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List Price: $34.99 | | Label: New Line Home Video
Salesrank: 15315
Released: April 29, 2008 |
| Our Price: $4.49 |
| Used Price: $2.75 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
In a parallel universe where witches rule the skies and armoured bears are the bravest warriors, young Lyra Belacqua journeys from her home among the scholars at Oxford to the far North to save her best friend. Based on the first book in the Carnegie Medal-winning series, His Dark Materials.
Description of The Golden Compass (New Line Platinum Series Two-Disc Widescreen Edition):
A fantasy epic with more than a passing resemblance to the Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia film franchises, The Golden Compass takes place in an alternate universe where each human's soul is embodied in a companion animal called a daemon. Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards), an orphan who's lived most of her life among the scholars at Oxford, is intrigued when her uncle, Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), announces his plans to travel north to investigate the source of some mysterious particles called Dust. Lyra has little hope of following her uncle until a mysterious woman named Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman, at her most icily beautiful) asks Lyra to travel north as her personal assistant. All is not as it seems, however, and the disappearance of Lyra's friend Roger (Ben Walker) sets her on a dizzying adventure. She does have an alethiometer, or golden compass, that can help her see the truth, and a number of companions, including her shape-shifting daemon, Pantalaimion (voiced by Freddie Highmore of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), polar-bear warrior Iorek Byrnison (voiced by Ian McKellen), Texas aeronaut Lee Scoresby (Sam Elliott), and witch queen Serafina Pekkala (Craig's Casino Royale co-star, Eva Green). Even before its release, The Golden Compass was the subject of controversy over its perceived anti-religious themes. While it does involve an oppressive institution called the Magisterium, it's not overtly religious, particularly to a young viewer. The movie's PG-13 rating should be taken seriously, however. Suitable for an older audience than Narnia (though younger than The Lord of the Rings), it deals with complex concepts, violence (though largely bloodless) and implied death, children and animals in peril, and an unrelentingly ominous and unsettling mood.
Despite a few changes and rearrangements, the overall plot of the movie is remarkably faithful to its source material, the first installment of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. It doesn't finish the book, however, and--much like The Fellowship of the Ring did--leaves the viewer hanging in anticipation of the next film, The Subtle Knife, due in 2009. So even though The Golden Compass is impressive--especially with its spot-on cast and terrific visual effects--we probably won't know its full emotional impact until the story is complete. --David Horiuchi
The Golden Compass (New Line Platinum Series Two-Disc Widescreen Edition) Reviews:
I didn't get it 
2009-10-25 - I assume there's more to this story, but I'm confused. However, I loved the acting, the voices and the production set. And wat was all the controversy about?
Golden Compass--truly golden 
2009-10-19 - The Golden Compass is a must see. Talented acting, extraordinary special effects, superior direction, and a story-line that is startling, poignant, and exceptional, makes this a movie that anyone can watch repeatedly, and from each viewing learn more. It is fiction, but by reading between the lines of the plot one can find a very real account of modern day absurdities, attempts at mind control, distortion of facts in favor of fantasies--even in the sacred halls of academe where a few outsiders attempt to dissuade and adulterate true research. It is difficult to wait for the sequel, but until then we do have the books which are classics that will most likely outsell C. S. Lewis and his novels.
The other side of the coin! 
2009-10-15 - The film that this movie is most likely / most frequently going to be compared to is The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Full Screen Edition). This makes sense as both have talking animals and take place in a sort of fairy-tale land of imagination. Both involve children who either are British or have British accents.
However, if one watches both closely, the parallels soon come to a quick halt. C.S. Lewis' story is a transparent allegory of Jesus and it tacitly exalts Christianity & Christian virtues. COMPASS, on the other hand, pokes fun at religion in general and has obvious allusions to the Spainish Inquisition & various other nefarious abuses-of-power by religious groups.
This, of course, is huge reason why COMPASS didn't do nearly so well at the box office as NARNIA did. A lot of people may have mistakenly thought that they were going to get a variation on NARNIA and storyling that espouses religious doctrine. Am sure they must have been shocked to find out that this wasn't a Christian-friendly film!
For myself, I found this to be a unique and entertaining story. I've always been a fan of Nicole Kidman, and I applaud her for not being afraid of the Catholic societies who would condemn her for being a part of the film (which, in fact, they did). The incorporation of the legendary Derek Jacoby brings credibility to the cast. Dakota Blue Richards is an outstanding child actress who performed brilliantly in a difficult role.
So, if you're not afraid of being accused of heresy and you're looking for a compelling story, then what you just might need to do is grab a golden compass. It will point you in the right direction!
horrible 
2009-10-11 - This movie is so horrible. I would not recommend your kids watch it. It is the worst movie ever, considering it is all about going against GOD. I would not compare it to narnia at all. Narnia is a christian based movie and books! Warning: DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE!
Great Movie..Greater Sound Pruchased Here aT amazon
2009-09-27 - I liked this move a great deal..I have always liked these kind of movies...Science Fiction and Monsters etc..but this was really great, I thought. THe Gril playing the part, Dakota Blue Richards,.was very good and there were many great actor's in this movie..so that help's make it very enjoyable. About the Sound...Too often, these review's do not include anything about the format they play in. I for one am always interested in that aspect of the movies. This one comes in 6.1 dts ES...now that is what I call some really good sound-around. The first time I discovered dts was by accident..so now I look for movie's that have it. 5.1 is nice...5.1 dts is great..and now, 6.1 dts ES is even better. Discrete is the word here. So if you are looking for a great movie with much interest and some really great sound, this is the one...the ending kinda leaves you hanging...but I read here, that there should be another movie to continue. I am going to see if I can find it..becasue I want to see how it end's.<>Lon<>
