The Golden Compass Reviews

Don't waste time and money

The movie is a let down on all the levels. Excruciatingly boring, I was fighting desire to sleep, very slow and the plot doesn't make any sense.

And the worst of it, noone ever tells you that the movie is not completed, so that you would have to come again to pay again to see the end of this nonsense. After 2 hours of boredom they don't even tell you what the 'dust' is.

What a joke! Movie makers don't have any respect for audience any more. Anything would do to get money.

good

this mvoie is allrihtg

[Highly rated reviewer]

Captivating stylish adventure that appeals to all ages

I got into Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' book trilogy in my 30s, and absolutely loved them. They are page-turners in the best tradition of Harry Potter, with as much imaginative depth, but far more adult themes to enjoy. In Pullman's fantasy world(s?), there are parallel universes containing hitherto unknown Oxford colleges, bears who make their own armour, and a fresh take on the millennia-old religious conflicts that have bedevilled Western societies.

Golden Compass is the film of (most of) the first book of the trilogy. At first glance, there are obvious similarities to Potter. The key character, Lyra (Dakota Richards), is an orphan, being raised amidst the dreamy spires of Oxford (shot beautifully). There are witches aplenty, who appear to be 'good' so far as we can tell. But Potter doesn't have the religious overtones, which while a bit muted in contrast with the book (or even Elizabeth: Golden Age) are still effective here, with strong supporting roles for Derek Jacobi and Christopher Lee.

Fans of the books will find much to enjoy. Film and CGI are made for the daemons, the animals which accompany all people as the projection of their soul and which are an integral part of Golden Compasses' plot. The airships, lifting off from Oxford and landing in a parallel universe London, are terrific. The Magisterium's set was jaw-dropping. And Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig) and Mrs Coulter (Nicole Kidman) are both utterly faithful to their leadership roles in the books.

The problem for this film will be the inevitable comparisons to Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia and to the epic Lord of the Rings. I felt the film held up well against Potter; Dakota Richard's Lyra is effective and the richness of the imagination of the book comes out strongly, with a rip-roaring pace that echoes the page-turning additiveness of the book. But with more for adults. I also enjoyed this more than Narnia, which I had felt was fine for kids and reasonably faithful to the books but left a bit to be desired for adults who probably last read the books 30+ years ago.

But where the comparison will pale is with Lord of the Rings (LOTR). LOTR's execution was so flawless that Golden Compass looks a bit rickety and gimmicky in comparison. The bears didn't quite work for me, especially when running. The dramatic battle scenes served only to remind me how wonderful LOTR's climactic battles were. The Gyptians and Witches are no match for the Orcs and Goblins or Ents. While I know many (particularly women like my wife, who loved Golden Compass) will disagree, I felt that LOTR's position at the top of podium is safe for many years yet. But Golden Compass has done very well to even be compared in the same paragraph and the prospect of the (not yet confirmed) sequel and trequel is making my mouth water already.

* * * This review contains spoilers * * *ShowHide

Magic is back this Christmas

Anyone missing their Potter fix, or after a little magic in the festive season would do well to give 'The Golden Compass' a go. Despite the naysayers the film is full to the brim with excitement, action and best of all Magic.

If you haven't read the book make sure you pay attention in the first 5 minutes as a lot of scene setting is made, with basic explanations of the terms you're going to hear a lot of in the next 1 hour 50 minutes. Dust, a strange substance that seems to surround humans, is feared by the Magisterium, an organisation that is determined to control everything. They will do anything to destroy Dust, and the evil influence they believe it has on humanity. Central to all this is a young 12-year-old girl called Lyra, though she has no idea or awareness of her importance. She's more than happy running around the streets of her alternative world's Oxford, with the Gyptian children and her friend Roger.

But there is danger on the streets - 'Gobblers' are rumoured to be taking children, and Lyra swears to roger that she will come after him if he's ever taken. You can guess what happens next!

In the ensuing journey, Lyra meets a host of characters, from Texan aeronaut Lee Scoresby (perfectly played by Sam Elliott), the witch Serafina Pekkala, to the giant talking polar bear Iorek Byrnison. With these new found friends she sets out to save Roger and in the process discovers a dark terrifying experiment being carried out in the cold of the Arctic...

As can be seen there is a lot to squeeze into this film, and it's in fact suprising how much the makers have managed to get on the screen from the book. But it is at a price. The pace at times is so fast it will be bewildering to anyone not already familiar with Lyra and her world. And for those who have read the book you will feel that there is a lot missing from the many scenes that have obviously been cut to make room for everything else. Here's hoping a director's cut will make it to DVD!

The casting is near perfect and despite a slight high school play feeling at times, Dakota Blue Richards makes for a very convincing Lyra (and is in fact far less arrogant than she seems in the books at times). The disturbing Mrs Coulter is perfectly embodied, with Nicole Kidman on top form, and Daniel Craig is suitably gruff as Lord Asriel. But the real winners here are the Deamons, physical representations of the soul that take the shape of animals. Though at times they (and particularly the bears) look a little too CGI'd for the most part the characters seem to have literally stepped off the page and onto the screen.

'The Golden Compass' isn't the best film ever made nor the best adaptation of a book to film - but it's still a rip-roaring journey through a fantastical world you just wish you could go to. And if they ever make the following two books into sequels you might just get that chance...

[Highly rated reviewer]

A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Having read the books and thoroughly enjoyed them I was looking forward to watching the Golden Compass. However I was extremely disappointed. The film never really develops any of the central themes of the trilogy (notably the central theme of religion), it does not develop any of the characters to a sufficient level, and it does not capture the beauty of the relationship between a human and its daemon. Instead from the start the film races through the different events in the book, and in doing so loses all of its magic.

This film may be enjoyed by young children because of the visual effects... but for older viewers it is a disappointment all round.

To sum up the book has been converted into nothing more than a poor fantasy film!

[Highly rated reviewer]

Not for kids at all

This is stylish and well-shot and the cast is good. BUT I do not get how any sane parent would allow their kids to watch something that thinks demons are good and to be encouraged and sought out by their kids - unless they are satanists?

[Highly rated reviewer]

"Are you familiar with the Prophecy of the Witches?"

A crushing disappointment for fans and a scuppered opportunity for a cinematic event. That the first book has been so mishandled doesn’t bode well for the (already greenlit) more complicated ones to come.

[Highly rated reviewer]

If only it were better - or a TV series!

Ah, what a shame - a film that could have been spectacular if it had been a mere 30 minutes longer and allowed for a bit of character development. It looks astonishing, capturing the visual spirit of Pullman's book perfectly, but it lacks the heart of the book. The actors all do their level best but the story whips by at such a rate that one is left feeling unconcerned by all their interactions and the rationale.

It does not help that certain key scenes have been swapped around or chopped entirely - unlike Lord of the Rings, which could stand some heavy chopping, Northern Lights is too subtle to cope with it. All that is left, after the meat has been cut from the book, is a pretty-looking action film with some fine acting, and a script that leaves ever such a lot to be desired...

* * * This review contains spoilers * * *ShowHide

[Highly rated reviewer]

Avoid This One!!

My goodness, I went to see this one full of anticipation......how dissapointed was I!?

I mean, it had Nicole Kidman in it, and she's usually pretty good, but I found her to be a let down to be honest.

I found the storyline to be dull, unexciting, and a real let down to the hyped up advertising.

Sorry folks.

[Highly rated reviewer]

A compass that needs some slight adjustment...

The film of the first novel in Pullmans Dark Materials trilogy, and I have to admit it was a compass that lost it's way a bit, as the effects are excellent but just about everything else in parts let it down, from the slightly uninspired and predictable storyline to some fairly average performances from (some of) the cast that don't add to the novels very weirdly and inaptly named characters and places. It is good, but it just is never magical and mesmerising as say Narnia is, and it is noticeable. I would not miss seeing it, as it is definately worth a watch, it just has a slight lack of gloss that others in this genre have in spades.