The Golden Compass (New Line Platinum Series Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)

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Amazon.com
A fantasy epic with more than a passing resemblance to the Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia film franchises, The Golden Compass takes place in an alternate universe where each human's soul is embodied in a companion animal called a daemon. Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards), an orphan who's lived most of her life among the scholars at Oxford, is intrigued when her uncle, Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), announces his plans to travel north to investigate the source of some mysterious particles called Dust. Lyra has little hope of following her uncle until a mysterious woman named Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman, at her most icily beautiful) asks Lyra to travel north as her personal assistant. All is not as it seems, however, and the disappearance of Lyra's friend Roger (Ben Walker) sets her on a dizzying adventure. She does have an alethiometer, or golden compass, that can help her see the truth, and a number of companions, including her shape-shifting daemon, Pantalaimion (voiced by Freddie Highmore of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), polar-bear warrior Iorek Byrnison (voiced by Ian McKellen), Texas aeronaut Lee Scoresby (Sam Elliott), and witch queen Serafina Pekkala (Craig's Casino Royale co-star, Eva Green). Even before its release, The Golden Compass was the subject of controversy over its perceived anti-religious themes. While it does involve an oppressive institution called the Magisterium, it's not overtly religious, particularly to a young viewer. The movie's PG-13 rating should be taken seriously, however. Suitable for an older audience than Narnia (though younger than The Lord of the Rings), it deals with complex concepts, violence (though largely bloodless) and implied death, children and animals in peril, and an unrelentingly ominous and unsettling mood.

Despite a few changes and rearrangements, the overall plot of the movie is remarkably faithful to its source material, the first installment of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. It doesn't finish the book, however, and--much like The Fellowship of the Ring did--leaves the viewer hanging in anticipation of the next film, The Subtle Knife, due in 2009. So even though The Golden Compass is impressive--especially with its spot-on cast and terrific visual effects--we probably won't know its full emotional impact until the story is complete. --David Horiuchi

Product Description
In a parallel universe where witches rule the skies and armoured bears are the bravest warriors young Lyra Belacqua journeys from her home among the scholars at Oxford to the far North to save her best friend. Based on the first book in the Carnegie Medal-winning series His Dark Materials.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY/FANTASY UPC: 794043120435 Manufacturer No: 1000038167

Customer Reviews: Read 221 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

A Fantasy with a Strong Cast of Humans and Animated Animals! May 3, 2008
142 out of 180 found this review helpful

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 (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? Tune in for the very obvious next installment.

The pleasures are many, not the least of which are the voices and changing forms of the little animal daemons. The cast is excellent and the whole movie sails with yet another beautiful musical score by Alexandre Desplat. It is a nice diversion, but you have to love fantasy. Grady Harp, May 08

5 out of 5 stars

The Fight for Free Will December 7, 2007
121 out of 159 found this review helpful

The special effects and the cinematography of "The Golden Compass" are wonderful, but it's the subtext that really shines through, making for one of the most unique, fascinating, and entertaining fantasy films of recent memory. Just as it is in the film, the plot of Philip Pullman's original novel suggested that free will was kept under strict control. The film brings this idea to the surface and allows the audience to analyze it; in a parallel universe--in which a person's soul is separate and physically represented by an animal--a ruthless organization called the Magisterium tries to enforce rules against free will. Anyone who challenges its authority will be condemned as a heretic. Because they wanted to ensure total compliance, the Magisterium sought to destroy every last alethiometer, or golden compass--a magical, watch-like mechanism that literally tells the truth by pointing at strange symbols.

The one alethiometer that survived is now in the possession of Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), a college professor who defies the Magisterium by confirming the existence of dust. I'm not referring to the allergy-inducing particles that settle on ordinary surfaces; I'm referring to the magical substance that's somehow related to a rift between their universe and ours. Because this has put him at odds with the Magisterium, he gives the alethiometer to his orphaned niece, Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards), a young girl raised by the professors at a university. Lyra, who absolutely hates being called a lady, is clever, bold, and incredibly headstrong, with an adventurous spirit that occasionally gets her into trouble. Her spirit--or daemon, as referred to by the characters--is Pan (voiced by Freddie Highmore), who hasn't quite decided which animal form to take. He spends most of his time as a ferret, but he also turns into a cat, a bird, and a mouse.

When Lyra hears that her uncle is traveling to the snowy north to find the dust and open this cross-dimensional rift, she wishes to join him. Asriel refuses to let her, and he warns her against speaking of dust to anyone. Here enters Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman), the wicked, controlling head of the Magisterium; she quickly learns that the alethiometer is in Lyra's possession and vows to reclaim it by tricking Lyra onto her good side. Mrs. Coulter's true nature is soon revealed, and upon escaping, Lyra is put under the protection of the Gyptians, a band of rebels who were once aided by Lord Asriel. As they journey north with Lyra, she also meets: Serafina (Eva Green), an elegant, almost ethereal witch; Lee Scoresby (Sam Elliott), a grizzled pilot who speaks like a Texan from the Old West; and Iorek Byrnison (voiced by Ian McKellen), a disgraced polar bear who was once a great warrior among an entire clan of polar bears. To rid himself of his shame, he decides to reclaim his stolen armor and protect Lyra at whatever cost.

This is pretty much the foundation for the adventure that follows, an adventure so big that it isn't over even when the movie ends. But in the grand scheme of things, the adventure is fairly superficial and only part of what makes it so wonderful; "The Golden Compass" is just as thought provoking as it is enjoyable, filled to the brim with intelligent, meaningful undertones. This isn't to say that the film exists entirely as one big commentary--a good portion of it functions at a level of pure entertainment, from the convincing special effects to the stunning set designs to the fantastic mechanical creations. The story is not one of the future, the past, or even the present; its unique setting has essentially made any sense of time meaningless. And let's not forget a number of lighthearted moments between Lyra and her best friend, Roger (Ben Walker), both of whom are more like bonded siblings.

But there is a dark side to this story. For one thing, the Magisterium is involved in a sinister plot to kidnap children and sever the connections between them and their daemons. The sooner they lose their spirits (pun definitely intended), the quicker they can be controlled. There's also a general sense of foreboding that runs through the entire film, as if to say that certain things are not as simple as they may first appear. Consider the fact that a person's physical pain is also felt by his or her daemon, and vice versa: What exactly will happen if one of them dies? Can one exist without the other? And how exactly are daemons a threat to free will?

The fact that I'm asking these questions is a good thing, because it proves that "The Golden Compass" is a stimulating film. Rarely is a fantasy story allowed to transcend the limiting cliches of princesses, castles, dragons, swords, and predictable Hero's Journeys. Here's a film that actually brings something new to the genre, something fresh, exciting, daring, and determined. This is not a mind-numbing rehash; it's a thoroughly original experience, highlighted by delightful performances, a solid structure, and a well-rounded social commentary. I suppose I should make a note about the Catholic Church's poor reception of this film, but why bother? Religion--or lack thereof--has nothing to do with it. It has everything to do with being engaging, smart, and imaginative.

4 out of 5 stars

Dust in the wind February 16, 2008
75 out of 123 found this review helpful

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 monkey on her back
5.Ashes to ashes is one thing, but when it's time for Dust it's a totally different matter
6.The Magesterium embarks on an ambitious "Save the Children" campaign
7.The result is an outbreak of separation anxiety and a bunch of missing kids
8.Lord Asriel sets off to get to the source of the Dust infestation
9.Mrs. Coulter tries to play Pygmalion with Lyra, but has her work cut out for her
10.Lyra is entrusted with the last surviving golden compass (alethiometer to those in the know) - no batteries required, but no instruction manual either.
11.Lyra sets off to find her missing friends with the help of the Gyptians (gypsies on water), witches (the pretty kind), an aeronaut (roguish Sam Elliot) and a cranky polar bear
12.A bear in need is a friend indeed
13.Bear fight!!!!!
14.Grand finale
15.Abrupt ending

I would recommend that you read the book before watching this, as the movie is merely a watered-down precis version and you'll have to fill in all the missing spaces yourself. What you'll get here is some average acting, but with lots of special effects and CGI for a very good viewing experience. Overall however, it's not so hot if you're going to be judging the book by its movie.

Book beats movie by a landslide. Rated: 3.5 stars

Amanda Richards, February 16, 2008

5 out of 5 stars

Classy January 4, 2008
48 out of 91 found this review helpful

Phantasy is not my favorite genre, definitely not in printed form (couldn't even handle the Lord of the Rings), and hardly in movies (except Lord of the Rings). Potter is mediocrity itself, and Narnia was a bit too sweetish with its good Jesusy lion. I did not bother with other recent phantasy movies.
This one attracted me because there was some religious propaganda against it. Apparently some good Christians think that the story is anti-Christian. Well, let them. Not a relevant attack, in my view, but of course a soul outside its body is reason for concern to the literalists.
The story is definitely different and it is charmingly free from sentimentality and cuteness. Kidmann is great as the bad guy. The polar bear beats Knut, the star of Berlin zoo. The story has a strong libertarian flavor, nothing wrong with it. The fight is against a pre-fascist government structure which suppresses knowledge and individuality. I saw nothing remotely justifying an uproar from proper religious points of view.
P.S. in the meantime, a friend has convinced me that the author of the book does indeed stand for odd views. I still think that the movie is free of those.

1 out of 5 stars

Huh?!? February 12, 2008
40 out of 76 found this review helpful

Let's start with my "credentials" (such as they are). I'm a very big fan of fantasy. I read Lord of the Rings as a teen in the mid-80's and loved the movies. I've read most of the existing fantasy stories and have seen the movies as well. I've studied Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell long and hard. As a leadership coach and consultant, I constantly try to support the underdeveloped metaphorical, symbolic approaches in people and organizations.

Okay, actually, I'm a PUSH-OVER when it comes to fantasy. I'm pretty much willing to give any fantasy story the benefit of the doubt.

So remember: I WANTED to like this movie.

Having said that, after watching this movie with my 12-year-old son, all I can say is, "Huh?" This movie barely made any sense. Characters remained under-developed (most of the adults). The heroine appeared simply to be a brat who got lucky. I'm a big fan of Nicole Kidman, but she seemed to overpower the role she was placed in ... and almost everyone she appeared in a scene with.

The stereotypical pseudo-archetypes were rampant in this one. Let's see, we've got ...

* evil, nasty mother figure.
* Uninvolved, unknown father figure.
* Evil, power-drunk priest-figures.
* Highly skilled warrior who gets dragged out of a drunken forced retirement to save the day (okay, he WAS a polar bear in this movie, but still ...)
* Overly young children precociously being heroes (what IS it with this culture's fixation on young children in hero roles? Anyone ever heard of an older teen-ager or young adult?)
* Precocious young children just "knowing" how to use a special magic item that other people had to spend years studying.
* An evil being who killed the king and usurped the throne. (okay, HE was a polar bear, TOO. But still ...)
* A kindly cowboy (I mean, "aeronaut").
* A sexy witch.
* Friendly pirates (excuse me, "Gyptians.").
* Evil-yet-incompetent henchmen/scientists who seem to be unable to: (1) lock doors; (2) stop kids from getting away.

Yep. I think we covered them all here.

But, Lord, the star power. The aforementioned Kidman, Daniel Craig, Derek Jacobi, Sam Elliot, Ian McKellen, Kristen Scott Thomas, Jim Carter (an under-rated actor) and on and on. Talent mostly wasted in this movie.

During the "nasty-woman-discloses-she-is-the-mother-of-the-young-heroine" scene, I practically started laughing. I wanted to stand up and shout, "Luke, I am your father!"! One could probably superimpose the same scenes from both movies and find that they are pretty close to each other.

Some of the scenes were interesting. The neo-Art Deco props were interesting to look at, although the start of the movie seemed unclear whether it wanted to give a nod to Charles Dickens or Harry Potter.

Finally, the ending was lame. Extremely lame. When the movie finished, my 12-year-old son (who has read the books) simply sat staring at the screen with his jaw hanging open. He said that the book ended much better (as some other reviewers have also reported).

The books may have some real mythological material in them. Sometimes watching this movie was like trying to watch a hour TV sitcom cover Romeo & Juliet - you know there's something of value there, but can quite seem to get to it.

If one was a cynic, one might wonder if all of the "anti-God" hoopla was created simply to salvage an ailing movie. One wonders. I'm going to give the books a read, just to see if there's anything to salvage after this atrocious movie.

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