The Golden Compass (review and discussion)
POSTED BY: Finn mac Cumhal
UPDATED: Thursday, October 30, 2008 19:58
VIEWED: 7084
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The Golden Compass. (If you would like to discuss religion in general, there is already a controversy thread. This thread is to share and discuss reviews of the film.)
As a huge fan of fantasy, I’ve been wanting to see this movie ever since I saw the previews. Usually I don’t buy into previews that completely, but who wouldn’t find a big armored polar bear alluring? I’ve never read the books, so I come into this movie absent much of the baggage that, as I understand, is likely to anger some of the fans of the books, particularly those who sympathize with the authors message.
The Golden Compass is excellently made with good writing and some pretty good acting and the story was fabulous, though not up to Lord of the Rings. At times it was slow and often it seemed rushed (paradoxically even at the same time), but often interesting and sometimes powerfully dramatic and moving with stunning special effects and beautiful action scenes. I don’t know if it’s as good as Lord of the Rings, but it’s on par with Narnia. Narnia is a better film for kids. The Golden Compass, despite the authors intentions apparently, share many of the same values as Narnia (honesty, liberation from oppression, charity, friendship, self-reliance), but casts them in a much stronger political and darker light. For this reason, it’s not as suitable for children. It’s not nearly as epic as Lord of the Rings either. The world in which it takes place is inspired more by 19th century Europe then the imaginative immensity of Middle Earth. Nonetheless, it’s certainly good enough for as many sequel.
A unique and very interesting concept of the story is the idea that souls exist as creatures, physically independent of the person, an interpretation of the Native American animal spirit that probably strains even the most literal view animism, but certainly one that immediately casts doubt on any description of Golden Compass as “atheist” or at least “opposed to religion.”
The film centers around Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) a precocious and mischievous 12ish-year old girl at a prestigious college, who is unwittingly thrown into an adventure as a prophecy for which she is to play a central role begins to come into effect. During which Lyra, who until now has lived a very protected life, comes into conflict with the ruthless totalitarian theocracy that rules this fantasy parallel of our own world. Lyra conforms to the typical stereotype of a fantasy heroine: orphaned, rebellious and blessed with special powers by a prophesy as a savior. Richards almost seems born for this character. Her withering gaze is perfect. Richards was really a marvelous find for this movie.
Nicole Kidman is only one of several veterans playing a role in this film, but she certainly stands out as the villainous “ice-queen,” Mrs. Coulter, with her fiendish monkey demon. Kidman is dazzlingly beautiful, which plays well with the cruelty of her character. She beguiles a naïve Lyra with appealing lies and makes them stick with a cold threat to the headmaster.
Daniel Craig (James Bond) plays his usual debonair self, but appears far too little to be of much consequence to the story, and perhaps only exists as an inspiration to the heroine.
The references to organized religion, specifically the Anglican Church, are obvious, though probably watered down from the book. Assertions that the film constitutes propaganda are largely spurious, though perhaps drawn mostly from association with the novel. I would simply say this: intolerance is not unique to any one philosophy and usually resides the strongest in those who are least willing to recognize its danger. No idea is free from the threat of that stain. I think perhaps the only truly honest examination of the controversy of this film is the recognition that the themes presented in the movie, and probably also in the book, are far more political in nature then religious where they relate to the use of religion by those in power. The central values espoused by the story were ones that would have been as
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Maybe the best movie of 2007. Like Transformers, this had multiple characters who existed only as CG effects. Unlike transformers, this movie actually made me care about said characters.
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I'd just finished reading the book before seeing the movie; and I really enjoyed the film (perhaps since I had just read the book it seemed to movie along at a fine pace). Hoping it does well enough so we'll have the next two books in the trilogy soon.
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I was wondering how the film would work for those who had NOT read the rich and detailed book...
the film seemed to skim along the surface of the story for me.. maybe I need to see it again. It is beautifully rendered; but felt "thin"..
I will be interesting to see if part 2 & 3 are more detailed (or even get made, given the Box office)...
I liked it- but I wanted to love it.. but I had also just recently re read the story...possibly a problem.
Chindi
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am sorry went to cinema not havin read the books, so knew nothin of the religious theme an only slightly noticed it in the film, as to the film it ranks nowhere near lord of the rings or narnia, its very slow moving, thought they could have explored the characters better, but the films premise was gud, cgi was excellent, but was just a average to good movie.
hoping it gets the sequels as a trilogy i would say it would make a excellent nights viewing.
irishwash
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Quote:It felt like there were really cramming it with a lot of story to me.
Originally posted by Chindi:
I was wondering how the film would work for those who had NOT read the rich and detailed book...
the film seemed to skim along the surface of the story for me.. maybe I need to see it again. It is beautifully rendered; but felt "thin"..
I just bought the book, and I’m a little disappointed to see that it is actually a children’s book. I was thinking that it might have been a fantasy novel geared towards adults.
Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum.
Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system.
-- Cicero
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Quote:Definitely one of the best. I was just thinking that I haven't seen Stardust yet. Somehow I missed this one at the cinema, but hopefully I'll catch it on HBO. Transformers wasn't one of my favorites. I couldn't even keep interested in it while it was on.
Originally posted by Cybersnark:
Maybe the best movie of 2007. Like Transformers, this had multiple characters who existed only as CG effects. Unlike transformers, this movie actually made me care about said characters.
Is there really only four people who have seen this movie and appreciate it for more then just the religious controversy? I was sure there would be more then that.
Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum.
Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system.
-- Cicero
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I saw it yesterday and I quite liked it.
Although I did think it was a bit rushed and they tried to fit in too much in a short amount of time.
Loved the special effects though.
I'll have to read the books again, it's been years.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Finn mac Cumhal:
At times it was slow and often it seemed rushed (paradoxically even at the same time
That was pretty much how my wife and I felt through the entire movie. I'm sure the books are much better, this is always the case with epic films made from epic books.
There were too many sequences where oddball encounters occured that made little sense. Example: What was the logic the guards at the artic facility applied to the arrival of a strange girl out of nowhere? Things like that happened all the time in the movie.
The other poor translation effects could be felt by me as the "gyptians" and the witches were introduced. I felt like I was at a party mixer meeting people "and here is a gyptian...how do you do....here is a witch....blah blah...these people are important in this world but we don't have time to explain to you why right now" This made the final fight sequence far less important to me because I was confused and just hadn't yet come to care about the characters.
I agree that the effects were good. But at this point in moviemaking, all effects are going to be good so I'm coming to expect it as a given. Gone for me are the days when I'd accept a poorer plot in order to see cool effects.
As a whole I felt lukeworm about my experience with The Golden Compass. I'll bet that when I read this book things will be much better.
Do not fear me. Our's is a peaceful race and we must live in harmony.
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I liked it...Especially the production
design...And the costume design...
As to the atheism or anti-religious theme , I
really didn't see that in the film , and I
doubt Ms. Kidman would've been attached to it if
she thought that were part of it...
But , I see how Christians would have issue with
the animal critters that walked alongside
everyone...Calling them 'demons' was not a good
idea...
It was a
richly-textured and imagined world , sorta
late-1930's by way of Victorian-era Jules
Verne...Considering cost-to-make vs. box-office
returns , Serenity has nothing to be ashamed
of , by comparison...
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