This fantasy film doesn't fit with the general genre of fairy tales. It's far too dark for that. I don't know how closely the film follows the novel by Philip Pullman. I can see why it's PG-13, because there's way too much frightening stuff for kids in "The Golden Compass." The screenplay doesn't achieve a clear separation of the good and bad in the scenes of violence. Whatever message may have been intended surely wasn't clear – unless it was confusion. For older kids and adults, it's not very well done. The screenplay is hard to follow, or make connections in places. The one very good thing about the production is the melding of the animation, CGI and real life characters and scenes. For that the film deserved it Oscar for best visual effects. But the story is to disjointed, and there's nothing special about any of the acting. I wonder why Nicole Kidman would take the part of Mrs. Coulter in this movie. Movie makers who want to do fantasies of this sort should study Peter Jackson's work in "The Lord of the Rings" series.

As the film opens it is explained that there are many parallel universes a in the one where the film is set people's souls dwell in animals, known as daemons, that accompany them everywhere. In this world a group known as the Magisterium wants to keep knowledge from the people that may weaken their authority. In a parallel Oxford a member of the Magisterium attempts to poison scientist Lord Asriel not realising that his niece Lyra, an orphan, is observing his action. She saves her uncle and he proceeds to leave for the far north to research the things that the Magisterium is keenest to keep hidden. Shortly after he leaves the college master gives Lyra a device known as the alethiometer, the golden compass of the title, which reveals the truth to those who can read it. There were once many such devices but this is the last one. Mrs. Coulter offers to take Lyra to her uncle but it is clear that her intentions aren't as pure as she would have Lyra believe. Realising that Mrs Coulter is a threat Lyra escapes and meets aeronaut Lee Scoresby who takes her north. Here she makes an alliance with an icebear and faces many dangers before confronting Mrs. Coulter again.I haven't read the books so can't say how close this adaption is to the original… perhaps that is a good thing as it means I'm but put off by any changes. The story is interesting and the film does a good job introducing this parallel world and its differences. I particularly liked the idea of the daemons; these creatures were beautifully rendered so that sometimes I wasn't sure if it was CGI or a real animal. There is plenty of action and a good number of scares although nothing too scary for younger viewers. The cast that features plenty of well-known actors, including Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, does a fine job although it is the young Dakota Blue Richards who dominates the film; she is rarely off the screen and does a great job as Lyra. The story moves at a good pace all the way to the end… and this is where the problem begins; this was clearly meant to be the first film in a series but those sequels were never made so there is no sense of closure as Lyra's quest is clearly far from over… it is as though the 'Lord of the Rings' films were cancelled after 'The Fellowship of the Ring'. Overall I'd say this was an enjoyable film; it is just a pity the story wasn't finished.

I love the books and therefore also understand the complexity of the story. And the story is not easy to portray in a film just 113 minutes long. But seeing the film for like the fifth time, now on bluray, I now realize that even though I think that the screenplay was too compressed, the film itself is really, really good. All the right details are there. The costumes are spectacular. The music score is great. The actors are spot on - I love Kidman and Richards especially - but all did a very, very good job. The special effects are truly great, everything from the alethiometer to the daimons and ice bears. Exceptionally well done. So it's really sad to realize that there will be no sequels. Pity that the producers didn't do all three books at once. But at least we can still enjoy this great piece of filmwork, because I think it is a great achievement made by people with true talent.

Golden Compass were they ever going to make a part 2 the end was a major setup for what had to be a 2nd in the works what the h happened, Religious Fanaticism prevented yet another movie which seemed to be quite a good movie to fade away if those fanatics could they would be burning books, I have 1 statement for those fanatics, if you want to burn books and block movies from being made then throw that politicized piece of crap called the Holy Bible on the fire first, since that is a total perversion of Christs message, HA HA growing up my mother had it in her head I was possessed due to her catholic upbringing and the fact I was smarter than everyone I had met then and still to this day 35 years later I am now 51, I have yet to meet anyone worthy of having an intelligent conversation with, Ha Ha people seem to believe that aliens visit earth its not to see people for their intelligence it is just a courtesy visit to the hairless apes that think they are something special, but if you have an IQ over 120 then it would be hard to disagree with me here this is the Planet of the MORONS, I decided that when I was 6 when my mother decided I had to be possessed since at 6 the school district wanted to make me a High School Senior, and her holy roller ass wouldn't have it, anyway at 16 she had the preacher from our church come by to cast out my Demons, Ha Ha after I talked with him for around 20 min he left but he looked at my mother before leaving and told her he has a greater understanding of the bible than anyone, and all I told him was what I said above that the Bible is part of the creators message, rearranged and perverted to meet the needs of the time it was all gathered together and Canonized also called made into a book, but 7/8 or the written stories that were a major part of Christianity throughout its first millennium were banned from ever becoming part of the bible again, so when the Church stops perverting the word of the Creator will once again join a church but face it they never will and those Blank blanks will never cease and desist with the perversion of the word of God, if they did they couldn't justify to themselves that conning the elderly into leaving the church everything they have ever gotten and conning everyone out of a 10% tithe which is a perversion of a whole different caliber, I tithe of my spirit as Christ and all his true followers did and I never ask or even want anything in return the most I desire it that those who listen may at some time in the future choose to tithe of their spirit.