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The 2007 film adaptation of Philip Pullman's fantasy novel.
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Rating:
I've been looking forward to this film for the past couple of weeks. And while there are a lot of very strong reviews for this film there were one or two which really slated it, so I expected an average forgettable film which might at least entertain me. And I do like fantasy stories.
-1
This movie was an if for me at first, being that it just seemed like one of the many quickly thrown together fantasy novels/movies that have supposed huge followings. However, I found myself sitting in my living room, and to be honest, I was somewhat impressed at first, the effects were very good, and although you can still obviously tell CGI versus live action, very smooth. The actors did a great job with what they had, and what they had is what ruined the movie. The script was rough at best, with randomly thrown together scenes that were leading towards an Aha! moment that never came. The whole movie kept building, and the plot kept thickening. However, in the end we are left with a sub par battle and more questions than when the movie started.
Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards) is clearly the star of this adventure that explores the possibility of other, parallel worlds whose interaction with the world as we know it is controlled by various groups of good guys and bad guys, all seeking the source of secrecy contained in a Golden Compass that can only be read by a single girl - Lyra, a poor child living in the presence of scholars. Lyra's uncle, Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig) places the Golden Compass in Lyra's knowing hands and heads off to the far North to investigate the element that binds all life together - Dust. The tale is set in motion by the enigmatic Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) who gains Lyra's confidence and offers to take her to the great North. All manner of adventures occur on the journey - friends of Lyra's are threatened to be separated from their various daemons in the cruel hands of the bad guys, Lyra's encounter with a witch Serafina Pekkala (Eva Green), her assistance from a friendly astronaut (Sam Elliott) and an armored bear - and with all fantasies, good prevails - or does it?
It seems as if the sole purpose for this movie was to be the directors vehicle for a sequel, as the end comes at a point in the story which traditionally would be the arc of the plot, however we end up getting rolling credits in place of explanation. If there is one thing that I did actually enjoy in this movie, I will say once again, the Golden Compass was visually pleasant and well acted but lacked direction. In the end I saw a fantasy adventure which left me longing for more scenes of fighting polar bears. While my kids saw, a somewhat disjointed visual presentation of a well loved book series. Even though I've encountered the glitz and general awe over Nicole Kidman's wardrobe, the overall experience wasn't so delightful.
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More The Golden Compass reviews
review by TeamAWAC.
September 17, 2008
When this movie was green-lighted for production, the studios were obviously hoping to hop on the Fantasy Movie bandwagon and take advantage of the momentum created by the Lord of the Rings and Narnia movies. Despite the very high quality of the visual effects, this movie was poorly executed. Part of the problem may be a result of the movie being based on the first book of a trilogy. I won't ruin the movie by giving away any spoilers... essentially because the movie abruptly ends … more
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Compliments (14)
WARNING: This review may contain spoilers! I suppose it's not surprising, what with the current trend of adapting fantasy literature into films, that Philip Pullman's novel The Golden Compass should become a major motion picture. What is surprising is who ended up writing the screenplay and directing the film. Chris Weitz, best known as one of the producers of the American Pie films, seems an odd choice to adapt the epic fantasy story for the silver screen and … more
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Compliments (26)
review by MichaelN.
April 29, 2009
I was greatly disappointed with this film after hearing how wonderful the books were. It was boringly long and the characters lacked any depth especially the various children and the little girl who has the power to be able to ascertain the truth through the compass. The one interesting thing about the movie is that everyone has their own personal daemon that looks like an animal. The daemon is able to change at will between different types of animals until its host attains … more
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review by arichards.
November 15, 2008
Short Attention Span Summary (SASS) 1. A governing body called the Magesterium sets the rules and tells people what to think and when to think it. 2. Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) and Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) aren't very good at following rules. 3. In this world, a person's soul lives outside of their body in the form of an animal called a daemon. 4. Mrs. Coulter has one heck of an ugly soul, and a … more
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review by newtonooi.
June 07, 2008
This movie is based on a book, the first book of a trilogy. I have never read any of these books, and have no intention to, so this review is purely of the movie itself, as a standalone piece of entertainment. First of, contrary to what some other reviews have suggested, there is minimal resemblance between this movie and the LOTR, Narnia, and Harry Potter movies of recent release. Unlike LOTR, this movie is more intellectual and the conflicts more subtle and nuanced. For … more
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Compliment
It is easy enough to say that "the book was better than the movie" -- since it is usually true that books offer a wealth of world that can only be hinted at in a couple of hours -- but this is a clear and disappointing case where the cliche fits. Even films like the Lord of the Rings or the Harry Potter series don't really measure up to the original books they were based upon -- but in the case of those films, especially the Lord of the Rings series, the movies work on their own. They establish … more
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review by gradyharp.
May 03, 2008
Not being one who seeks out the seemingly endless line of Harry Potter/Narnia/Lord of the Rings tropes (a little computer generated monster realm goes a long way), THE GOLDEN COMPASS came somewhat as a pleasant surprise. Yes, this is still a fantasy film, but the emphasis is more on stylish creation of various animals (in the forms of 'daemons' that accompany children as their souls, morphing into various animal life at will) than tiresome explosions and flying beasties. Lyra … more
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Pros: Special effects, especially with regards to the daemons. Cons: Inconsistent acting, horrible pacing, and very bad music The Bottom Line: Difficult to recommend. If special effects make or break a film for you, watch it in the theater, otherwise wait for DVD. Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie''s plot. The Golden Compass is a difficult movie for people who … more
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About the reviewer
Jen-Jay AKA:JJI (MzJen_2_review)
Married into the military for over a decade and it does has itpros andcons. The lifestyle is great and Ido enjoy it. I'm able to do things and see things that I thought I wouldn't dream of. My kids loves … more
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About this movie
The Golden Compass is an adaptation of the first book in the beloved but controversial fantasy series by Phillip Pullman. The story opens with Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) an orphan girl who lives in an alternate world that is similar to earth, but where people's souls exist outside of their bodies in animal form. The people are ruled by a shadowy and oppressive council known as the Magisterium, which is doing it's best to keep everyone from getting information about what is called "Dust." Lyra's Uncle Asriel (Daniel Craig) has been researching Dust, and he has seen to it that Lyra is given safe shelter at Jordan College. But when the visiting Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) arrives, she asks Lyra to accompany her on a trip to the North to meet the Panserbjorne, a race of armored bears. Before Lyra leaves, the Headmaster gives her a golden compass, a device which only she can read, and from which she can intuit the truth. Lyra leaves with Mrs. Coulter, but when she learns that her friends have been ...
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Cast:
Kathy Bates,
Daniel Craig,
Nicole Kidman,
Kristin Scott Thomas,
Derek Jacobi,
Christopher Lee,
John Bett,
Ian McShane,
Jim Carter,
Hattie Morahan,
Paul Antony-Barber,
Ian McKellen,
Eva Green,
Clare Higgins,
Sam Elliott,
Simon McBurney,
Magda Szubanski,
Edward de Souza,
Freddie Highmore,
Adam Godley,
Tom Courtenay,
Jason Watkins,
Dakota Blue Richards,
Ben Walker,
Nonso Anozie,
Charlie Rowe,
Jack Shepherd,
Steven Loton,
John Franklyn Robbins,
Jonathan Laury,
Jay Rawlings,
Joao de Sousa,
Tommy Luther
Director:
Chris Weitz
Genre:
Sci-Fi,
Fantasy
Release Date:
December 7, 2007
MPAA Rating:
PG-13
Screen Writer:
Chris Weitz,
Philip Pullman
DVD Release Date:
April 29, 2008
Runtime:
113 minutes
Studio:
New Line Cinema
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