The Golden Compass

Clearly wishing to find a successor to their LORD OF THE RINGS films, New Line Cinema has graced us with THE GOLDEN COMPASS, the first in the successful and controversial HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy by Philip Pullman. Known to many for its oft-discussed views on religion, anyone walking into the film must be curious as to how the filmmakers would present such a work on screen in today’s society, which is so touchy about religion. The answer is as carefully as possible, setting as many of the big issues aside for the assumed sequels. The result is mixed, showcasing a few set pieces between a lot of rushed talk and breezed-through set up.

The film serves as an introduction to a world parallel to our own, where a person’s soul is represented by an animal being, daemons, that moves beside them. Lyra (newcomer Dakota Blue Richards) is an orphan student at Jordan College, placed there by her powerful uncle Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig). While spying on a meeting led by him, Lyra learns of the “dust”; particles that attach a human to their daemon and stretch into alternate worlds. Asriel seeks to travel to the North Pole in an attempt to bride universes, but the Magisterium (headed by a man with a dorky comb-over and clichéd wide-eyed suspicious glares) declaims such acts as heresy. Meanwhile, Lyra is drafted into the employ of Mrs. Coulter (a wonderfully icy Nicole Kidman), a woman whose motives may not be all they seem. Before departing the school Lyra is given an Alethiometer, a truth-telling compass outlawed by the Magisterium. Lyra soon hears her school friends are being kidnapped, and as her suspicion against Mrs. Coulter mounts, she decided to take manners into her own hands. Along the way she drafts a cowboy-like air pilot (Sam Elliot) and a gigantic polar bear into her envoy as well as interacting with the mysterious witches (led by Eva Green).

It sounds like a lot of plot, and indeed it is. THE GOLDEN COMPASS races from one important point to another, leaving no time in between for a breather. It acts as a 101 course to Pullman’s world; most of the scenes involve someone sitting Lyra down and explaining things. The viewer is talked at almost relentlessly; something that becomes rather irritating in a film that proclaimed to be an epic adventure. It doesn’t help that the action sequences are far too short; any set piece doesn’t last longer than five minutes, if that. It really is a shame, as they start off so promising. A fight between two (wonderfully rendered) polar bears is particularly exciting, though its knock-out ending cuts the action off abruptly. Particularly frustrating is the film’s finale, which tries to wrap things up too quickly to leave the viewer with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

As said, the source’s more controversial points have been severely eased. Anyone coming into the film without prior knowledge would find the film’s stance against the Magisterium to be a mild attack on the current government, and nothing more. The entire situation is very vague; sure, they’re villains, but no one really explains why, other than a few “well, they’ve kinda done this” statements. Writer/director Chris Weitz was clearly frightened about how he was going to present the material. But unfortunately, the most controversial material is yet to come, should the other books be adapted.

Still, there are aspects to admire. The film is dazzling to behold; the film reportedly cost around $200 million to produce, and it shows. Every aspect of the technical design is impeccably rendered, especially the film’s extensive visual effects. The viewer may not be fully attentive through the whole film, but everything sure does look pretty. Add to that several admirable performances, particularly from Richards and Kidman. As Lyra, Richards brings a smart, assured portrayal; her almost otherworldly face perfectly brings us into a level of fantasy. And though she is crippled with limited screen time, Kidman is at once seductive and menacing. Her face and eyes move from grace to ferocity in the blink of an eye, making her Mrs. Coulter a villain of the most memorable kind: the kind that befriend you before showing their true faces.

THE GOLDEN COMPASS is a promising start to a new series; there are improvements that can be made, but the biggest challenges are yet to come. But in today’s age, “just all right” will not be enough. The filmmakers have serious ground to make up, should the sequels be made. Weitz will have to show more bravery in dealing with the material, which will remain controversial no matter how much he waters it down. But the film is still enjoyable, and sure to be a favorite among fantasy film fans. It still works, just not as well as it should.

**/****