Young Tristan’s (Charlie Cox) quest to capture a fallen star (Claire Danes) for his beloved, Victoria (Sienna Miller) turns into a marvelous fairytale adventure. Inspired by his curiosity and driven by his desire for Victoria’s hand, Tristan ventures from the sleepy, English town of Wall to seek this rare prize. The village of Wall is aptly named because it is surrounded by a guarded stone wall that separates it from another land, a magical land, so different that one will have to pay a visit to believe it even exists.

To complicate matters, the aging Lord Stormhold’s (Peter O’Toole) sons are also intent upon capturing the star as they vie for the title of “king.” And what fairytale is complete without the perfunctory ‘evil witch’? This story showcases Witch Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer) who has a special, secret, and very personal interest in obtaining the allusive star for herself.

This outstanding film has so much going for it that it’s difficult to list all of the key elements. The work of best selling author Neil Gaiman and director Matthew Vaughn immediately come to mind. Factor in top notch acting talent like Claire Danes, Peter O’Toole, Robert De Niro, Sienna Miller and newcomer, Charlie Cox. The narrative talents of Ian McKellen, the beautifully exciting visuals and the utter magic of finding true love, all combine to create a wonderful cinematic experience.

“You can’t cross the wall, nobody crosses the wall.” –Victoria to Tristan Thorne

by Mary Morgan is a member of the St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association.