Post by Ms. Jellybean on Feb 2, 2008 23:02:07 GMT -5
Note: I would like to say that this is a far more polished and professional(ish) version of my previous post with the link to my personal blog.
Of all the things it had going for it from day one of its advertising, The Golden Compass first and foremost pulled its dedicated fanbase out of the woodwork. My disclaimer in this review is that I am one of these diehard fans. I walked out of the theater sounding like an annoying nitpicky fangirl. As a movie on its own, The Golden Compass fell rather flat. As an adaptation of a cherished novel, it is only slightly less disappointing, though there are many redeeming qualities.
The premise of the movie, for the uninitiated, is that there are infinite worlds in the known universe. Most of Pullman's canon is set in worlds very much like ours, with small changes such as the swapping of names for common objects (“anbaric” for “electric” is a notable book example). Like most rip-roaring young adult fantasy adventures, this tale is set in a very British landscape. With very British characters. And the obligatory furriners to make things interesting. Like any good fantasy, there's witches and talking animals and ordinary-yet-magical objects. There's a plucky young hero, here a twelve-year-old girl named Lyra, upon whose shoulders the fate of the world (or in this case, worlds) lies. Lyra is whisked away into a grand adventure in strange and beautiful places, and as always, there's a battle that sets the audience's collective adrenaline pumping.
This is where The Golden Compass fell short, for both the book fans and the casual moviegoer. Indeed, the renderings of Lyra's steampunk Oxford and the daemon companions are exquisite. But as we've seen with the likes of Hilary Duff, what's the point of looking pretty if there's no substance to back it up? Those unfamiliar with the book can very well see the movie play out as one fantasy cliche after another, but without the excuse of being the one to come first (see: C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, which practically invented the genre). Perhaps the most infuriating of the movie's shortcomings is that it plays its game too safely. As anyone familiar with even the most basic of plot summaries of Pullman's trilogy knows, the source material is in no way safe. Sad to say, the filmmakers responded to the low-key controversy that the books initially produced and watered down its main “villain,” the Magesterium. Suddenly the motives of certain characters become unclear, or at least disappointingly unconvincing.
Not to say that the movie doesn't win the heart in some places, most notably in acting. The actors involved were all quite brilliant, and brilliant enough to quell any hard-to-please book fans' griping. Sam Elliott as Lee Scoresby is my particular favorite, if only because the man can play rugged cowboys in his sleep by now. Nicole Kidman is fortunate enough to have been born with the striking beauty and icy demeanor required of the character of Marisa Coulter. She's the coldest, subtlest villainess this side of Nurse Ratched. Most impressive of the lot, though, is Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra. She possesses an uncanny talent to act like an urchin who is adept at, well, acting. The character of Lyra is a tricky one to embody, and I am happy to say that in this respect the movie surpassed expectations.
Overall, those looking for a very pretty and very safe family fantasy movie can appreciate The Golden Compass. (Be ye warned, though, there is a rather violent bear-fight that those over thirteen will definitely appreciate, but those at a more tender age may find slightly more disturbing.) Book fans, on the other hand, may wish to proceed with caution. I mean sure, at this point the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter fans are sure to look at us and say “What, are you new?” (This explains why I wasn't terribly surprised at the treatment, as I've already done my time as a super-fandom basket case.) Nonetheless, it is jarring to see a movie that only barely scratches the surface of a rich canon rife with serious film possibilities. My only hope is that the sequel is produced and maybe, just maybe, that dream can come true.
Of all the things it had going for it from day one of its advertising, The Golden Compass first and foremost pulled its dedicated fanbase out of the woodwork. My disclaimer in this review is that I am one of these diehard fans. I walked out of the theater sounding like an annoying nitpicky fangirl. As a movie on its own, The Golden Compass fell rather flat. As an adaptation of a cherished novel, it is only slightly less disappointing, though there are many redeeming qualities.
The premise of the movie, for the uninitiated, is that there are infinite worlds in the known universe. Most of Pullman's canon is set in worlds very much like ours, with small changes such as the swapping of names for common objects (“anbaric” for “electric” is a notable book example). Like most rip-roaring young adult fantasy adventures, this tale is set in a very British landscape. With very British characters. And the obligatory furriners to make things interesting. Like any good fantasy, there's witches and talking animals and ordinary-yet-magical objects. There's a plucky young hero, here a twelve-year-old girl named Lyra, upon whose shoulders the fate of the world (or in this case, worlds) lies. Lyra is whisked away into a grand adventure in strange and beautiful places, and as always, there's a battle that sets the audience's collective adrenaline pumping.
This is where The Golden Compass fell short, for both the book fans and the casual moviegoer. Indeed, the renderings of Lyra's steampunk Oxford and the daemon companions are exquisite. But as we've seen with the likes of Hilary Duff, what's the point of looking pretty if there's no substance to back it up? Those unfamiliar with the book can very well see the movie play out as one fantasy cliche after another, but without the excuse of being the one to come first (see: C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, which practically invented the genre). Perhaps the most infuriating of the movie's shortcomings is that it plays its game too safely. As anyone familiar with even the most basic of plot summaries of Pullman's trilogy knows, the source material is in no way safe. Sad to say, the filmmakers responded to the low-key controversy that the books initially produced and watered down its main “villain,” the Magesterium. Suddenly the motives of certain characters become unclear, or at least disappointingly unconvincing.
Not to say that the movie doesn't win the heart in some places, most notably in acting. The actors involved were all quite brilliant, and brilliant enough to quell any hard-to-please book fans' griping. Sam Elliott as Lee Scoresby is my particular favorite, if only because the man can play rugged cowboys in his sleep by now. Nicole Kidman is fortunate enough to have been born with the striking beauty and icy demeanor required of the character of Marisa Coulter. She's the coldest, subtlest villainess this side of Nurse Ratched. Most impressive of the lot, though, is Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra. She possesses an uncanny talent to act like an urchin who is adept at, well, acting. The character of Lyra is a tricky one to embody, and I am happy to say that in this respect the movie surpassed expectations.
Overall, those looking for a very pretty and very safe family fantasy movie can appreciate The Golden Compass. (Be ye warned, though, there is a rather violent bear-fight that those over thirteen will definitely appreciate, but those at a more tender age may find slightly more disturbing.) Book fans, on the other hand, may wish to proceed with caution. I mean sure, at this point the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter fans are sure to look at us and say “What, are you new?” (This explains why I wasn't terribly surprised at the treatment, as I've already done my time as a super-fandom basket case.) Nonetheless, it is jarring to see a movie that only barely scratches the surface of a rich canon rife with serious film possibilities. My only hope is that the sequel is produced and maybe, just maybe, that dream can come true.
