The Golden Compass (2007)

[Andrew Lyle Global Moderator]

I was roped into seeing this, because there was a "bear fight" and it was a must see. After a few minutes into this movie, it became clear this was another Harry Potter, and Pans Labyrinth type of film. These kinds of british children action movies are really annoying, and very very boring. The Golden Compass was no exception to this rule.

It was so hard to pay attention with movies like this, because they are just so dreadful to watch. It was such a predictable movie, like all the other kids movies. Maybe it's a movie just for the kids, but if you hate Harry Potter, stay away from this movie.

1/10 (N)(N)(N)(N)

Edited January 28, 2008 by lylesback2

[spenser.d]

It's called fantasy, a lot of people like the genre.

I look forward to getting a chance to see the movie.

-Spenser

[bluewind.]

Did you read the book (which is amazing)?

[HideAndGoatse]

I'm glad you disliked it because of its content.

I am truly against everyone who doesn't see a movie just because "its got an atheist meaning", oh come on. You go to a movie to watch a movie, stop over thinking it, a lot of people destroyed the movie's reputation labeling it an atheist movie.

@Bluewind_89 : I loved the book also!

[bluewind.]

I'm glad you disliked it because of its content.

I am truly against everyone who doesn't see a movie just because "its got an atheist meaning", oh come on. You go to a movie to watch a movie, stop over thinking it, a lot of people destroyed the movie's reputation labeling it an atheist movie.

@Bluewind_89 : I loved the book also!

Did you see the movie. If so, how was it- I haven't seen it yet.

[booboo]

Erm, I love harry potter, and some of the films are good (the latest one, i was not pleased with), yet I have been to see the GC and i was thoroughly dissapointed, because there was so much rave about it.

Don't see it guys, it sucks.

[HideAndGoatse]

Did you see the movie. If so, how was it- I haven't seen it yet.

I'm not a fan of re-makes because when your reading the book you tend to "make" your own movie in your mind, but this one presented it pretty good. I would say just see if because you liked the book, same as Harry Potter, if you liked the books, I don't think the movie ruins the books, but I don't think you should watch the movie then the read book.

[Master Shake]

Wow, I saw this last night and I was hoping that people were wrong about it.. they weren't. It sucked and I'm not even going to bother giving it a rating, it's not worthy of one.

[Samn9]

They took out a lot of the main stuff in the books, the meanings behind things etc. So it just became another bad kids movie.

[CelticWhisper]

Danger: Here be spoilers.

I debated reviewing this one myself after I saw it but couldn't really put my feelings into words.

I had made sure to read the entire His Dark Materials trilogy prior to seeing TGC when it came out so I had a good idea of the world Pullman was trying to create.

The movie did not successfully duplicate it. It produced a very artificial version of Pullman's vision and, while performances were good all around (Richards is pretty much exactly how I pictured Lyra when reading the books, and has her mannerisms down to a science), failed to evoke the same strange wonder that the books did so beautifully.

To create atmosphere in a story requires setup and the movie, either for lack of time or talent (I had never heard of the director, Weitz, before this), didn't provide adequate setup to establish the feel of Lyra's world. Little things, terms like "anbaric" and "naphtha," the detail that the Master of Jordan College had beaten Lyra as punishment for antics, the bit with Lyra and Roger getting p*ssed drunk in the crypt, the part where Mrs. Coulter made Pantalaimon look away while she was bathing Lyra, all these tiny details lend so much to the kind of people the characters are or the kind of world they live in and so very many of them were stripped out.

The intercision machine was, I thought, ill-portrayed. In fact, the entire Bolvangar sequence was given the shaft - I'm talking Death Star reactor shaft, complete with emperor falling to his death - in the movie. The book had Lyra spending weeks at the facility, whereas the film showed her there for...hours? Minutes?

And dammit, when children (people in general) are intercised, they die. They don't get real sad and have to go find their daemon, no, they live for a few days as zombies and then drop dead. That was the whole point of Lyra's discovery of Tony Makarios (Billy Costa in the movie) in the shed with his dead fish (piece of fur in the movie). It was to demonstrate the horror of what the Magisterium was doing to children. These kids weren't having their friends taken away, they were having their souls cut out. Weitz aimed for a PG-13 rating for TGC, but maybe they should have just made it an R. At least then the major ideas Pullman put forth would have been preserved.

I can only wonder what they're going to do with Will's hand when he comes into possession of the Subtle Knife, assuming TSK is actually made into a movie.

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

I hate to say this but I "pwned" myself by watching this movie. I wish I could photoshop the date on my movie ticket, re-attach the piece that was ripped off, and get a refund. This movie was absolutely awful. If you thought this movie would be good because it starred Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig... guess again. It's badness in its purest form. Don't bother wasting your time and money watching a run down film like this. The book narrated by an old granny is more interesting.

[CelticWhisper]

The book narrated by an old granny is more interesting.

That said, the book narrated by anyone, or read as text, is far more interesting and I forgot to emphasize in my previous comment that one should not let the lacklustre film put them off from reading the wonderful books. I would highly advise at least reading TGC, if not the whole trilogy, before seeing the film. The books are among the most magical things I've ever read. Richer and better-realized than Harry Potter, more interesting and engaging than Narnia. Really the only great fantasy work I've read thus far (and I still have yet to read the works of Jordan, Brooks, McCaffrey, and Goodkind, but I promise I will) that trumps HDM is the ubiquitous Lord of the Rings.

HDM really, truly is a great read. It goes quick and will leave you feeling much more fulfilled than its contemporaries like HP and Narnia.

EDIT: Just noticed this.

After a few minutes into this movie, it became clear this was another Harry Potter, and Pans Labyrinth type of film.

Erm...have you seen Pan's Labyrinth? Granted, it's fantasy, but I'd hardly put it in the same class as Harry Potter. To date, I haven't seen Harry literally smash Draco's face in with a wine bottle.

[nonick]

Horrid movie, and hardly fantasy in my opinion. Watch stardust, now that's fantasy.

Even harry potter is better than this one.

Poor movie to say the least.

[CelticWhisper]

"And over here is where I was knocked off my feet by a magical flying moron!"

Ahhh, Stardust was great.

[SacrificialSoldier]

Sorry, was a lame movie IMHO. Bad story as well. Just about as bad as stardust ;)

:p

[APH-Alex]

Yeah, the book is a lot better. I never thought daemon was pronounced "dee-mon". I thought it "day-mon" or even "dah-mon".

[MarauderX]

Nicole Kidman is NOT Mrs. Coulter. She is about the worst casting they could have done for the part.

The movie is an atrocious rendition of the book, and I am not looking forward to the next one. Still, it is a good fantasy tale and does better than other movies by looking beyond the aspects of condensing the novel into a movie.

3/5

[APH-Alex]

Yeah, I like books better usually because you can interperit it however you want and in whatever way satisfies you. I did not imagine Lyra the way she was portrayed in the movie.

[Minimoose]

Loved the book, thought the film was relatively entertaining but they missed out so much which ruined it for me.

[Julius Caro]

I was roped into seeing this, because there was a "bear fight" and it was a must see. After a few minutes into this movie, it became clear this was another Harry Potter, and Pans Labyrinth type of film. These kinds of british children action movies are really annoying, and very very boring. The Golden Compass was no exception to this rule.

It was so hard to pay attention with movies like this, because they are just so dreadful to watch. It was such a predictable movie, like all the other kids movies. Maybe it's a movie just for the kids, but if you hate Harry Potter, stay away from this movie.

1/10 (N)(N)(N)(N)

Pans labyrinth was almost a masterpiece!

[Rappy Veteran]

Loved the book, thought the film was relatively entertaining but they missed out so much which ruined it for me.

+1

Pretty much my thoughts really.

[Joni_78]

Pans labyrinth was almost a masterpiece!

It IS a masterpiece :).

Pans labyrinth received 22 minutes of applause at Cannes.

Edited April 12, 2008 by Joni_78

[golemn]

I was roped into seeing this, because there was a "bear fight" and it was a must see. After a few minutes into this movie, it became clear this was another Harry Potter, and Pans Labyrinth type of film. These kinds of british children action movies are really annoying, and very very boring. The Golden Compass was no exception to this rule.

Did I see a different Pan's Labyrinth???? First off the film is R and it is in Spanish. Reading from what you said it looks like you never saw Pan's Labyrinth.

I do agree however the Golden Compass was boring and long, it also felt like it had an agenda.

[Panarchy]

Yeah, the book is a lot better. I never thought daemon was pronounced "dee-mon". I thought it "day-mon" or even "dah-mon".

Hahaha yeah, I fully agree! (Day-Mon) (kinda like Digimon, lol)

Nicole Kidman is NOT Mrs. Coulter. She is about the worst casting they could have done for the part.

The movie is an atrocious rendition of the book, and I am not looking forward to the next one. Still, it is a good fantasy tale and does better than other movies by looking beyond the aspects of condensing the novel into a movie.

3/5

Kinda reminds me of the terrible casting for the dragon-lady in Beowulf... I found the graphics pretty cool, till they put in an actress everyone knows!

Why do they always **** up good fantasy books in movies? Arrrghh! Just let the author of the book convert it to a script!!!

This was and still is one of my favourite books. I didn't watch the film at the cinema and don't think I will, book to movie conversions hardly ever manage to capture the book properly.

I really don't want the magic of this book to be spoiled by bad acting and not sticking to the story. This may mean I'm small minded but hey, I really don't care. :p

Don't watch the movie!

Every good fantasy book has been killed when converted to Cinema... though Obernewtyn... they had better make that into a movie, but NOT stuff it up!

Panarchy

[Lant]

I never went to see this because I knew that they would destroy it like they've done to a few of my other favourite books. I'm thankful though that I managed to see it at the theatre because they actually did it justice there.