The Golden Compass movie
Dec. 8th, 2007 04:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chase_acow
I think that the first "animal companion" type story that I remember reading was Rose Estes Master Wolf. It's very badly written but at the time, I was in love with wolves and the idea of having one as a constant and semi-intelligent companion was new and amazing. After that, there was Mercedes Lackey's Companions, Firecats, and Bondbirds. I guess it's a concept that it very irresistible to many people.
Daemons are a very interesting step to the side.
I haven't read the books, but I'm very interested in the opinions of those who have and what they thought of the movie. I've heard both that it was a good adaption and that they butchered it.
Okay, I wouldn't have seen this movie if it hadn't have been for all the controversy surrounding it. I had someone that I was connected to in my sorority e-mail me a chain letter saying that all "good Christians" should boycott the movie and blah, blah, blah. I was pretty annoyed by I replied and asked if she had read the book, or knew of what exactly it was talking about. Yeah, she had no clue, just that the mass forwarding of an anonymous, bigoted spam mail should have been good enough for "anyone who actually loved God".
I told her I thought she was a moron, and didn't need to prove her idiocy further by junking up my inbox. She was less than amused, but I am kinda glad now, because otherwise I would have missed this little gem.
That's not to say that the movie doesn't have it's flaws. It's confusing for us poor newbies and skips around to locations and characters in a very jarring way. The ending is less than conclusive and I am spoiling myself silly right now in another tab, because I don't think that I'd get any sleep tonight if I didn't find out what happens. Though now I think I'm more confused than ever. Sometimes it seems like we are being spoon fed revelations that could have been more dramatic or harder to gain so that we feel we've earned it. I believe that Lyra is one of those characters that you either love or hate almost immediately at first sight. I think maybe that for right now, I love her for Pan's sake.
BUT-
The movie itself is gorgeous. When the scenery is supposed to be beautiful- it's breathtaking, if it's supposed to be bleak- it's desolate. The special effects were wonderful, all the daemons were lovely and the ice bear scenes were some of the best. I think that the music was rather subtle, at least I didn't come away thinking ewwww. The colors really pop, and the dialog didn't make me cringe.
As a story, I felt like I was missing a lot, but I was engaged for most of the movie. I felt like it was slow to get started, but that lead up is always necessary, so I dealt with it. I guess that the easiest comparison would be to the LOTR series and specifically FOTR, not just because of the fantastical element, but structure wise. It ends at the beginning, which is actually pretty frustrating, there is a victory like SW:ANH but there's absolutely no feeling that everything will be all right now.
The characters are very engaging. I think that I'll probably have nightmares about Nicole Kidman, and I'll be surprised if a lot of kids that go see the movie don't. They gave her a lot of screen time in the movie, and at first that annoyed me, but she's so creepy and evil. She spews brainwashed platitudes and seems to genuinely believe that she's doing the best she can for Lyra. Her daemon is beyond disturbed, and paired together, they are truly fascinating.
Iorek Byrnison is also given a lot of screen time, but I looked on that more favorably. He might not be as complex, but he is infinitely more comforting to be engaged with. The armoured bears as a whole were interesting and nicely done. The king's desire for a daemon is easily understandable for us, because really who would be a fan if they weren't yearning for one themselves? I hope that plot line is more convoluted in the books, because with a little more time, it could be exceptional.
It's easy to see both Lyra's strengths and flaws as what builds her up and makes her a child of prophesy. At times she was irritating, but I was cheering for her and Pan the entire movie. I wish things had been a little harder for her, but maybe the worst is yet to come. She seems much older and fearless that the twelve (?) years she's suppose to have. I think she might become a favorite character though.
Whatever is in the books that stirred up all the controversy over God and the kids, is not in this movie. From what I understand, it's a struggle for free will, and last time I checked the Christian God favored free will. I made the mistake of looking up some message boards, and the kind of insane dogma being thrown around by the censor-happy uber!religious just makes me want to puke. It's easy to hate something you've never read, isn't it?
I was afraid that this movie would turn out to be just as bad as Eragon, but it was much, much better. I couldn't even get through the first chapter of Eragon, so I have at least some hope for The Golden Compass keeping my interest. I'm looking forward to reading them.
So, to sum up, I really enjoyed the movie. It's better than Eragon (not like it's hard) but making less sense than the established fantasy trilogies of LotR and SW (what prequels?). It was definitely worth the matinee price of $5.50 if only so that I can piss off the bigots. : )
Neat article here called God in the Dust. It has spoilers for all three books, and is a little more even-handed explaining why the Church hates this movie.
Daemons are a very interesting step to the side.
I haven't read the books, but I'm very interested in the opinions of those who have and what they thought of the movie. I've heard both that it was a good adaption and that they butchered it.
Okay, I wouldn't have seen this movie if it hadn't have been for all the controversy surrounding it. I had someone that I was connected to in my sorority e-mail me a chain letter saying that all "good Christians" should boycott the movie and blah, blah, blah. I was pretty annoyed by I replied and asked if she had read the book, or knew of what exactly it was talking about. Yeah, she had no clue, just that the mass forwarding of an anonymous, bigoted spam mail should have been good enough for "anyone who actually loved God".
I told her I thought she was a moron, and didn't need to prove her idiocy further by junking up my inbox. She was less than amused, but I am kinda glad now, because otherwise I would have missed this little gem.
That's not to say that the movie doesn't have it's flaws. It's confusing for us poor newbies and skips around to locations and characters in a very jarring way. The ending is less than conclusive and I am spoiling myself silly right now in another tab, because I don't think that I'd get any sleep tonight if I didn't find out what happens. Though now I think I'm more confused than ever. Sometimes it seems like we are being spoon fed revelations that could have been more dramatic or harder to gain so that we feel we've earned it. I believe that Lyra is one of those characters that you either love or hate almost immediately at first sight. I think maybe that for right now, I love her for Pan's sake.
BUT-
The movie itself is gorgeous. When the scenery is supposed to be beautiful- it's breathtaking, if it's supposed to be bleak- it's desolate. The special effects were wonderful, all the daemons were lovely and the ice bear scenes were some of the best. I think that the music was rather subtle, at least I didn't come away thinking ewwww. The colors really pop, and the dialog didn't make me cringe.
As a story, I felt like I was missing a lot, but I was engaged for most of the movie. I felt like it was slow to get started, but that lead up is always necessary, so I dealt with it. I guess that the easiest comparison would be to the LOTR series and specifically FOTR, not just because of the fantastical element, but structure wise. It ends at the beginning, which is actually pretty frustrating, there is a victory like SW:ANH but there's absolutely no feeling that everything will be all right now.
The characters are very engaging. I think that I'll probably have nightmares about Nicole Kidman, and I'll be surprised if a lot of kids that go see the movie don't. They gave her a lot of screen time in the movie, and at first that annoyed me, but she's so creepy and evil. She spews brainwashed platitudes and seems to genuinely believe that she's doing the best she can for Lyra. Her daemon is beyond disturbed, and paired together, they are truly fascinating.
Iorek Byrnison is also given a lot of screen time, but I looked on that more favorably. He might not be as complex, but he is infinitely more comforting to be engaged with. The armoured bears as a whole were interesting and nicely done. The king's desire for a daemon is easily understandable for us, because really who would be a fan if they weren't yearning for one themselves? I hope that plot line is more convoluted in the books, because with a little more time, it could be exceptional.
It's easy to see both Lyra's strengths and flaws as what builds her up and makes her a child of prophesy. At times she was irritating, but I was cheering for her and Pan the entire movie. I wish things had been a little harder for her, but maybe the worst is yet to come. She seems much older and fearless that the twelve (?) years she's suppose to have. I think she might become a favorite character though.
Whatever is in the books that stirred up all the controversy over God and the kids, is not in this movie. From what I understand, it's a struggle for free will, and last time I checked the Christian God favored free will. I made the mistake of looking up some message boards, and the kind of insane dogma being thrown around by the censor-happy uber!religious just makes me want to puke. It's easy to hate something you've never read, isn't it?
I was afraid that this movie would turn out to be just as bad as Eragon, but it was much, much better. I couldn't even get through the first chapter of Eragon, so I have at least some hope for The Golden Compass keeping my interest. I'm looking forward to reading them.
So, to sum up, I really enjoyed the movie. It's better than Eragon (not like it's hard) but making less sense than the established fantasy trilogies of LotR and SW (what prequels?). It was definitely worth the matinee price of $5.50 if only so that I can piss off the bigots. : )
Neat article here called God in the Dust. It has spoilers for all three books, and is a little more even-handed explaining why the Church hates this movie.
