The Golden Compass (PG-13)
Mike:
Scott:
Scott: Tonight we are reviewing The Golden Compass
, the film adaptation of the Philip Pullman novel of the same name.
What did you think Mike?
Mike: Another movie I spent months waiting for: Another disappointment. This movie looks great, but boy is it confusing.
What did you think?
Scott: I've read the Dark Materials trilogy of which this is the first book and I really enjoyed the books. The books are somewhat an attack on organized religion, but not, as some seem to think, an attack on God himself. In making this movie they stripped out all of the religious overtones and ended up stripping out what made the books good.
I was disappointed. It was one of the worst adapted movies I have seen.
Mike: I have not read the books, so I can't comment on the adaptation, but much of the movie did not make sense to me.
Scott: As I said to you after the movie, it seemed like the movie was on fast-forward. I read the books and had a hard time following the movie.
They tried to jam so much information into the beginning that the movie was almost a blur. Characters had realizations out of the blue with no logic behind to support them.
Mike: Also, I'm not sure who the movie is for. As an adult I was perplexed, so what will children think? The movie is being marketed to children, with toys and picture books, but it is PG-13.
Scott: Kids aren't going to be allowed to see this movie simply because the books themes were deemed too adult.
It's been said that Pullman's trilogy (atheist theme) was a response to The Chronicles of Narnia and its christian theme.
Mike: Which is funny, because I think the studio thought they had another Chronicles of Narnia sized hit on their hands. They do not.
Scott: People see a movie that has a child lead and assume that it's lighthearted I guess.
Mike: I have heard about many of the adult themes that are in the books, but frankly I didn't get any of that out of this movie.
Visually this movie is stunning. I love the melding of futuristic and turn of the century design.
Scott: The technology seems advanced, but it's like lace on an old gown.
Mike: It's always cool when people are traveling in zeppelins and reading their golden compasses.
Scott: Alethiometer.
Mike: Say that five times fast.
Scott: The story revolves around Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) and her search for her friend Roger (Ben Walker) who is kidnapped by a group called the Gobblers.
Richards played the part very well. This was her first movie and she may have found herself a career (beyond the inevitable two sequels).
Mike: I found her very pleasant and a very natural presence for being such a young girl. I read that she won a national search to play this role, with no real experience.
Scott: Yes, she was one of ten thousand girls to answer an open casting for the role.
In the books the character Marisa Coulter is well known for her beauty and dominating presence. Casting Nicole Kidman in the role seemed a perfect match. She has the elegant beauty that the character demanded and she can act.
Mike: I like seeing Kidman in a movie and she is one of the high points of this film.
This movie has a pretty impressive cast. I was impressed by the James Bond connection. This movie stars James Bond himself, Daniel Craig and his leading lady from Casino Royale, Eva Green.
Scott: We don't seem much of Craig in this movie. His character plays a big part in the films, if there are any more, to come.
The best cast character has to be Sam Elliott as Lee Scoresby. He fits that character to a tee.
Mike: I kept waiting for him to say, "The Dude abides." A Big Lebowski reference, if you are scratching your head.
Scott: Didn't get it.
Mike: Sam sure can grow a mustache.
Scott: Kathy Bates as his demon Hester is also a good choice.
Mike: There a number of animated characters with very famous voices. Chief among the animated characters is Ian McKellen as Iorek Byrnison. Iorek is the cool armored bear you have seen in all the commercials.
Scott: Unlike some of the ads though, he doesn't drink Coke. He is menacing and all, but he really does bare a strong resemblance to the Coke polar bear.
Mike: That's another bad thing; the animation almost takes you out of the story at times.
During the bear fight, with no humans in the frame, it looked like we were watching Happy Feet or something. One scene looked exactly like the holiday Coke commercials.
Scott: That was to be a very violent fight and it was sanitized for the audience. It was a disappointment.
The animation was really good, but I had some problems too. The daemons look great, the interactions with the daemons leaves something to be desired. The actor's eyes were sometimes a little off when the characters were talking their daemons, like a person who stares over your head when you talk to him.
Mike: I heard a few comments to that effect.
Scott: Director Chris Weitz only has a few movies under his belt and one of them was a favorite of mine, About a Boy.
Mike: My wife and I enjoyed that movie as well.
He was also a producer and co-director on his brother's film American Pie. I guess directing Stiffler didn't prepare him for this.
Scott: So how do you rate this movie?
Mike: I am going to give this a 2.5 overall and a 3 for fantasy. Like I said, it looks great, the acting is pretty good, but the story and editing leave a lot to be desired.
And you?
Scott: I was disappointed, as I said above. I give it a 2 overall and a 2 for fantasy. The books were so good; it's hard to see the movie turn out like this.
Even with a Golden Compass you may not find entertainment with this movie this weekend.
