Golden Compass review.

[Platinum_Mongoose]

Hi everybody! I posted this review on IMDB, but since IMDB is full of nutjobs and trolls, I thought I'd post it here, too, to give it some sane attention.

I saw an advance screening on Dec. 1st. Here's my take:

The first thing that needs to be said is that yes, this movie features the church as the "bad guy." Sorta. It's an alternate-world church. It's fictional. I'll say that again. It's fictional. In fact, I think it's an excellent allegory for what religion in our world should not be, which is basically a totalitarian state. Also, the "anti-religion" message is much stronger in the books than the movie. Judge them each on their own.

That being said, on to my thoughts about the movie from an unbiased point of view.

The casting was perfect. Nicole Kidman is amazing as Mrs. Coulter, and Ian McKellen is the perfect voice for Iorek. And I was pleasantly surprised with newcomer Dakota Blue Richards. She has a promising career ahead of her. But stealing the show, in my opinion, was Sam Elliot as the rugged Texan aeronaut Lee Scoresby. My favorite character from the books (from any book, even) came to life on the screen, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I can't wait for Subtle Knife if it gets made, as Lee features more prominently in it.

This film is a real treat for the eyes, as well. Stunning visuals, and great CGI. The bear fight was the tour de force in that department, but I also loved the snowy landscapes and the great alternate-history technology. Steampunk, anyone? And as for the bear fight, I was glad they didn't shy away from the, uh... without spoiling anything... let's just call it "finale." Everyone in the audience clapped at that one, by the way.

Aside from a bit of plot-shifting to ease the transition from book to movie, there were no major departures from the book. The end was the only one that anyone might get up in arms about, and it was only because they don't know if they'll get a sequel. The book ends on a cliffhanger, so they truncated it to end on more of an "up" note. But I have no problem with simply starting the second movie with the end of the first.

Good film. Fun for all ages. Go see it.

[RandomLogic]

Excellent. The first five minutes of the movie were released on the internets so I caught that and it looks spectacular. Also I'm glad the little girl does a good job so I'm hoping I hate her less than Frodo which will make watching the rest of the movie save all the fights more entertaining.

I'll most definitely be checking this one out tomorrow.

[WalkingTarget]

Glad to hear that they didn't tone down that fight.

Also, as soon as I heard that Sam Elliot was playing Lee I agreed that he's the perfect man for the role. A subsequent reading of the books had his voice superimposed on the text in my head.

Looking forward to seeing the film.

[Teh_Doon]

I also just saw the movie, and highly recommend it. My only thought when coming out of the theater was "I can't wait for the Subtle Knife".

[Hazkali]

I'm going to see the film but I'm highly disappointed that they've stuck to calling it by the American title in the UK. Not that I've got anything against America, just that the original title of the book was The Northern Lights, and I wish that was how they marketed the film.

Anyway, I'm off to see the film with a friend. I enjoyed the book (although it's been years and years since I finished it, so I can hardly remember what happens) but couldn't manage to wade through The Amber Spyglass.

[Closet_Skeleton]

I'm going to see the film but I'm highly disappointed that they've stuck to calling it by the American title in the UK.

It also makes no sense. I mean, they could be bothered not only changing the title but the dialogue as well for Sorcerer's/Philosophers Stone (the dumbest name change ever) so why not do the easier task for Northern Lights.

The real problem is that it might actually decreases their profits. Casual fans of the novels might boycot the film because they think it's an unlicensed rip-off or not notice it when if they'd changed the name they would've gone to see it. The could have at least added a subtitle for Banjo's sake.

They're just getting lazy and trying to re-use marketing materials for both demographics.

[Platinum_Mongoose]

I'm going to see the film but I'm highly disappointed that they've stuck to calling it by the American title in the UK. Not that I've got anything against America, just that the original title of the book was The Northern Lights, and I wish that was how they marketed the film.

Anyway, I'm off to see the film with a friend. I enjoyed the book (although it's been years and years since I finished it, so I can hardly remember what happens) but couldn't manage to wade through The Amber Spyglass.

I just don't see what the big deal about the name change is. I mean, does it have any impact on the story's content? Not so much.

Amber Spyglass is worth finishing. The end is... well, bring a tissue. Deeply bittersweet, and very satisfying.

[Foeofthelance]

I'm afriad I'm going to have to disagree with the OP opinion. I could only give the film a 5/10.

Let's start with the actors. Admittedly, they all played their parts wonderfully. As far as I was concerned, they were the characters. Kidman did a great job alternating between mischivous, charming, and intimidating. The little girl who played Lyrra had enough emotion for each scene without acting. Everyone else played their parts accordingly.

Same with the visuals. When Usric was running, I felt like I was watching a bear run. Whenever a daemon was present you couldn't tell it was fake; it reacted to the people around it, and the people in turn reacted. The background's were alive and active rather than static, and the camera shots were wonderful.


WARNING SPOILERS FOLLOW
Sorry, I don't know how to work the spoiler tags...


Now for the plot...or lack thereof. Now I fully admit that I've never read the Dark Materials books. (Something my mother and girlfriend insist they are going to change.) This, I think, just made the mistakes all the more obvious. First, characters just seem to show up without wont or reason. I think perhaps the best example was the witch, I'm sorry, but she wasn't onscreen long enough for me to get her name, who showed up on the deck to have a quick conversation with Lyrra before vanishing again. She mentions a prophecy several times, but never quite says what it is until the very, very end of the movie, and even then in the vaguest terms. The entire time I'm not sure if the Magesterium is trying to thwart the Dust, Puberty*, or Asriel, or even what these three have to do with each other. After being freed from Coulter, Lyrra's biggest complaint to everyone is that she enforced rules. Now this might have been a terrible thing if we'd ever seen these rules enforced. All we see instead is Lyrra running through the halls, getting fitted for a dress, attending a dinner party, getting beaten via daemon, or having Coulter try to rob her. But no, its the rules that are bad! One minute little Robbie is refusing to write a letter, the next minute he's freezing to death in a shack where Lyrra rescues him! We're kids, but we can sneak around a top secret laboratory with impunity! I spent most of the last ten to fifteen minutes laughing my butt off.


*Puberty- Any time anyone mentions "disagreement caused by a matured daemon" as being the main threat to magisterium. Sometimes the way the line was presented was just so out of place, it was funny. Thanks to my brother for coining the term.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

I saw it like a week ago when my sister's theatre got it.

As has been mentioned the casting is fantastic. The acting is incredible, and the actor that plays Lyra is just perfect.


However, it suffered a great deal from what I refer to as the 'Eragon Syndrome' as it is the worst movie I've ever seen about rushing through things, so that you cramp a year into a day.

The Golden Compass is quite hurried, and to those that have not read the book, a good deal hard to follow.

The graphics are very well done, though oddly enough the fight scenes were some of the most rushed, while movies dealing with big battles usually devote half their energy to them.

So the caster should be given lots of money and the script writer should be locked in a dark room.

[Gamebird]

I liked it. Especially the fight scenes. Though I agree that:

-- The Magisterium is obviously intended to be "the church", to represent virtually any form of organized religion/faith/spirituality. Some might find this deeply offensive.
-- The plot seemed rushed. The movie was only 113 minutes long. It could easily have held my attention for 10-20 minutes more and helped a lot with better transitions and more exposition.

Personal dislikes:
-- One of the few things that I immediately disliked was that Sam Elliot was *again* playing a grizzled old westerner, right down to the jack-rabbit demon. There was no predicate in the movie for duplicating any Earth culture, much less the old west.
-- The CGI was very good, but I could still tell it was CGI. At various points I could tell they were using a real dog instead of a fake one. They only did it five or six times, of the scores of familiars, er, demons, we saw.
-- No explanation about demons. Or at least, very little.
-- The polar bear's appearing/disappearing armor. For example, at the bear king's camp, he has his armor. Leaving it, he doesn't. Later he has it again. While I can think of good ways his armor could have been transported, it wasn't explained in the film and was jarring.
-- The idiocy, or rather logical fallacy, of the whole concept behind the golden compass (alethiometer... whatever). "It shows you the truth..." They used to have lots of these devices? Why can't they make more? Why don't they sit Lyra down and start asking her questions, note down the answers and find out everything there is to know about life, the universe and everything? Or if it's limited to human knowledge (or sapient knowledge), then just ask about that. Think of its potential as a crime-solving device! Or for lovers asking about each other, or stalkers wanting to know intimate details of their prey, or the bereaved clarifying who the recently departed meant should get the prized china doll collection. The One Ring made a lot more sense. The compass might as well have been called the Golden MacGuffin.
-- A lot of scenes were very dim, especially the final fight scene. I assume this was to cover for the CGI issues.
-- Ending with a cliffhanger is annoying.

Likes:
-- How good CGI has gotten.
-- The acting.
-- The casting.
-- Ian McKellan as a bear!
-- The bears.
-- Riding a bear.
-- Having a female protagonist.
-- Having a female villain.
-- Music was decent.
-- General experience.
-- Love decent D&D/fantasy themed movies!

[13_CBS]

However, it suffered a great deal from what I refer to as the 'Eragon Syndrome' as it is the worst movie I've ever seen about rushing through things, so that you cramp a year into a day.

The Golden Compass is quite hurried, and to those that have not read the book, a good deal hard to follow.


Inevitable, really, when large books are converted into films. Books from His Dark Materials and Harry Potter are simply too long to fit onto the movie screen.

[Tirian]

I also liked it a lot. The bear fight is one of the most impressive pieces of cinematography ever, and the conclusion is just ZOMGWTFBBQ!

You say MacGuffin like it's a bad thing. :smallwink: To me, it pales in comparison with the Prophecy, which smooths out the problems of why many of the most powerful factions in the world are guarding and trusting a young girl and not telling her that they know what is going to happen throughout the trilogy because the Prophecy says that she has to be surprised. Meh, it's the rule of the world and the price of admission to the story.

If there is one thing that bugged me, as much as I understand the motivation, it is that the movie ended twenty minutes early. Oh my gosh, she's going to spend a year smugly assured that she's bringing Lord Azriel what he needs.

[Kaelaroth]

-- One of the few things that I immediately disliked was that Sam Elliot was *again* playing a grizzled old westerner, right down to the jack-rabbit demon. There was no predicate in the movie for duplicating any Earth culture, much less the old west.
-- The idiocy, or rather logical fallacy, of the whole concept behind the golden compass (alethiometer... whatever). "It shows you the truth..." They used to have lots of these devices? Why can't they make more? Why don't they sit Lyra down and start asking her questions, note down the answers and find out everything there is to know about life, the universe and everything? Or if it's limited to human knowledge (or sapient knowledge), then just ask about that. Think of its potential as a crime-solving device! Or for lovers asking about each other, or stalkers wanting to know intimate details of their prey, or the bereaved clarifying who the recently departed meant should get the prized china doll collection. The One Ring made a lot more sense. The compass might as well have been called the Golden MacGuffin.

I too felt Sam Elliot was typecast. However, on the aleithiometer front:
- You can't make more. They were constructed thousands of years ago, and the methods of summoning the spirits into them has been lost.
- This is a book/film! How cruddy would it be if: they sat Lyra down. She works out how you make nice tacos. The End.
- The Magisterium view the Compass as anti-Authority, and therefore was it smushed. The idea that only Lyra can wield it only backs up the idea that she is the reincarnation of Eve. They want her smushed.

I'm going to see it tonight with friends. Yaay!

[Foeofthelance]

Inevitable, really, when large books are converted into films. Books from His Dark Materials and Harry Potter are simply too long to fit onto the movie screen.

Accept Harry Potter pulled it off. Sure, they butcher the books more and more with each new film, as a result of the books themselves being longer and longer. Yet they still decided that me suffering from a sore bum from sitting in the seat for three hours was a safe bet, and took their time covering the important plot points, as well as the ones that help set up the next book/movie.

Golden Compass, on the other hand, suffers from Holiday Videogame Syndrome: They wanted it out in Decemeber, and the result is rushed, sloppy, and while it has a few redeeming points, they get washed away by the tidal wave of Suck.

[Teh_Doon]

Excuse me perhaps you did not read the first time,
BEAR FIGHT
The defendant rests.

[Platinum_Mongoose]

Accept Harry Potter pulled it off.

Really? Did we watch the same five movies?

But as for Golden Compass, I'm beginning to think that I see most book-movies differently than most people. Too many fans of the book expect a flawless adaptation that carries the same themes as the original piece. Problem is, New Line wants action movies, Golden Compass is not an action book. It's unrealistic to expect the movie to be anything but an action movie, because in Hollywood's mind, fantasy=Lord of the Rings.

[Emrylon]

I saw it yesterday. I read the book quite a long time ago.

I liked it, you have to take films based on books with a pinch on salt, as a film it was good but the book is better.

I agree with people saying the casting was very good, I was impressed with the girl that played Lyra, thought she did very well for someone with no acting experiance. There were things I would of liked to see, more explanation of Daemons and more emphasis on the link between them and the person, (for example I remember in the book Pullman describes seeing someone without a deamon the same as seeing someone without a head).

The ending of the book has such a better cliffhanger (won't ruin it for people who havn't read it) and I think that ending would of been great in the film.

[warty goblin]

Really? Did we watch the same five movies?

.


What you said. The only HP movie I'd consider rewatching is the third one, and even that's a reach.

The Golden Compass didn't quite manage to pull be LOTR quality IMHO, but it certainly beat the hell out of the Harry Potter movies (for one thing, the lead in tGC can actually act, I've never found Danial Radcliffe convincing). Its certainly rewatchable, if only for the bear fight.

[Gamebird]

Yeah, I'd rewatch it for free, but I wouldn't pay for it. I will probably order it on Netflix for the DVD extras, but I won't buy it.

[turkishproverb]

It also makes no sense. I mean, they could be bothered not only changing the title but the dialogue as well for Sorcerer's/Philosophers Stone (the dumbest name change ever) so why not do the easier task for Northern Lights.

The real problem is that it might actually decreases their profits. Casual fans of the novels might boycot the film because they think it's an unlicensed rip-off or not notice it when if they'd changed the name they would've gone to see it. The could have at least added a subtitle for Banjo's sake.

They're just getting lazy and trying to re-use marketing materials for both demographics.

While I'm inclined to agree, I also think the Northern Lights was the title that made less sense of the two that the book got, given the titles of the other two books both pertain to objects, and the trilogy is called his dark materials.


Still not trusting the movie, but I might see it at the budget cinema now, at least.

[LordOfNarf]

While I'm inclined to agree, I also think the Northern Lights was the title that made less sense of the two that the book got, given the titles of the other two books both pertain to objects, and the trilogy is called his dark materials.


Still not trusting the movie, but I might see it at the budget cinema now, at least.

Pullman's working title was The Golden Compassess (the ones that you draw circles with) but that got changed to His Dark Materials later in the writing process. Northern Lights was Pullman's choice for the title of the first book, but his publishers insisted that he make the American publication The Golden Compass.

And I thought that the movie was very good, I didn't like how they cut off the last bit' but I can understand why at least.

[turkishproverb]

Pullman's working title was The Golden Compassess (the ones that you draw circles with) but that got changed to His Dark Materials later in the writing process. Northern Lights was Pullman's choice for the title of the first book, but his publishers insisted that he make the American publication The Golden Compass.

And I thought that the movie was very good, I didn't like how they cut off the last bit' but I can understand why at least.

I'm aware of all that. All of it. Have been for years.

I still think The Golden Compass was a better name for the first book, given the titles of the later two. (Subtle knife, Amber spyglass) They made more sense, from a thematic point of view.

[DeathQuaker]

Just saw it a few days ago--overall I thought it was fantastic.

- I'd never read the books, and I had no problem figuring out what was going on. (I am reading the book now and find the filmmakers left out a lot of exposition, but boiled the story down to its essentials really well.)

- I wouldn't exactly call it "rushed" -- and I'm glad the movie wasn't any longer. (My ADD can't stand movies over 2 hours long :smalltongue: ) BUT... it did have problem displaying the passage of time--you see a character injured in one scene, the next he's fine. There's an indication time has passed barely, but you need to pay attention to realize it. I imagine that's why some people had the problem with the pacing.

- Acting was just superb. Nicole Kidman makes a fantastic villain, especially. Dakota Blue Richards is clearly a talented young actress and handles the complex role of Lyra very well; she's got a great future ahead of her as long as she's protected from the pitfalls of child acting.

- The movie (not the book) seems more anti-authoritarian than anti-religious. Generally it's a good classic story of individual vs a corrupt government. Chaotic Good versus Lawful Evil.