The Golden Compass Reviews
Critic & User Reviews
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Critic Reviews
A darker, deeper fantasy epic than the "Rings" trilogy, "The Chronicles of Narnia" or the "Potter" films. It springs from the same British world of quasi-philosophical magic, but creates more complex villains and poses more intriguing questions. As a visual experience, it is superb. As an escapist fantasy, it is challenging.
Read the full reviewA "soft" epic, a film touching on childhood fantasies with sturdy, unwavering characters driven to evil or good. More "Harry Potter," in other words, than "Beowulf."
Read the full reviewAt times you feel Weitz flipping the pages and dog-earing wildly, and that's a shame: This is a movie that needs to be lengthy and discursive, the better to duck into the back alleys of its invention. A visionary is required. This director isn't one.
Read the full reviewOne key missing element: the world in which this story takes place never feels unique. We aren't drawn into it the way we were with Middle Earth or Hogwarts. In fact, with all the airships flying around, there are times when it feels like an extension of Stardust.
Read the full reviewUltimately satisfying and successful version of the opening volume of the celebrated "His Dark Materials" trilogy.
Read the full reviewThe Golden Compass does manage the job of bringing Pullman's world to the screen. With luck, any future entries will try harder to get the job done right.
Read the full reviewLooks magical, seethes with elusive profundities and makes remarkably little sense, though the murkiness makes perfect sense on a shallower level.
Read the full reviewDisappoints with its lack of character development and convoluted storytelling.
Read the full reviewHas many of the virtues of a faithful screen adaptation and many of the predictable flaws.
Read the full reviewThe Golden Compass is a snowbound mystical-whizbang kiddie ride that hovers somewhere between the loopy and the lugubrious.
Read the full reviewA tepid, jumbled Hollywood fable whose final message seems to amount to little more than "Follow your dreams," or worse, "Stay tuned for the sequel."
Read the full reviewThe movie simply delivers too many colorfuls for its own good, none of whom establish a true emotional identity, and thus it isn't moving, it's busy. Busy, busy, busy.
Read the full reviewMe, I just think it blows. What does it matter if you spend millions on a movie - love the talking, battling bears! - if the effects are cheesy, the story runs off on tangents and after watching the movie fail utterly to be the next Lord of the Rings, you just want to go home.
Read the full reviewReview excerpts provided by Metacritic.com.
The Metascore® designation for this movie is 51
User Reviews
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Lights! Camera! HERESY!
"Man this movie was probably the worst fim of all time. I hope that Phillip Pullman is excommunticated, arrested, executed and forced to watch this movie in hell. I wish i could give everyone who had anything to do with this movie a compass to show them that this movie is, in no way, golden. I will lose all respect for you if you like this movie. If you believe in Pullman's assinine belief of trashing something that you don't believe in, I want you to go and lock yourself in a room with nothing but a tv, a dvd player and a copy of this film, then i want you to superglue yourself to your chair, then have a close friend wrap you up tightly in chains and rope, and watch the movie untill you die of either hunger, thirst, suicide (Very likely to happen.) or just plain boredem. That way, you will get what you deserve, blasphemers! STAY AWAY FROM "THE GARBAGE......ohh, i'm sorry, 'golden' COMPASS!"
GREAT MOVIE FUN FUN FUN
"It was the best movie i have seen.I put it up there with Harry Potter and The lord of the rings I cant wait to see the next two.I wish they would make more movies like this I took my grandson and he is seven and he rated it a nine I was very surprised how much he liked the movie."
misunderstood
"I haven't seen the movie yet but I have read the books and I have to say that most of you people didn't like the movie probably because you didn't understand it. Besides, a lot of movies that originated from a book are pure crap. Like the Harry Potter movies which stink, but the books are still awesome. I think you should try to read the book more than see this movie. Don't judge Philip Pullman based on some movie he didn't even direct."
Great Listen
"I listened to the Book on my IPOD. It was fantastic. All the characters had different voices. It was pure enjoyment. As for the religious references they are a bunch of bunk. I truly think the "Christians" are scared to death to have their beliefs challenged. The book isn't about Religion per say, It was about following your dreams and not letting institutional thinking tell you how to live your life."
golden compass is garbage!!
"Hey guys,We have all heard about the new movie the Golden Compass. When I saw a preview I thought it looked awesome. But then my mom told me some disturbing facts she heard on the radio. I looked into it. All true- and more. This movie is based of a trilogy of books called HIS DARK MATERIALS written by Philip Pullman. This man hated C. S. Lewis and his works THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. He also hated J. R. R. Tolkien. So Philip wrote atheist books because C. S. Lewis included scripture in his works. Now what really ticked me off (I'm a huge narnia fan) is that this guy is hoping that kids will go and see the movie and want the books for Christmas. Pullman says he wants children to read these books and decide against God and the Kingdom of Heaven. The move is toned down but basically all through these books the characters are trying to kill God!! He said my books are about killing God! He is basically trying to convert people to atheist. Now C. S. Lewis was a strong Catholic but did he try to convert people? NO NO NO! He wrote his books out of his love of writing and his experiences in WW 1. He was actually left for dead on the battle field. Pullman is one twisted man to take these beautiful purely written books and go and trash them. This had me going off so now I want everyone to please forward this. I mean parents don't know what these books are about! If you don't believe me go on www.snopes.com and type in Golden Compass. This is where I found these quotes. Please spread the word abut this seriously sick man. Thank you. -Molly M"
NOT IMPRESSED
"I WASN'T IMPRESSED WITH THE MOVIE. I FOUND MYSELF THINKING ABOUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO AFTER THE MOVIE WAS OVER. IT JUST DIDN'T HOLD MY ATTENTION."
swweeeeeeeet!!!!!!
"i haven;t seen the movie but i have read the books. i thing the books are awsome and imaginative. i'm christian and i think the books are perfect. hey i'm only 11 yrs old and everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the books/movie"
Forget what the choir groups told you -- this is a great movie!
"I cannot believe all the hype that the catholic church and religious right have put out about this film. Do not believe their spin, this is a very good movie that has been unfairly targetted by religios groups. That they feel so threatened by such a silly thing is ridiculous. It would be very unfortunate for future sequels not to be made because of all the blustering made by these religious groups. I would hope that the world is smart enough to discern reality from fiction, this movie is a very entertaining piece of fiction --- go see it; my kids and I enjoyed the opportunity to view it, and cannot wait to see it come out on DVD."
No Good
"This movie is no good. Very boring. Makes you wanna just leave right during the movie. I am very upset about this. Cheesy fantasy. We need to stop making fantasy movies, nobody likes them anyway."
Better than I thought
"I saw this movie not expecting to like it, but I ended up enjoying the whole movie.I took my son and daughter to see the movie. My son liked the action but my daughter hated the movie because of a certain scene which involves partial mutilation of a polar bear!Go see the movie and make your own decision."
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