Rating of
2/4
Watered down and rushed through intro to Pullman
newmans_own - wrote on 12/08/07
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. 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.
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. It still works, just not as well as it should.
**/****
Full review at http://newmanscorner.blogspot.com
