Susan Granger’s review of “The Golden Compass” (New Line Cinema)
When director Chris Weitz (“About a Boy”) chose to jettison the challenging exposition of Philip Pullman’s acclaimed sci-fi fantasy “The Dark Materials,” having it vaguely covered by a narrator (Eva Green), this first installment was doomed to being a confusing, meaningless and inconclusive introduction to a parallel universe.
Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) is a mysteriously privileged 12 year-old placed under the guardianship of wicked, icily manipulative Marisa Coulter (Nicole Kidman), who transports her to the frozen Arctic to find her adventurous uncle, Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig). Before she departs, Lyra is given a coveted truth-telling device called a Golden Compass and, along the way, she befriends an ‘aeronaut’ (Sam Elliott), a flying witch (Eva Green) and a polar bear (voiced by Ian McKellen).
Obviously, Lyra is the heroine in what is planned to be two additional movies based on the complicated tale in which Dust is a powerful cosmic substance. In this alternative world, everyone is conjoined with a “daemon” or an animal spirit. Lyra’s is ‘Pan’ (voiced by Freddie Highmore) and, because she is still young, it shape-shifts into different animals as Lyra’s mood changes.
An admitted atheist, Philip Pullman wrote “The Dark Materials” in reaction to the religious allegory in C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia.” Because the theme is critical of the abuse of religion for political power, several Catholic/Christian groups have called it subversive rhetoric since it, ultimately, follows two children who destroy an impostor deity whose Magisterium bears a striking resemblance to Vatican City.
Except for its inventive visuals, on the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “The Golden Compass” is a disappointing 5. Light on plot and philosophy, it’s heavy on CGI animals, particularly a spectacular showdown between two armored polar bears.
