Review: The Golden Compass (Grade A)

I've never been a fan of the fantasy genre as I think the fans are usually WAY too obsessed with living in an alternate universe. They usually try to adopt the fantasy philosophy into their lives which sadly makes them look like idiots.

Let me breakdown the genre for you. It's always the same thing, some unlikely person (usually a kid) finds themselves on some sort of pseudo spiritual quest for a ring, a book, a sword, a leaf or some other everyday object and along the way they cross paths with some pseudo spiritual guide who helps them along, blah, blah, blah. This is the problem with fantasy stories. They always bring in some kind of religious element into the mix in some mishmash way (thanks George Lucas.) And then without any explanation the unlikely hero attains the goal because of their faith. This makes for a total crapfest and pushes religion as some sort of catchall for everything that is right and wrong with people. To me it's propaganda at it's worst and dangerous. Why can't you just have a great story without all the religious overtones shoved down my throat? If I wanted some new kind of religion than I would sign up for Scientology. Oh wait, they're crazy.

Alas, a fantasy movie for the sane people in society has arrived. "The Golden Compass" is based on the first novel in a trilogy by Philip Pullman that removes any religious allegory and just tells a refreshing story (if there was a God I would thank her for Philip Pullman) that still has the fantasy elements but instead relies on smarts and common sense for it's hero instead of some Godlike mumbo jumbo. And no, I haven't read his books either.

There has been lots of negative buzz about this film from those fanatical religious groups because of the removal of God from the story. This more than anything made me want to see this film. Seriously, why don't all those religious zealots just go away? I mean haven't they learned anything from their own history of torture and murder in the name of religion? This country has been hijacked by these nuts that are so insecure in their religion they attack ANYTHING that they think doesn't include God. They would do much better if they stopped ramming their delusions down peoples throats and stopped judging everyone for their different beliefs. I could go on but this is a movie review not a manifesto.

Anyway, on to the film. Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) is a precocious 11 year-old roaming the collegiate home of her uncle, Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), with her animal other half (known as Daemons), Pantalaimon, at her side. Gifted with a truth-revealing compass device called an Alethiometer (Golden Compass), Lyra finds herself in severe jeopardy when the wicked Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) shows up to claim the girl and the compass for the benefit of the vile Gobblers. Meeting up with loyal (and on the run) Gyptians, cowboys (Sam Elliot), witches (Eva Green), and earning the life debt of a disgraced Ice Bear (a polar bear crossed with an attitude and a bad hangover) named Lorek Byrnison (robustly voiced by Ian McKellen), Lyra heads to the arctic to save a group of children undergoing experiments performed by the Gobblers and find the secret of a mysterious luminescent substance called Dust. And if you understood all of that then you've earned bonus points.

Generally, when a new fantasy film is made there has to be lots of exposition just to bring the average commoner up to speed with a new and different world. This film is different because there isn't any long soliloquy from a major character explaining things for the retards out there to understand. It operates with the assumption that people aren't as dumb as we think but that they can catch on to something new. That's a powerful assumption as I happen to think that most people are that dumb, just look at the success of shows like CSI that take away any imagination and spell every damn thing out for you. Anyway, I digress.

The film itself is luminously shot with exact attention for detail and beauty. New Line Cinema the studio that took a chance on then relatively unknown horror director Peter Jackson when they greenlit the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy again take a chance on Director Chris Weitz who's claim to fame was "American Pie" (yes, THAT American Pie) and "About a Boy", and it payed off. Weitz has succeeded in making a visually stunning film filled with great acting, exciting situations and a controlled narrative. He knows how to give pacing and balance to a film of this magnitude which is indeed a feat in itself.

Call me old-fashioned but there are a few things that actually get me to see a film. One thing that'll get me every time is a film where one of my favorite stars appears and when I found out that Nicole Kidman was playing a major part in this I had to see it. I'll see just about anything Kidman is in just like I would for Scarlett Johansson and Milla Jovovich. And believe me she doesn't disappoint here. As Mrs. Coulter, Kidman slinks around with all the sexual energy she so aptly exudes. She plays wickedness so well that it reminded me of her fierce performance years ago in "To Die For." The scene when she walks into the school is downright stunning with her in that form fitting gold dress flashing those incredible blue eyes, ouch! One complaint on that outfit is that that they should have had her wear a gold bra underneath instead of a white one. Way to drop the ball costume designer!! Unfortunately, Nicole is in too few scenes.

The film centers around Dakota Blue Richards who was plucked out of obscurity when the producers had open auditions in England and over 10,000 little girls showed up. Dakota does a remarkable job in conveying the mixed emotions required for such a role as she more than ably holds her own against Kidman and Daniel Craig (in a brief role). She makes you root for her, especially when she finally takes matters into her own hands and takes on the establishment. In filmmaking casting is everything and this time the producers got it right.

There are very clever things in this film that let the viewer know they are in an alternate universe not so dissimilar from our own. The coolest thing were their modes of transportation. Who knew that in an advanced society they travel by a very cool kind of blimp? This is not the Goodyear blimp people, but a very interesting flying fortress. You know the expression, "You can't improve on the wheel", well they did and it looks amazing. The fact that the most stunningly impressive sequence in the film involves a fight in the Ice Bear kingdom is a stroke of pure genius. And finally, every human has their own personal "Daemon" (pronounced demon) by there side since birth to protect and look over them is a very novel and cool idea that externalizes ones own inner conscience (and it should piss off the religious nuts to no end.) Add the fact that they can shape shift when they're children it becomes an even a cooler idea. The deep imagination of Philip Pullman is very evident here and it makes me want to see more.

Of course no film is without it's flaws and this film is no different. The three complaints I have with the film are minimal but important nonetheless. Sam Elliott plays the cowboy Lyra meets on her travels and he delivers the SAME EXACT performance he's given his entire career. You know, the talking with his head down and one eye looking at you bit with that irritating southern accent. I just kept imagining his performance in "Mask". You've seen this guy do the same old shtick time and time again. His scenes took me right out of the story.

The other thing was the golden compass sequences themselves. Now Lyra is supposed to be the only who can decipher truths from it, but when she looks into it they show us weird convoluted barely there images and then she looks up and tells everyone in exacting terms what's going to happen. I saw that and said "what?" I mean how the hell did she get this whole story out of some gold particled image that was so obscure? You call this movie "The Golden Compass" and then give us weird and extremely vague images? Those sequences should have been the coolest and direct ones but noooo.

Lastly, the ending was so abrupt it left me wanting more, but not in a good way. Since this is designed to be a trilogy it would make sense that the first film would have an ending just in case it's not received well and then they can leave the second one open-ended. Did they not learn anything from LOTR or "Star Wars?"

Overall, this movie is very good and I highly recommend it for pure and smart entertainment. See it for the stunning visuals and intelligent story. See it for the great performances and the effervescent and stunning Nicole Kidman. See it for the clever way they redesigned known items. And if you're religious? Have faith in your own beliefs and see this film knowing that you won't come out of it an atheist as organized religions have led you to believe.

At the writing of this review, the film has already opened and not lived up to box office expectations, so it's not known if the other two films will ever get made. This is such a pity because the genre needs films like this. While the religious cults of the country are crowing over their victory in getting people to avoid this film, I feel a profound sense of sadness that the people of the U.S. are actually are every day becoming more of a follower instead of becoming more open-minded leaders.

I just hope that New Line makes the other films to prove to all those Bible wielding fanatics that what they say or think is NOT fact but opinion and to give the rest of us sane people the opportunity to enjoy fantasy films without being preached to.

Musings Grade: A

-- Janaki Cedanna

All images © 2007 New Line Cinema