moviereview - The Golden Compass

THE GOLDEN COMPASS

	A young girl is given a golden compass in the hope she will learn how to use it, and save the universe from the threat posed by the Magisterium.	score 3	moviereview rates films from 1 (unwatchable) to 5 (unmissable)
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Cast
Dakota Blue Richards, Nicole Kidman, Ian McKellan, Daniel Craig, Ben Walker, Sam Elliott

Director
Chris Weitz

Screenwriter
Chris Weitz

Country
USA

Rating / Running Time
PG / 113 minutes

Australian Release
December 2007

Official Site

In a parallel universe, one that looks like Jules Verne and Luc Besson have collaborated on design, peoples of an Earth wear their souls on the outside. They may look like talking animals but these ‘daemons’ are a girl’s best friend and populate the world of The Golden Compass like the rodents in Snow White’s forest.

But matters are far darker: the ruling Magisterium is connected to the disappearance of hundreds of children and is plotting to shut down a heretic scientist (Daniel Craig). His niece Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards) is embroiled when her best friend is snatched and sets course for the Arctic Circle, a domain ruled by witches and warrior bears, to save him. She’s given a golden compass for guidance, a device that gives her a glimpse of truth, and is befriended by Gyptians and an Aeronaut (Sam Elliott) enroute. They hope to stay ahead of the scheming Mrs Coulter (Nicole Kidman) who has an interest in Lyra’s failure, one that would help the Magisterium’s plan for universal domination.

Gottit? Feel free to say no for if The Golden Compass is anything, it is unattractively complex. In compressing the teeming contents of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, Chris Weitz has created a thundering juggernaut of a film that veers from point to point with the grace of a, well, juggernaut. It’s not especially difficult to follow, simply that in the rush to introduce characters, set scenes and introduce more characters, no time is spared to digest any of the goings-on. And there is a lot going on. This is that rare breed of film that actually needs more time.

Yet anyone jacked on enough caffeine, or suffering ADD, will find reward. The Golden Compass is a luscious production nicely supported by noodling about religious, political, social and scientific distortions. The story is thrillingly driven by a gutsy heroine and even if Kidman lacks the Evil Queen quality of Pfieffer, she’s luminous window dressing. Aiming for another LOTR three-film epic cash-cow, producers New Line may regret the decision to trim the run-time. We’ll find out next year when (if) the hysterical activity of The Golden Compass finds its course.

// COLIN FRASER