Review of The Golden Compass (2007) by Jim M — 17 Jul 2011

In an alternate Universe The Magisterium rule is absolute stemming from The Authority. In this Universe peoples souls exist outside there bodies in the form of companion-animals called Daemons. Young Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards), the neice of scientist-explorer Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig) is swept from her sheltered collage home by Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) amidst a wave of mysterious child dissaperances. Escaping Mrs. Coulter's clutches and possessing the last remaining "Golden Compass" a device the reveals the truth, Lyra joins with a band of nomadic sea farring Gyptians (led by John Faa played by Jim Carter) broom stick riding Witches led by Serafina Pekkala (Eva Green, all witches should look so good) an Aeronaut Cowboy Lee Scoresby (Sam Elliot playing Sam Elliot with a Jack Rabbit Daemon voiced by Kathy Bates) and Iorek Byrnison a Panzerbjorn (Armored Polar Bear voiced by Ian McKellen) and will lead them into battle agaisnt The Magisterium to insure the triumph of Free Will.

Never read the books by Philip Pullman. Directed by Chris Weitz who does a decient job. Can't fault the acting as everyone fits and this continues the tradition of the last decade of Fantasy films casting half of the British Isles (Ian McShane, Tom Courtney, Kristen Scott Thomas, Jack Shephard, Christopher Lee and Derik Jacobi all pop up if even for only a line of dialogue). No the films 2 biggest flaws are 1) The books from what I've herd wearn't all the subtle in its Free Thinkers vs Religion war. The Magisterium is the catholic Church the Authority is God. In the film the Magesterium is your run of the mill totalitarian government. Haven't read the books but it still feels like the whole movie chickened out. Listen if your going to adapt a movie from source material about waging a war for freedom against God and his Earthly representitives then I damn well want a war against God and His Earthly Representitives not run of the mill Fascists. 2) The movie spends a lot of time setting shit up for sequals that don't appear to be coming any time soon (its been 4 years) thus shit just kind of ends, and loose threads are dangling all over. Look if your going end your first movie without resolving shit then make like Lord of the Rings and have the sequels ready to go. As it is this doesn't pick up until we get to the Polar Bears (hehe Panzerbjorn thats just awesome). Let me tell you an Armored Polar Bear voiced by Ian McKellen makes up for alot, a dust up between 2 Armored Polar Bears makes up for more but without sequels there is absolutly no reason to watch this...if you must experiance this story read the books instead at least then you'll get a damned ending.