The Golden Compass

Based on Philip Pullman’s novel (the first in a trilogy), The Golden Compass has clearly been geared primarily towards fans of the source material – as the film possesses few attributes designed to draw in (and hold the interest of) neophytes. There’s consequently no denying that most viewers will find it impossible to comfortably follow the incredibly convoluted plot, which is rife with obscure references to a number of increasingly meaningless elements (ie dust, daemons, gobblers, etc). The dull and talky opening hour eventually does give way to several admittedly exciting sequences, with the mid-movie introduction of a talking, fighting polar bear named Iorek Byrnison an obvious highlight (it’s impossible not to derive some pleasure from the polar bear throwdown that eventually ensues between Iorek and a smug competitor). But there’s ultimately nothing holding everything together; the film’s few effective sequences are almost always followed by exposition-heavy moments that prove less-than-enthralling, while the special effects are unimpressive and underwhelming (something that particularly applies to the many cartoonish creatures populating the proceedings). In the end, The Golden Compass feels like a classic case of set-up with exceedingly little pay-off – ensuring that most viewers will probably not have much interest in exploring the continuing adventures of these sketchily-drawn characters.

** out of ****