The Golden Compass (New Line Platinum Series Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)

A spectacular rendering of Philip Pullman's magnificent world(s), this is the closest that a movie has been able to match the imagery that the author's words created in my mind. The graphics and special effects were absolutely spectacular, to say the least, and the casting was perfect.

Sadly though, the main meaning of the book was stripped down to it's bare minimum and the complex story was chopped up and dumbed down. I give it 5 out of 5 stars simply for the experience of seeing what I imagined on the silver screen. I recommend this to any one who enjoys a good piece of eye candy every now and again but I must compel anyone who seriously wants the intellectual experience of this tale to READ THE BOOK FIRST. I simply can not wait for the Subtle Knife...

This one was rife with problems. I went in wanting this to be good, but there was just nothing to make it a compelling flick. The characters are boring and one-dimensional, either evil because "that's how things are" or good because "we aren't going to take this anymore!" The film was shot with no regard to pacing at all. There are gratuitous shots of scenery just so the filmmakers could show off how wonderful their environments were. The whole thing even wraps up with a plot synopsis of the upcoming films, which runs something like:
"Can we go home now?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"We have to find a way to milk this franchise for all its worth. There are many people out there who are craving a secular, humanistic fantasy story, and we'll give it to them."
"Oh. Okay. How?"
*Explanation of inevitable plot points*
"Oh. Okay."
Credits.
Underwhelming, at best.

On occasion producers, directors and screenwriters and all of the other hard working and dedicated people involved in an undertaking of this magnitude get it all right, and the result is a masterpiece of cinematography. The story is a symbolic fantasy revolving around a young woman at the center of intrigue concerning the attempt by the murderous minions of the "Magisterium" to control all human thought and behaviour not only in this universe, but in ALL possible universes. Strangely apropos vis a vis the current "many universe" theories of physicist David Deutsch and others, the story can be enjoyed by the young and by the young of heart and mind no matter of what physical age as the beautiful cinematography and music, and the well developed plot proceed at a suspenseful but well paced speed to the satisfying and exciting finale.

I must say the author's spiritual conceptions are wonderfully imaginative and can be considered to be a part of the growing modern movement which introduces far greater tolerance of different spiritual conceptions than would have ever been allowed in the world of even the recent past.

Outstanding movie... and, if your curiosity to learn more details was as mine, you will go out and buy the book - I am reading it with GREAT enjoyment right now!

This movie is wonderful! Of course, it isn't as good as the book, but that's always the case!

Very good looking movie on Blu-Ray and DVD, sound quality and picture quality where top notch. The movie itself was decent but needs to tell the whole story about how things are and how things came to be, if they would have touched on this they would have had a great movie, not just an ok or good movie to some. As far as the Religious overtones to some this is way overblown. Religion has been exploited for years in many different cultures and many say everyone else is wrong, and are not very excepting of other peoples religions or ideas and that what the movie tends to point out, more so in the book. This movie is very watered down compared to the books and still people are complaining about it.... ;)