contact Christian Hamaker at crosswalkchristian@earthlink.net.
AUDIENCE: Teens and up
CAUTIONS:
- Language/Profanity: Lord’s name taken in vain; a few profanities.
- Drugs/Alcohol: Drinking of champagne.
- Sex/Nudity: Some kissing; a woman asks a man, “See anything you like?”; a man and woman close a door before having sex, which is implied but not shown; a woman disrobes, but nothing is shown; a witch turns a man into a woman, giving him breasts; a ship captain dresses in women’s clothing and is secretly homosexual.
- Violence: Man is shoved out of a window; ghosts of dead men reveal their grisly causes of death; witches sacrifice animals; a guard hits a man with a staff; plans to cut out a woman’s heart and eat it; captain of a flying ship throws someone overboard; a woman’s headless body continues moving; a person is impaled; a witch employs a voodoo-doll technique to incapacitate and attack a man; exploding glass.
- Witchcraft/Wizardry: Witches practice divination, cast spells, and unleash their powers against anyone who stands in their way; men cast runes to determine a course of action; discussion of how to gain immortality through certain rituals; discussion of black magic.
