These Polar Bears sure aren't drinking Coca Cola for the Holidays.
"The Golden Compass," as you are all aware, is another New Line Films adaptation of a best-selling fantasy novel. That little "Lord of the Rings" trilogy seems to have made quite an impression on the studio. While the 'Rings' trilogy took on a life of its own and reached grand box office success, this particular film will have a harder time matching its run. That said, "The Golden Compass" is still quite an exciting adventure in its own right and at the very least does well in creating a name for itself.
Before the audience can reach any payoff with this film, the viewers must endure a rather sluggish beginning. There is a ton of exposition in the early stages that bogs the film down before it even has a chance to get underway, but its a necessary evil. The chief reason is due to the fact that the majority of the audience is playing in a catch up mode since a good many of the patrons probably did not read the novels going in (like me, for instance). After the first half hour passes, however, there is no looking back and the film feels like it is over in a flash.
To enjoy the film, you'll have to accept some basic facts about the story. For one, there are multiple universes in existence and the earth featured in "The Golden Compass" is but one of many. Second, there is a method of traveling between the alternate worlds that could yield power to those who find out how to do so. And last, you will see that animals talk as we do and are an integral part of the world(s) they share with the humans. The animals are also connected to the humans in a spiritual manner, linked as if the two spirits were one. If all that weren't enough, there is of course a Golden Compass that is the centerpiece of the film, which is a device that has an amazing power to offer (as the lead character Lyra Belacqua is destined to find out.)
Young Lyra's adventure is the key to the story and it begins when she is recruited from her school by the enchanting and suspicious Marisa Coulter, played magnificently by Nicole Kidman. After Lyra finds out that there is something sinister about Marisa, she breaks free from her charge in a daring escape and finds out that there are many more forces at play. Good thing for Lyra that she was given the Golden Compass before she left campus and had it to use at her disposal. And what of this chatter about the particle called, "Dust," which is said to have united worlds?
Director Chris Weitz essentially takes a busy script and makes it work by simplifying the timeline and speeding up the transitions. From morphing animals to flying witches, from evil theologians to science fiction technologies, this film is packed to the brim with various elements that truly required a basic approach to guide it forward. So by contrast, even though exposition is fully used early on, the pacing is made up for on the back side. Though this makes for a bit of a disjointed viewing experience, there is no denying the greatness of what was to come.
The armored bears steal the show, simply put. These creatures are perhaps the most impressive fantasy based characters created in recent history. There is a battle sequence that takes place that pits one bear against another that is literally jaw-dropping, offering visuals and a setting that I have never experienced in a movie before. And remember, I've seen a lot of movies! These bears are beautifully designed and have great speaking roles. In fact, the voice of the lead bear is provided by Sir Ian McKellen which adds some serious stature to the role. Put it this way, if "The Golden Compass" was just a terrible movie and had these bears in it in the same exact manner, than I would still recommend the film. That's how bowled over I was.
As the movie raced to its conclusion, the pacing had reached a blistering speed and it ended, literally, when I was hoping for more. I liken the experience, on a smaller level, to that of "The Empire Strikes Back," having to contend with a cliff hanger that abruptly ended my adventure. To be sure, I was more involved with the film by its latter stages than I ever thought I would be during the first half hour. Even though the last scene was anti-climactic and felt more like a transition, it offered enough of a period to have me clamoring for the next chapter.
The performances in the film are all really efficient and some in particular are outstanding. Besides Kidman's brilliance, Sam Elliott added a nice touch of warmth to the cast (even though it's his usual role) and young Dakota Blue Richards was terrific throughout. The drawbacks to the picture include the dry opening act and a series of transitions during the middle portion of the film that seemed to be stacked on top of one another. And the transitions weren't necessarily subtle, either. I suspect there was some material that existed in between that was left on the cutting room floor, which we will no doubt see once the DVD is upon us.
In the end, any critique I might have about this film is thrown aside in favor of the excitement that the fantasy elements generated. Though some of the film's themes are less child friendly than I would have thought (The King Bear's demon, for one) this is generally accessible to audiences over 12. Also, any of the complaints that are being stirred up by religious groups over this picture are way off base and are generated by their own insecurities. There isn't anything sacrilegious about this fictional tale and it should be embraced for the stirring adventure that it is. Sure, it's uneven, but it's also epic when it needed to be. Bring on the second installment!
