In a universe where human souls roam outside their bodies in
animal form, where witches rules the skies, Ice bears the poles, and Gypsies
the seas, lives a defiant little girl named Lyra Belacqua. Living on the campus
of a college, Lyra’s world is suddenly thrust in a new direction when she’s
plucked from the college by the beautiful Mrs. Coulter and taken to the city as
her assistant. Before she leaves, the college’s headmaster gives her a rare
golden compass that tells the absolute truth and soon Lyra finds herself on the
edge of a big adventure when she learns her best friend was kidnapped by the
mysterious ‘Gobblers’. She sets out to rescue him with a whole army behind her,
but the adventure becomes bigger than ever expected as Lyra slowly begins to realise
that she’s destined to save the fate of her world – and all others in between.
Based on the Dark Materials trilogy
by Phillip Pullman, which is a brilliant series that I recommend everyone
reads, I was really looking forward to this movie when it first came out. I’m
at odds when trying to decide whether I liked this film or not. I mean, I did
like it, yes I did like it, but as far as the story goes they sort of made a
shambles of it. Re-watching it now, I can really see why they didn’t carry on
and make the remaining two stories into films because they sort of dug a bit of
a grave with this flick, proving that not everyone can make their bed and lie
in it. As far as The Golden Compass
goes, it’s a good family movie sitting within the company of Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia: you know, good fun with action and
adventure as well as the strong fantasy element.
As an adaptation of a book;
not really that good, more of a mix-and-match of the best bits of the story
with the bigger picture only being hinted at. People who haven’t read the book
will enjoy it more than those who have.
In a universe where human souls roam
outside their bodies in animal form, where witches rules the skies, Ice bears
the poles, and Gypsies the seas, lives a defiant little girl named Lyra
Belacqua. Living on the campus of a college, Lyra’s world is suddenly thrust in
a new direction when she’s plucked from the college by the beautiful Mrs.
Coulter and taken to the city as her assistant. Before she leaves, the
college’s headmaster gives her a rare golden compass that tells the absolute
truth and soon Lyra finds herself on the edge of a big adventure when she
learns her best friend was kidnapped by the mysterious ‘Gobblers’. She sets out
to rescue him with a whole army behind her, but the adventure becomes bigger
than ever expected as Lyra slowly begins to realise that she’s destined to save
the fate of her world – and all others in between.
I have to say that the
fantasy element and the special effects were done really well. They did manage
to keep all the best characters in there however, because they’re introduced so
late in the piece, the interest of the audience begins to wane in the wait.
I
have to give applause for the realisation of the character of Iorek Byrnison
the Ice Bear. He was my favourite character in the book and to see him on
screen with Ian McKellen’s voice, oh magnificent! Best part of the whole film
really.
Starring Dakota Blue Richards, Nicole Kidman, Jim Carter, Tom
Courtenay, Eva Green, Freddie Highmore, Ian McShane, Sam Elliott, Christopher
Lee, Kristin Scott Thomas, Kathy Bates, and Daniel Craig, The Golden Compass is a fine family movie but its potential for
enjoyment is tarnished for those who have read the book. Filled with action,
adventure, memorable characters, drama, magic, fantasy, and comedy, it’s a
pretty spectacle, I’ll give it that willingly, but as far as an adaptation, it’s
not as good as it could have been.
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