| ![The Golden Compass [2007]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51%2BkTzME3xL._SL75_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Chris Weitz
Actors: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Dakota Blue Richards, Ben Walker, Freddie Highmore
Studio: Entertainment in Video
Category: DVD
List Price: £19.99
Buy New: £10.49
You Save: £9.50 (48%)
New (24) Used (3) Collectible (1) from £10.49
Avg. Customer Rating:  79 reviews
Sales Rank: 147
Format: Pal
Languages: English (Unknown), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Rating: Parental Guidance
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 109
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5017239195600
ASIN: B0010X8FLM
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: April 28, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Great Movie! June 9, 2008
Just want to share that "The Golden Compass" is one of my favorite movie. I can watch it over and over again and never be bored with it. It's filled with adventure 'till the end. Take a look at it and you will see for yourself.
 Heading the right way June 8, 2008
Well, I haven't read the trilogy on the which this film is based so, I went in with an open mind.
I have to say I enjoyed it. I found it a very easy way to fill 2 hours. Overall, I thought the casting was excellent - apart from Nicole Kidman who, to me, seems to demonstrate once again how she graduated from the Plank school of acting.
I got a bit confused about Daniel Craig's disappearance early on until I was reminded - "this is a trilogy"
I particularly liked the daemons. A nice touch. As was the intriguing mix of technologies in this fantasy world. Flying on what appear to a sophisticated type of airship but, using sailing ships??
OK - the set piece action scenes weren't exactly Lord of the Rings. However, nothing could compare with the siege of Minas Tirith or the magnificent charge of the Rohirrim. However, I think the film did pretty well - especially the fight between the armoured bears!
All in all, I considered it to be a generally well acted, well written and enjoyable piece of fantasy. I would have no qualms about buying this or, (hopefully) the next 2 instalments.
I think it is possibly a bit unfair to judge the film according to what is in the book. I think the purists will probably have pre-judged & dismissed the film anyway. Perhaps I have an advantage here in not actually being influenced by the book.
I think artistic licence is inevitable. I have actually read Lord of the Rings. Obviously, Peter Jackson used a bit of licence but, I honestly do not believe the films suffered for it.All the esentials were there. He had to draw a line somewhere! I think the director of this film has had to do the same.
Forgetting the book.. June 5, 2008
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
Many people have awarded this film with the 1-3 star rating, and after reading many of them have noticed one thing in common, they rely greatly upon the book to support their views. Now it is well known that many people do not read in England and so the audience that actually have read this book must be considerably smaller than that of whom went to see it or rented or purchased it! So why do we need to keep bringing the book into this? To most the book is completely irrelevant in context to the film, so i am writing this review for those who care about the film not the darn book!
Ok so too begin, the acting, well it is not a superb performance by all but there is some very strong and believable acting in this film, the main characters are engaging and very persuasive, if you haven't read the book you will not have preset picture in your mind of what YOU expect them to be like.
Ok so the graphics, well what can i say, they are truly magnificent, what more could you want, it was simple stunning, done to perfection i must say! If you like enhanced graphics then this is the film for you, it is so good the places could be real, as could the talking animals, i have to applaud them for this.
The storyline is also good, in parts the dialoge is a bit bland and often very descriptive giving irrelevant and obvious details, but apart from that the storyline is good and believable which makes it a much better film, i find many lack in a decent storyline but here it is definitely one of it's strong points!
So what else is there to say? Well to all those who have not read the book or have read the book and want to know what sort of FILM it is, it is very good, action packed and a great film for not only the family but also for anyone else looking for an epic night in. So please ignore the trash that fills these reviews, because when it all comes down to it, this is a film not a book, so please stop rating the film by the book and try and be more open minded!
Thank you for reading.
Not quite what it promised to be. June 1, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Lets get the good stuff out of the way first, and to be honest there is plenty of this. This has to be one of the best computer generated on screen experiences I have seen. The big shots in the Arctic; the fight of the bears; the animal movements: all these were first class. The cinimatography overall was very good. The acting was good, and some actors stood out, particularly in the so called minor, supporting roles. A delightful display which was easy to watch and engaging.
Now the other side. This is an adaptation of a book. What is more, this is adaptation of a lengthy book. The resultant screenplay trys to keep to the book whole story, and to be honest there is not enougth time to do this. The end result winds the books supporters up, in that it makes cuts with the story and jumps a little too quickly from one scene to another; for film fans, the story is disjointed, assumes that you have a good grasp of the plot before you watch, and understand the sub-plots and twists without having to go into them too deeply itself. The end result fails to please either camps, and I for one was more than a little disappointed with the end product. If this is to be the first of a trilogy, I might not be as eager to watch the next two episodes without a major change of screenplay writers and/or director.
Wait till it goes out on TV, preferably on a wet Sunday afternoon.
Great cast but it is a more to follow film May 30, 2008
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
It is like Harry Potter meets the Snow Queen. You expect it to go on and get to an ending then it just ends.
It must be a 2 part film & this is the first part.
Not good enough to watch any part two they might make but kids would enjoy it.
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