Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Stardust 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 15, 2024

Paramount has released the 2007 film 'Stardust,' starring Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, and Charlie Cox, and directed by Matthew Vaughn, to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video. This release contains the same DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack as the 2010 Blu-ray, which Paramount has also included. That Blu-ray also houses all of the supplemental content; there are no extras on the UHD disc. At time of writing, this release ships exclusively in SteelBook packaging.

I reviewed Stardust many moons ago for the original 2010 Blu-ray issue, so please click over to that review for a full feature film review.

Stardust 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Paramount's 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD release of Stardust offers a fairly sizable upgrade over the existing Blu-ray, which is itself...decent enough...but it certainly lags far behind this new presentation. Even in 2010 the Blu-ray was not phenomenal (I awarded it a 3.5 back then) and while this UHD is a massive upgrade, it is not really phenomenal as far as the UHD landscape goes. But, it looks good overall and as noted it is a sizable gain from the previous Blu-ray. Just keep in mind that a half-point score increase does not mean that the upgrade here is relatively minor. On the contrary, the picture is significantly crisper, more visually robust, able to capture robust set pieces, period attire, skin and hair details, and other content with sizable increases in density, clarity, and stability. Viewers watching the film without comparing to the Blu-ray (which is included) will be pleased enough in isolation, but there is no mistaking that, on comparison, the UHD really presents the film with a greater feel for its technical excellence than the Blu-ray could muster. The 2160p resolution does the film justice. Grain is very light; even scrutinizing the picture up close the grain field is very, very fine, but the UHD gives no indication of significant image scrubbing or unnecessary degradation. Likewise, compression artifacts are essentially nonexistent and I noted no obvious print anomalies, either.

The Dolby Vision color grading is likewise a major step forward for the film. Colors are plainly deeper, more stable, more nuanced, yet more robust. Depth is a big winner here, even if skin tones can look a little pasty and blacks often veer into a soupy crush in low light shots. Still, colors are generally rich and pleasing, boasting greatly added vividness and accuracy, not to mention stability, over the Blu-ray. This is most obvious in bright daytime exteriors; look around the 35-minute mark, for example, where green magic elements, gray stone, green grass, red hair, and even a white animal really look very good and worlds more accurate than the Blu-ray. On the contrary, colors can look a little cartoonish and oversaturated just a few moments later (look at the 36:54 mark). Overall, this is a solid palette, not a world beater for sure, but this is definitely the best the film has ever looked at home, and it's not even close.

Stardust 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This UHD release of Stardust simply carries over the existing Blu-ray's old, yet still very effective and satisfying, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. For a full audio review, please click here.

Stardust 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

this UHD release of Stardust contains no extras on the UHD disc. However, the included Blu-ray, which is identical to the original 2010 issue, includes all of the legacy extras. For a list of what's included, see below, and please click here for full coverage.

• Audio Commentary: Director Matthew Vaughn and Writer Jane Goldman.
• Crossing the Wall: The Making of Stardust
  
  
  • "The Quest for the Stone..."
  • "A Portal to Another World..."
  • "What Do Stars Do?"
  • "A Quest of Enormous Importance..."
  • "Have You Seen a Fallen Star?"
• Nothing Is True...
• Deleted Scenes
  
  
  • Candlelight Small Talk
  • Lift the Stone
  • Carriage Game
  • Goat Man
  • The Next Ruler of Stormhold
• Blooper Reel
• Theatrical Trailer

At time of writing, this UHD release of Stardust ships exclusively in SteelBook packaging. The SteelBook is busy but attractive, with the film's title on the front, center, a shooting star through the "A" in Stardust, and Stormhold behind. Yvaine walks forward through an idyllic grassy and treed area, bottom center, while the top shows stars and some navigational-inspired designs against a night sky at the top where actor names also appear. The rear panel depicts many of the same navigational-style designs, which form a circle around the Caspartine. The spine carries over the subtle background elements from the front, so it's a mix of dark purple and blue, with the film's title center and a Paramount logo at the top.

Inside, the digital copy code is tucked underneath the left-hand-side tabs. The two discs, one UHD and one Blu-ray, are situated on the right in staggered-stacked formation. The inner print is a two-panel spread that features some basic character portraits on each side. On the left are Yvaine and Tristan while on the right are Captain Shakespeare and Lamia, all looking forward (even of not all facing forward) and standing against a film-inspired backdrop.

Stardust 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Stardust holds up as a satisfying magical Fantasy/Adventure/Romance film, a jack of all trades sorts that I don't believe I had watched since 2010 but found it largely enjoyable all these years later. Equally enjoyable is Paramount's UHD, which is no upgrade at all beyond the picture quality. The PQ is solid. It's great gains over the 2010 Blu-ray, but in the larger UHD landscape I'd call it "solid yet unspectacular." Supplements (which are on the Blu-ray only) are unchanged from the 2010 Blu-ray. The UHD also ports over the 2010 BD's audio track. The SteelBook is very nice. Recommended.