Featuring mystical animals and controversial allegories, The Golden Compass, part of the His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman, has been transformed into what is hoped to be the first of yet another great set of fantasy films.
Director Chris Weitz (About a Boy) has embarked on this ambitious adaptation of the classic novel, and the science fiction/fantasy film is sure to have an effect on all audience members.
The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings have set the bar pretty high on what fans of these science fiction films deem a success. Compass does not fall short; with whimsical magic, smart dialogue and frightening fight scenes, this movie will make a mark in the genre of fanatical epics. It rises to the occasion in what is truly a fantastic film, despite its narrative flaws.
In a parallel universe where people's souls live in the form of animals, 12-year-old Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards in her film debut) journeys to discover the fate of her two friends and a group of other children She is pursed by Marisa Coulter (Nicole Kidman, The Invasion), an agent of a powerful organization called the Magisterium that kidnaps children in order to kill their souls.
The adventure also involves Lyra's guardian Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig, The Invasion), who goes on an expedition to the North in order to discover another one of the films mysteries: "Dust," defined as elementary particles, is a plot point that will develop into something more coherent in the film's sequels.
Before going on her mission she is given a golden compass, a device used to tell and predict the truth. The compass is the last of its kind, and only Lyra can read it. The protagonist is said to be the child named in a prophecy; she will decide the fate of a war that will undoubtedly wage into the next film.
And while the movie does fulfill the basic archetype of any fantasy film, each actor takes on their exceptional roles, going a step further than the norm and providing viewers with characters to both love and hate.
Unfortunately, as far as the narration goes, many things are left unclear to audience members, essentials from the plot left unanswered.
And while the story is less than perfect in its telling, memorable events occur throughout, leaving viewers wishing they were a part of the magical alternate universe themselves. The wardrobe and effects do well to build on the intense imagination of the story.
The ending proves a bit hasty, with the primary problems never being solved. Fans of Compass will have to wait for the next installments in order to discover the truth, just as in Rings and Narnia.
And like those first installments, this film must be looked at as the beginning of a series and not a movie ended to short. The characters and their roles are not yet fully defined, and non-readers who think they can predict what's to come will surely be surprised as the next films unravel.
This movie has more than enough room to grow. And while it is clear that Weitz struggled with the adaptation of such a revered novel, the film succeeds in leaving viewers wanting more and hoping for the story to continue.
