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| The Golden Compass * * * * |
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| Written by Ivan Radford |
| Friday, 07 December 2007 00:00 |
 Director: Chris WeitzIt doesn’t point North, and you can’t use it to draw circles, but they still rebranded Lyra’s shiny watch (it's an alethiometer, gosh darn it) as The Golden Compass for American audiences - the sad irony being that they don’t want to see the film anyway. The surprise is that this film is strangely unoffensive: there’s no religion, no blood, no swearing or nudity. They even stay relatively faithful to Pullman’s masterpiece. The stubborn Lyra (Richards) lives a contented life at Oxford’s Jordan College. Raised by scholars, she is intrigued by whispers of the child-snatching Gobblers and the mysterious Dust. When the rumours take physical form, she is whisked away by the sinister Mrs Coulter (a well-cast Nicole Kidman). Immersed in a world of ice bears and aeronauts, the role she is to play will be dictated by the struggle of Lord Asriel (Craig) against the evil authority of the Magisterium - represented by the unholy alliance of Derek Jacobi and Christopher Lee. Despite stripping Northern Lights of its atheist leanings, the director Weitz demonstrates his keen eye with stunning shots of landscapes and interiors alike; dynamically capturing events, he brings an energetic pace to proceedings - an impressive feat with such weighty material. Supporting children aside - Roger is pathetically bland - the cast are exceptional, from the convincing lead youngster to the laid-back Lee Scoresby. Drawing his six-shooter with hat tilted forward, Sam Elliot’s rapport with armoured bear Iorek Byrnison deepens the characters, amplifiying McKellen’s stunning roar. Tinkered to fit the big screen, this adaptation is hampered by its abrupt end; an epic without a climax, it has clearly been marketed to innocent ickle kids. But, let's face it, who needs graphic violence when you’ve got a big fuck-off bear? VERDICT The Golden Compass may not point North, but it’s certainly heading in the right direction. |
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