The Golden Compass review

By Jim Quon
December 16, 2007

Jim’s movie rating: 4 stars out of 5

As many may have heard, there has been a lot of controversy around this movie and there are even some calling for a boycott of this movie.  After seeing this movie I can see why; it makes you think and ponder questions that other people don’t want you to think about.  It is also a very entertaining movie at that which does not come along as preachy but it is an intelligent and well presented film.

The story based on a novel by Philip Pullman about a young girl, Lyra, who journeys north in a world that is threatened to be dominated by the Magisterium which acts like a religious group.  Along the journey, Lyra discovers more and more about the dark ways and vying forces of the land and faces many challenges in the process.

This film tries to pack a lot of information into a short running time, and it succeeds due to great actors such as Nicole Kidman and the young Dakota Blue Richards.  One of the things that I found impressive about the movie was how there was so much going, action, special effects, plot twists, yet the movie was able to keep a simple and elegant charm to it.  This could have easily become a convoluted mess in the hands of the wrong person. 

Speaking of the special effects, they were excellent, and assisted in the storytelling rather than becoming the focus of the movie.  Yes, there is a lot of eye candy I the movie, and the landscapes are beautiful and realistic, adding to the sense of adventure.

The ability to suspend one’s reality in the movie comes down to what the viewer is looking for.  If you want a Lord of the Rings type smash and crash type movie with huge battles and high drama then this may not be appealing to you.  Also, if you want a direct translation from the book you may also be disappointed.

What this movie succeeds in doing, is creating an intelligent and engrossing fairy tale on its own terms.  On a deeper level, is tells of the struggle between the forces of free-will and those who want to control the others.  Where many would buckle under the power of authority, Lyra meets the challenges with courage that is inspirational. 

This movie takes a risk based on its controversial subject matter, much of will most likely go over the heads of young children anyway.  Ultimately, the movie may suffer at the box office because it is not trying to please everyone, even though many are always clamoring for something original. 

I wish this movie would have been longer.  Even though I liked the pace, it was a good balance between storytelling and character development, it just left me wishing there was more.  I suppose that is a good thing, but if the box office revenues are not good, I would have wished as much of the story had been told as they made time for.  I guess I could always read the books!