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The Golden Compass [2007]
![The Golden Compass [2007]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51%2BkTzME3xL._SL160_.jpg)
And you certainly can’t fault The Golden Compass for sheer ambition. The story, for those new to the series, is primarily that of 12-year old Lyra, who is in search of her friend who has been kidnapped. Naturally, this proves to be quite a challenging adventure, not least because it’s through Pullman’s vividly imagined world, crossing dimensions as Lyra travels. The film, while toning down and fiddling with some elements of the source material, stays quite close to the book, and it proves to be a good, if not Lord Of The Rings-standard, adaptation. What helps The Golden Compass, on top of the strong effects work and scope of the production, is a solid cast, featuring the likes of Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman and Dakota Blue Richards. And it certainly whets the appetite for the next instalment in the series. Whether the muted box office returns put pay to that remains to be seen: for now, at least, The Golden Compass is a good, solid family movie that’s easy to enjoy. --Jon Foster
RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £6.64 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
Perhaps it didn’t ignite the box office in quite the way it’d been hoped, but that’s little reason to pass over the qualities of The Golden Compass now it arrives on DVD. Based on the Phillip Pullman novel His Dark Materials--itself the start of the Northern Lights trilogy, the film isn’t without a few problems, but emerges as a quality adaptation.
Editorial
DVD Description
Based on Philip Pullman's acclaimed His Dark Materials trilogy of books, The Golden Compass follows the epic adventure of Lyra through this dimension-crossing family movie.
Editorial
Synopsis
THE GOLDEN COMPASS is an adaptation of the first book in the beloved but controversial fantasy series by Phillip Pullman. The story opens with Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) an orphan girl who lives in an alternate world that is similar to earth, but where people's souls exist outside of their bodies in animal form. The people are ruled by a shadowy and oppressive council known as the Magisterium, which is doing it's best to keep everyone from getting information about what is called 'Dust.' Lyra's Uncle Asriel (Daniel Craig) has been researching Dust, and he has seen to it that Lyra is given safe shelter at Jordan College. But when the visiting Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) arrives, she asks Lyra to accompany her on a trip to the North to meet the Panserbjorne, a race of armoured bears. Before Lyra leaves, the Headmaster gives her a golden compass, a device which only she can read, and from which she can intuit the truth. Lyra leaves with Mrs. Coulter, but when she learns that her friends have been kidnapped by 'Gobblers' she heads out to find them, and soon joins forces with the nomadic Gyptians, some witches, and an armoured bear called Iorek Byrnison (voice by Ian McKellen). Lyra finds her friends, and so discovers the evil plans the Magisterium has cooked up for the world's children. By the film's end, she has vowed to track down her Uncle Asriel, and to discover the true power of Dust.
Terrible mish mash
Review date: 2008-08-29 Rating: 2 out of 10
One of the most poorly constructed and unengaging fantasy films I've ever seen. Also a showcase for demonstrating just how many good actors and actresses you can waste in one go. There are way too many problems with this film to go into, so im just going to say it is a total waste of your time any money.
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Reviews
It should have lived up to the hype the story is worth it!
Review date: 2008-08-28 Rating: 6 out of 10
Watching this in the cinema, I was genuinely gripped until the ending, it was well paced, beautifully shot and I was motivated to buy it but I find the more I watch it the less I think it's worthy being connected to Pullman's His Dark Materials at all.
I'll start by reviewing this single disc release, but there's not much to say! It is very sparse on extras, just a few sneak peaks, no documentaries, no commentary. The menu is well executed but there's not much else to say.
For the film itself I'm left feeling let down, it wasn't treated as I would of liked; the characters although acted rather well and nicely cast are not written appropriately, the majority are nothing like what is created in the books, Lord Asriel at one point, beseeches "can we not discuss this like gentlemen!" which is completely out of character and Iorek is portrayed as tired downtrodden and older than he should be.
Pullman handles Lord Asriels war with the authority without shame, I can't say the same here, it's down played and if they do make a second film I can't conceive of the changes they will make to accommodate releasing the film in America when they've made enough pointless changes here. The film is little over 1hour and 40 minuets long, it could have easily been 20 minuets of not half an hour longer and therefore been true the books narrative, which is far superior in both intelligence and depth. So much has been fiddled with, moved around and re-written (without sounding like a moaning fan) that doesn't need to be, why put the scenes at Salvbard before Lyra goes to The Station, why have it be Billy Costa that has his demon removed, why have the drama and gritty action deteriorate into light skirmishes, why completely re write the entire second half and ruin the poignancy of the ending.
My main problem was with the ending, as the ending of the book encapsulates perfectly the feeling of youthful distrust and injustice that Lyra feels towards the adults of her world and a major recurring theme of innocence sacrificed for knowledge. But the sickly and irrelevant Hollywood ending obliterates any possibility of retaining the books depth, I was left feeling confused and pulling a grimace at the idiotic end song "Lyra whose face is full of grace". I understand the reasons for ending the film this way, it was done because it was unclear at the time whether the second book would be made into a film (well it still is), and they didn't want to end with a cliff-hanger, which is fair enough but it only re-enforces the crux of my problem with the film: its creation, which was led by a studio and therefore it will never have the power of the Lord of the Rings as it wasn't filmed with passion for the books and a love for the stories and characters but to further a franchise. All in all this was disappointing, I feel similarly about the Narnia films, there is a lack of genuinely expressed love for the narratives that weaken film releases.
But I can't completely write this off, even ignoring the books this still isn't a brilliant film but it's good enough to entertain and it got so many people reading the books, I worked in a book shop at the time of its release and it was astonishing how many people came in looking for The Golden Compass (using the American name did have me grumbling though!).
Books were great, film is dreadful
Review date: 2008-08-22 Rating: 2 out of 10
The trilogy on paper was great but this film is absolutely dreadful and the actress playing Lyra comes from the "Wooden School Of Acting" populated by Harry Potter film stars.
Major disappointment.
Probably the worst film I have ever seen
Review date: 2008-08-18 Rating: 2 out of 10
It's simply a collection of key scenes which do not link together. It's always going to be difficult to take a book of a few hundred pages and turn it into a two hour film, but really this is a masterclass in how not to do it.
Not without its charm .... but doesnt deliver
Review date: 2008-08-12 Rating: 4 out of 10
This film, at times, has a certain charm, but the movie feels like too much has been crampt into it and everything seems rushed. There is no real background story to this film and therefor the story seems like nonsense. It doesnt really describe why everyone is walking around with a talking animal as a companion, which leaves you confused and you are left thinking "This is all a bit stupid". Ive never read the book but on film the story doesnt work.
However, the acting is decent and the polar bear's are entertaining. But, this film has left me with little interest in any sequels. Overall, a below average book-to-film adaptation. Buy iy for your kids, but dont bother for yourself.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Freddie Highmore
Dakota Blue Richards
Daniel Craig
Nicole Kidman
Ben Walker
Creators:
Nicole Kidman (Primary Contributor)
Daniel Craig (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Entertainment in Video
Manufacturer: Entertainment in Video
EAN: 5017239195600
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2008-04-28
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 109 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2007
Language: English (Unknown)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)