STUDIO: New Line Home Video
RELEASE DATE: May 6, 2008
STARRING: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Dakota Blue Richards, Sam Elliott, Eva Green, Ian McKellen and Freddie Highmore
WRITTEN BY: Chris Weitz (based on a novel by Philip Pullman)
DIRECTED BY: Chris Weitz
FEATURES: Audio Commentary with writer/director Chris Weitz
Eleven “Making-of” featurettes, in three categories: “Origins,” “Behind-the-Scenes” and “Lyra’s World”
Photo gallery
Trailers

Ahhh, to be a young moviegoer today... For the first time in a long while, there’s a wealth of fantasy/adventure films available. While growing up, my generation had not only the Star Wars trilogy, but fun flicks like The Dark Crystal, Time Bandits and Clash of the Titans to keep our imaginations active. Yet somewhere in between then and the new millennium, it seems fantasy films fell by the wayside - which was a shame because some of my fondest childhood memories took place in the cinema. But thankfully, beginning in 2001, the genre made a crashing return to the big screen with wildly successful adaptations of such literary works as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Harry Potter books and The Chronicles of Narnia. So it made sense that New Line, the same studio that struck gold with Rings, decided to create a film version of Philip Pullman’s hugely popular "His Dark Materials" series, the first book of which is manifested in The Golden Compass.

I wouldn’t dare try to explain the entirety of this film’s intricate plot, but the central story concerns Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards), a young orphan who lives with her stern uncle (Daniel Craig) on the grounds of a university in Oxford - or more accurately, the Oxford of a universe parallel to our own. Lyra’s inherent sense of adventure is awakened when she is unwittingly charged with defending the children of her world from mysterious forces that are kidnapping them, with aims to separate them from their souls. Souls in this world, mind you, are represented by physical manifestations called daemons, or animals that accompany their owners at all times. The expertly animated daemons are voiced by an overflowing all-star cast, including Ian McShane, Kristin Scott Thomas, Kathy Bates and others. Lyra’s journey out into the unknown is facilitated by Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman), a glamorous and powerful woman, whose intentions aren’t entirely clear. Accompanying her on various stages of her adventure are her daemon, Pantalaimon (voiced by Freddie Highmore), a vengeful, ice bear warrior (voiced by Ian McKellen), a dusty, old pilot (Sam Elliott) and a band of nomads, called Gyptians. Armed only with a truth-discerning device called an alethiometer (which resembles a golden compass), Lyra faces impossible odds.

The most successful and engrossing aspect of the film, for better and for worse, is the incredibly detailed universe that it creates. As it takes place in a parallel world, the look and feel of everything - from the sets and vehicles, to the costumes and props - is a stunning combination of the strange and the familiar, the past and the future, the rugged and the refined. In one memorable scene, Lyra and Mrs. Coulter are aboard a flying machine pulled from the future, peering out from a room furnished in the style of Art Nouveau, floating high above a skyline that is both Victorian and medieval. In making this film, director Chris Weitz has talked of the importance of rendering the story within a “used universe”, or surroundings that appear well lived-in, rather than freshly constructed for temporary use. It’s a concept belonging to George Lucas, who along with Stanley Kubrick and John Ford, was one of the major influences on Weitz’ vision for the film. And it pays off; it’s a wonderfully believable place in which to watch the story unfold. So it’s no wonder the movie’s art direction was nominated for an Academy Award (which it didn’t win, but probably should have). The film did win an Oscar for its visual effects though, its other major triumph. The daemons are not only astoundingly lifelike (especially in terms of their movement), but the filmmakers wisely avoided the temptation to make them cute and cuddly. And considering every character throughout has his/her own daemon, there’s an impressive amount of restraint demonstrated in their use. With the exception of moments where they’re meant to be the center of attention, they’re never distracting. But when the action does call for them to take control of the screen, such is the case during the climactic battle between armored ice bears, it’s magnificent to watch.

Unfortunately, while the film did manage to hold my attention visually, the characters and story left me a bit empty. I haven’t read the book, but I’ve heard nothing but great things. So I can only assume that this movie’s most apparent problems are simply the common side effects of squeezing an epic tale into a standard length feature. For one, the film’s effort to include each and every one of Lyra’s encounters – if only for a moment – ends up feeling far too episodic… as if we’re merely being whisked along on a tour from one grandiose, slaved-over set piece to another. Second, the plot is unnecessarily complicated. And perhaps within the pages of a lengthy novel, its finer points are given appropriate explanation and aren’t as confusing. But combine that with an endless list of characters with dizzying names, and the viewer is faced with numerous introductions and long passages of exposition. It doesn’t much matter that the supporting cast consists largely of top-notch English stage actors, like Derek Jacobi, Tom Courtenay and Jack Shepherd. Few of them are given chunks of the script large enough to feel developed. Kidman and Craig are fans of the book, so they’re obviously giving their roles their all. But their acting chops aren’t provided with enough emotional motivation; they’re primarily present to drive Lyra’s story. And though Richards (a fresh face, chosen from an open casting call of 10,000) acts with a great deal of conviction, it seems as though she’s been instructed to play her role as if driven by instinct, rather than any internal desire. It makes caring about Lyra difficult, something I found surprising, considering Weitz has demonstrated a command of a wide range of youthful emotions in the past, when directing About a Boy and American Pie.

Along with the film’s standard DVD release, an extravagant, double disc version is also offered. Apart from the movie itself (which boasts an impressive sound mix, by the way), the first disc includes only an audio commentary track by Weitz. And while his thoughts are certainly informative, they’re also a bit dry and overly polite. It’s the second disc, however, that reveals an embarrassment of riches for any fan of the film looking to learn more about the process of making it. Over the course of twelve short featurettes, totaling over 150 minutes, the movie’s entire existence, from its inception to completion, is covered. And no aspect of the film or its crew is slighted. From Pullman’s original inspirations to Weitz’ careful adaptation… from the knock-out creature animation to Richards’ plunge into acting… it’s all allotted generous screen time. Though I wouldn’t necessarily suggest that this material solves any of the film’s problems for the viewer, it does demonstrate that the filmmakers had the most admirable intentions and in some cases, makes their missteps more understandable.

In the end, The Golden Compass’ greatest accomplishment is the immensely imaginative universe it has created. And within that universe, we’ve been introduced to the vast array of characters, creatures and machines that inhabit it. But while it feels too workman-like in its attempts to present everything and fails to elicit much emotion, it certainly sets an adequate stage for the already-in-production sequels. And perhaps when all is said and done, the films will play best as a whole. But as someone who hasn’t read the books and won’t necessarily be rushing out to see the sequels, I wish this film had more carefully considered my viewing needs.