The Golden Compass
The Golden Compass (2007)
Starring - Dakota Blue Richard, Nicole Kidman, Eva Green, Daniel Craig, Ben Walker
Directed by - Chris Weitz
It's almost Christmas so it must be time for a good fantasy entertainment film. The Golden Compass does the job almost perfectly. The film combining the introduction of a new child starlet in Dakota blue Richard playing Lyra, As well as the in-demand Casino Royale duo of Daniel Craig and Eva Green, with Nicole Kidman thrown in, create a fine cast to take us on a wonderful ride. Even Ian McKellam and Lovejoy himslef, Ian McShane, join in the fun as the voices behind two talking polar bears, or Ice bears as we should call them in this film.
The story is based in a universe paralell to Earth. Where as on Eartht he human soul lives in the body, in this world the soul lives alongside you in the form of an animal. Young Lyra is a rebellious young thing with an ever changing soul to match, children's souls can change as they have not 'settled' This is due to the mysterious phenomonon called 'dust' that the ruling Magisterium do not want people to find out about, but Lord Asrael (Daniel Craig) fights the establishment going to the mysterious North to try and learn more about dust and it's relation to souls and other worlds. Lyra is curious too, to the dismay of her teachers at college.
After being kidnapped and the escaping from Mrs Coulter (Nicole Kidman) who is working for the magisterium, Lyra is protected by the seafearign Gyptions, friends of Lord Asreal. Before she left college she was given a Golden Compass which allows her to see 'The truth.' She goes on a journey befreinding an Ice bear and an astronaught, in this world known as an aironought, as well as a withc (Eva Green) who makes it clear she is on the girls side. Along the way she learns how to read the compass, is able to use it to allow her Polar bear friend avenge his enemies and restore his pride, and finds herself on a journey to the North to give Asrael the compass, as she believes it will help him, and her learn more about dust.
This part of the story comes to a head when she finds a lab the magisterium are using to try and destroy children's souls. She orchastrates a rebellion that looks doomed to failure before she finds her new friends are on hand to join the fight, as well as the help of the compass.
The great cast allows this to move along at a good pace, well acted and a good fun movie. It has many comparisons with Narnia, It's Asrael not Aslan, the polar bear instead of the lion, a paralell universe devided by dust rather than a wardrobe. A little girl hero playing the lead. The similarities are great. The ending was well understated, making it quite clear this is a trilogy and there is plenty more to come. Overall it did not quite have Narnia's depth, but it is still a fine film which sets up the next stage nicely, I for one look forward to the next one.
THE MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'B' - A very enjoyable fantasy film that is well worth seeing, hopefully they will learn from this first effort to make the remaining parts of the series even better, if so, the second film could be something special.
