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Director/Screenwriter: Chris Weitz
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Dakota Blue Richards, Sam Elliot, Eva Green, Daniel Craig, Ben Walker
Synopsis
In a parallel universe where humans have daemons, Oxford student Lyra Belacqua (Richards) journeys to the far North to save her best friend and other kidnapped children from terrible experiments by a mysterious organization known as the Magisterium.
Review
During the shoot of About a Boy, co-director Chris Weitz had been reading the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman. After the success of The Lord of the Rings, New Line Cinema bought the rights to the award-winning fantasy franchise. This was the perfect time for Weitz to take control.
Originally Tom Stoppard was commissioned to write the screenplay of the first volume, but Weitz rejected his script and started his own. In order to create a family blockbuster, Weitz removed some of the themes from the book, such as the religious aspect, a very big mistake. Fans of the books will know that the title of the trilogy came from a phrase in John Milton's Paradise Lost. Since this phrase is not mentioned in this adaptation, this can be a disappointment to those who have loved the franchise for many years.
As a coming-of-age story about a little girl in Oxford, we never really get the idea that Lyra became more matured through this first act of the trilogy. Weitz seems to have removed some important scenes from the novel that were quite critical to both story and character. And to really piss off the fans, is the removal of the last three chapters, which had a significant continuation to the next instalment.
Searching for stylistic influences, Weitz cited Barry Lyndon and Star Wars. These were one of the acts of becoming a first-time blockbuster director. In terms of production design and visual effects, Weitz has made a particularely well-made film, in which the action is superb, especially a fight between two ice bears.
As a fan of the trilogy, newcomer Dakota Blue Richards has always wanted to be Lyra. Lot of her persona is in Lyra as a spoilt brat who is somewhat likeable. Daniel Craig as Lyra's uncle Lord Asriel just comes and goes, and only important to the story when you actually don't see him. The only true performance, besides Dakota Blue Richards, is Nicole Kidman as Marisa Coulter. She is a beautiful, posh lady, who is a devil in disguise. She is in many ways scary to some children.
Usually chemistry comes from actors, but ever since The Chronicles of Narnia, characters coming out of a computer are trying to do the same. While Narnia failed on this by hiring English actors to provide the voices of talking animals, Golden Compass does succeed. Take for instance, Freddie Highmore, the voice of Lyra's daemon Pantalaimon, whose chemistry with his human companion is the heart of the film. Richards has a lot of interaction with these type of characters, particularely Ragnar Sturlusson, voiced by Ian McShane.
However, with an all-star cast providing the voices of these daemons, including Kristin Scott Thomas and Kathy Bates, I was always asking for more to listen to these talents. Two cast embers you won't forget is Sir Iam McKellen and Christopher Lee. McKellen voicing the heroic bear Iorek Brynison manages to prevent a distraction from other big fantasy franchise. However, Lee as part of the Magisterium, feels a little cartoony.
If there is anything in the film was really emotional, was the song from the end credits, 'Lyra. Sung by Kate Bush, this song completely changes the mood of the film a little too late. It is like The Fellowship of the Ring with Enya only that fit well with the climax.
Verdict
With a screenplay that makes this adapatation a little too-paced, fans will be disappointed. However, this is pure family entertainment.
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