"The Golden Compass"

10/17/2008

This is that movie based on a book series, "The Dark Materials", that supposedly are filled with anti-religion or pagan subtext. Whatever. When you see the film, it won't matter. Why? Because it just isn't that good a film.

I won't spend an inordinate amount of time on this, because I just won't need it. This movie is like reading the book but only getting random sections and pages. It's fairly convoluted and much is not explained at all let alone thoroughly.

This "Golden Compass" is supposed to tell the holder of it the truth. But not everyone can make it work. They don't really tell you how, though. This little girl moves the three hands of it, each to a different little picture and then it glows and, well, then the camera goes into it real close and then as if it goes, oh, I don't know- into the compass or something and shows her stuff. It's pretty random and they certainly are expecting the audience to suspend the hell out of our disbelief.

Oh, I know, it's a fantasy movie, but if you don't establish some rules and explain things a little, you lose the audience; they won't care. And I didn't.

And then there's all the animal spirits. Everyone has one and if you kill it or the person, the other dies, too. Well, other than some fun scenes of giant armored polar bears fighting, This is sort of inexplicable, too.

This movie lacks all the emotional components of "The Chronicles of Narnia" films and the visual effects are not as impressive. It's just not nearly as satisfying or engaging. Certainly not for adults. As for kids, you might get some into it, but some of it will be too dark and action oriented and it will still be full of unexplained nonsense.

You should probably just keep to the books on this one, even though this movie ends clearly expecting a sequel. Not for me, thanks.

2 stars, maybe 1 1/2

~ Neil