The Golden Compass (New Line Platinum Series Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)

Product Description:
In a parallel universe where witches rule the skies and armoured bears are the bravest warriors young Lyra Belacqua journeys from her home among the scholars at Oxford to the far North to save her best friend. Based on the first book in the Carnegie Medal-winning series His Dark Materials.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY/FANTASY UPC: 794043120435 Manufacturer No: 1000038167

Amazon.com:
A fantasy epic with more than a passing resemblance to the Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia film franchises, The Golden Compass takes place in an alternate universe where each human's soul is embodied in a companion animal called a daemon. Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards), an orphan who's lived most of her life among the scholars at Oxford, is intrigued when her uncle, Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), announces his plans to travel north to investigate the source of some mysterious particles called Dust. Lyra has little hope of following her uncle until a mysterious woman named Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman, at her most icily beautiful) asks Lyra to travel north as her personal assistant. All is not as it seems, however, and the disappearance of Lyra's friend Roger (Ben Walker) sets her on a dizzying adventure. She does have an alethiometer, or golden compass, that can help her see the truth, and a number of companions, including her shape-shifting daemon, Pantalaimion (voiced by Freddie Highmore of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), polar-bear warrior Iorek Byrnison (voiced by Ian McKellen), Texas aeronaut Lee Scoresby (Sam Elliott), and witch queen Serafina Pekkala (Craig's Casino Royale co-star, Eva Green). Even before its release, The Golden Compass was the subject of controversy over its perceived anti-religious themes. While it does involve an oppressive institution called the Magisterium, it's not overtly religious, particularly to a young viewer. The movie's PG-13 rating should be taken seriously, however. Suitable for an older audience than Narnia (though younger than The Lord of the Rings), it deals with complex concepts, violence (though largely bloodless) and implied death, children and animals in peril, and an unrelentingly ominous and unsettling mood.

Despite a few changes and rearrangements, the overall plot of the movie is remarkably faithful to its source material, the first installment of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. It doesn't finish the book, however, and--much like The Fellowship of the Ring did--leaves the viewer hanging in anticipation of the next film, The Subtle Knife, due in 2009. So even though The Golden Compass is impressive--especially with its spot-on cast and terrific visual effects--we probably won't know its full emotional impact until the story is complete.--David Horiuchi

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Customer Reviews

Rating: - very weird
well i have to say this was a very weird film. the fact that they callled their souls deamons was very odd. i do not think that the creater of the golden compass wanted to include any message that would be against god (for all you who didnt know the author of the books doesnt believe in god but i dont think he believes in saten either.)um so yeah very weird movie i didnt get the concept of dust and what it is or why the gobblers wanted to take the children and remove them of there souls was odd and ... Read More
Rating: - A Feast for the Eyes
I did not read the book(s)--but I did read all of the controversy regarding the author's anti-Christian sentiments contained in his trilogy.

Thankfully the movie does not "go there."The movie was enjoyable, lots of action and the animation of the animals was wonderful. Nicole Kidman was captivating, and what little we saw of Daniel Craig was intriguing.

The only disappointment I had with the movie was the ending--there was no ending. It was not just left open for a sequel ... Read More
Rating: - An enchanting and a golden gem of a film!
This is a review I have deferred for about two years to let the initial controversies surrounding this film subside.I loved this movie upon its' theatrical release and New Line has done the movie proud by the release of this two disc set.
Like the uproar by certain Church groups and related organizations over the Da Vinci Code material,this movie too was attacked by the same or similar groups for its' supposed "heretical" and/or "anti-religious" themes.I find these groups rancour quite specious and ... Read More
Rating: - Bland, dull, boring
I had hopes for this film, but it certainly left me lacking, especially the generally unemotional interactions between characters. Most of the movie seemed dark or washed of color. The concepts had so much unexplored potential or was missing some meaty back-history that would have given the present moments more meaning. Some of the CG was nicely done, but not exceptional. Overall, I was just plain bored while watching this film.
Rating: - Fantastic Movie if the Critic's would let be !!!!
What does religion have to do with this movie let alone the series the books make up. Pullman does a fantastic job in the books telling this imaginative story and the movie just was the creme on top. I so was looking forward like so many hundreds of other people for the Subtle Knife to be made....now all we hear is but it didn't do well in the USA. So the second is sort of-maybe-possible not-don't know- gibberish.....I so feel bad about the author...poor fella would like to see this series made. Fans which ... Read More