First Review
September 29th 2008 14:21
Ahhhh, my first review, but a review of what you might ask? Well, it just so happens it is a movie, a movie based on a book, as many are these days. It is The Golden Compass, or as I like to think of it, The Northern Lights.
Preliminarily, I would like to say, that the movie was an accomplishment, an accomplishment in inanity. The movie was horrible, a real testament to the ability of Hollywood to destroy even the most noble of sentiments. That sentiment would be the desire to remove organised religion.
From a plot point of view, the movie is similar to the book, but like many things bastardised by American cinema it is watered down, with poor casting choices and key scenes left out of the final cut.
As is the usual fare for novel to movie conversions the two main problems, firstly, the thoughts of the characters remain un-voiced and thus a major part of the narrative is removed, no matter how hard the script writers attempt to compensate. Secondly, the visualisations the reader of the novel creates of the characters, places and so forth.
These images held within the imaginations of the readers can be realised in a skillful manner, but in 'The Golden Compass' they are caricatures of idiocy, the vehicles are over done and comical, unfeasible to the extreme. The familiars, known as 'daemons' in the universe, are overly characterised and childish, seemingly intended for younger audiences, this is the same for the main character, Lyra, who is no more than 10 in the film, should be represented as at the beginning of puberty.
Speaking of the characters, the casting is on the whole well done all but one or two of the cast. I for one dislike Nicole Kidman, she is to me, a sub par actress, and as such should not have been cast as Mrs. Coulter. Personally I had envisioned someone more attractive, but in a dangerously psychotic fashion, for example, Sophia Myles. who is possessed of an angular beauty and an animalistic ferocity, the perfect part to play the polished yet deadly Mrs. Coulter.
Visually, although the design is comical, the film is certainly an accomplishment. The computer generated imagery is stunningly detailed and impressive, though lacking depth and inspiration.
In all, this film is inarticulate and deserving of only the attentions of a young, uneducated audience. I found it to be a poor reflection of the novel, which is something that disappoints me greatly as I enjoyed the series greatly and had high hopes for the film.
3/10
Preliminarily, I would like to say, that the movie was an accomplishment, an accomplishment in inanity. The movie was horrible, a real testament to the ability of Hollywood to destroy even the most noble of sentiments. That sentiment would be the desire to remove organised religion.
From a plot point of view, the movie is similar to the book, but like many things bastardised by American cinema it is watered down, with poor casting choices and key scenes left out of the final cut.
As is the usual fare for novel to movie conversions the two main problems, firstly, the thoughts of the characters remain un-voiced and thus a major part of the narrative is removed, no matter how hard the script writers attempt to compensate. Secondly, the visualisations the reader of the novel creates of the characters, places and so forth.
These images held within the imaginations of the readers can be realised in a skillful manner, but in 'The Golden Compass' they are caricatures of idiocy, the vehicles are over done and comical, unfeasible to the extreme. The familiars, known as 'daemons' in the universe, are overly characterised and childish, seemingly intended for younger audiences, this is the same for the main character, Lyra, who is no more than 10 in the film, should be represented as at the beginning of puberty.
Speaking of the characters, the casting is on the whole well done all but one or two of the cast. I for one dislike Nicole Kidman, she is to me, a sub par actress, and as such should not have been cast as Mrs. Coulter. Personally I had envisioned someone more attractive, but in a dangerously psychotic fashion, for example, Sophia Myles. who is possessed of an angular beauty and an animalistic ferocity, the perfect part to play the polished yet deadly Mrs. Coulter.
Visually, although the design is comical, the film is certainly an accomplishment. The computer generated imagery is stunningly detailed and impressive, though lacking depth and inspiration.
In all, this film is inarticulate and deserving of only the attentions of a young, uneducated audience. I found it to be a poor reflection of the novel, which is something that disappoints me greatly as I enjoyed the series greatly and had high hopes for the film.
3/10
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Comment by Erin Stapleton
Benity and I thoroughly enjoyed that movie when we saw it at the cinema.
EVEN with Nicole Kidman in it.