I’m not going to dicuss all the controversy surrounding the film at any great length; I’ll save that for someone who cares.
If you have already made up your mind on this topic, skip the rest of this post, because nothing I write is going to change your opinion.
I shall confine my remarks to the following: I don’t find the movie to be anti-Catholic. Anti-religious hierarchy, yes. But specifically anti-Catholic?
No.
I repeat, no. N. O.
Anti-religion in general, you could argue either way. There’s a great deal of the plot that revolves around the nature and importance of souls, and the subject of free will figures prominently in the series. OTOH, I believe that the author has publicly said that he is either an agnostic or an atheist—it escapes my memory which one—and it’s easy to see how that affects the story, too.
Whatever. It’s darned fine storytelling, and that’s what I care about.
I remember several years back when the first rumors of making a film based on the series were floated, a pal and I were discussing the probability of it ever getting made. Her opinion? “Gay angels? It’ll never happen.” Frankly, given the religious temperament of the country these days, I am surprised that it got made…let alone that a major children’s press was willing to put its name front and center on the thing (see above).
But I am pleased. Very, very pleased indeed.
The film script ends well short of the end of the first book, and I find the choice of endpoint to be an absolutely fascinating one. I’m very interested to see how a second movie proceeds, as the transition between the end of book one and the beginning of book two could be a jarring one, mid-film. (Read the books; it’ll make sense). Still, one doesn’t feel cheated out of a full story. Between them, Peter Jackson and the Harry Potter franchise have taught us that you can leave a lot out of a book and still make a film that hangs together well.
Well, Peter Jackson has, anyway.
As my regular readers would know, if I had any, I am sucker for production design. They would also know that I am of the opinion that the very best design adds to the film unobtrusively; unless you have special interest or work professionally at it (and are therefore attuned to it), it’s convincing without being prominent. The Golden Compass is absolutely beautiful, and does a wonderful job of capturing the spirit of Lyra’s world as described in the book. The contrast between the dignified, dark (occasionally dingy and dangerous) Oxford and the light, golden glitter of Mrs. Coulter’s world is subtle but effective. The details in the outdoor Trollesund and Svalbard scenes are wonderful, as is the laboratory-like sterility of both Bolvangar and the Magisterium HQ’s interior. I thought that the interior of the Svalbard palace ought to have been grottier, though, as Pullman goes to great length describing its grime and odor in the book.
Next, special effects. Like production design, effects should add to the film, rather than calling attention to themselves. The daemons are fit into the film seamlessly, which is how it should be. I was also extremely impressed with the way the panserbjorn were rendered. Animators seem to want to use cats as models for all kinds of animals (most notoriously, dragons); in this case, however, temptation was resisted, and the panserbjorn (I love that word, panserbjorn) move like bears. The design of the armor is also very well done. (”Too much chainmail,” my fellow movie-goer opined. I disagree. If you pay attention, the amount of chainmail is just as much a code for “human-like” as the amount and elaborateness of decoration on the armor itself.)
And, oh yeah, the acting. Sam Elliott and Kathy Bates are the perfect Lee Scorsby and Hester. Christopher Lee, as the First High Councilor of the Magisterium, brings the same creepy certainty of his LoTR Saruman to his performance. It is truly disturbing, despite his relatively brief appearance. Simon McBurton, as a Fra Pavel much changed and expanded from the book, is delightfully cold and dark, and dare I say it, soulless. (Does anyone even remember action seeing his daemon in the film?). Charlie Rowe (Billy Costa) also pulls off a creditable performance in the earlier part of the film, but I found his last scenes to be a bit lightweight, as if nobody had quite explained to him the significance of what was going on. (Of course, there could be some good stuff on the cutting-room floor, but I would have liked to have seen that pivtol scene done better.) Ben Walker (Roger) has a good grasp of the concept of “supporting role” and provides a great foil for Dakota Blue Richards’s Lyra.
Dakota Blue Richards is awesome.
If she can keep her head together as she transitions from child actress to adult actress, she is going to be absolutely devastating. Anyone who can keep up with Nicole Kidman (Mrs. Coulter) on her first day out has got what it takes. And speaking of Nicole Kidman, I understand she was the first choice for the role of Mrs. Coulter, and nails the role. Daniel Craig’s is well cast as Lord Asriel, and I am looking forward to seeing the scenes that he has with Nicole Kidman in future movies in the series. That should be worth the price of admission.
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