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Average User Score: 7 (171 sources)

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HBOchannel9

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This was an exceptional movie, it straddles the worlds of childhood and reaches adults where every person never really grows up. Nicole Kidman was great an the little girl is a riveting performer. The ending screamed sequel, so let's hope. I'll...
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This was an exceptional movie, it straddles the worlds of childhood and reaches adults where every person never really grows up. Nicole Kidman was great an the little girl is a riveting performer. The ending screamed sequel, so let's hope. I'll watch it with my little sister. Stories of good n evil always work when they keep the good magic.

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Posted mar 1, 2009 2:19 pm pt

Onitarsus

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The Golden Compass was a fun movie to watch. It kept me on the edge of my seat during most parts and the final battle scene was quite interesting. After it was all over, they started off on this quiet ride and then it just ended. I want to see...
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The Golden Compass was a fun movie to watch. It kept me on the edge of my seat during most parts and the final battle scene was quite interesting. After it was all over, they started off on this quiet ride and then it just ended. I want to see more and I really hope there's a sequel!

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Posted oct 23, 2008 4:16 pm pt

guyguyguy1234

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A beautiful and wonderful fantasy tale. It is not atheist. The movie was clever. Pretty. Intense. Awesome. and I certainly can not wait for another one! I recommend this to anyone who is up for a fun fairy tale and is willing to see the next one....
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A beautiful and wonderful fantasy tale. It is not atheist. The movie was clever. Pretty. Intense. Awesome. and I certainly can not wait for another one! I recommend this to anyone who is up for a fun fairy tale and is willing to see the next one. The ending was a total cliffhanger. This is more of a prologue to the next movie.

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Posted jun 27, 2008 11:13 am pt

mizasterj

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I just have to say..what in the blue horn moon was this? I dont get it..was it trying to be intellectual? preachy, political, religous, or just a childrens fairy tale? I just cant understand. I know it was based on a series of controversial books...
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I just have to say..what in the blue horn moon was this? I dont get it..was it trying to be intellectual? preachy, political, religous, or just a childrens fairy tale? I just cant understand. I know it was based on a series of controversial books but dam, the movie did so poorly of telling a story that made any kind of sense at all. The entire movie seemed contrived. As if some sort of spin off of the Narnia series but to a lesser degree of fame. Id applaud such imaginative stories but, this one just fell flat. The only real acting talent was the lovely and classy Nicole Kidman although, the only thing more ridicouls than her gold sparkle dress was her more elegant than thou, hairstyle. She also had the look on her face the whole time as if she was either ready to sip wine or give somone a spanking.I couldnt help snicker at the moment she slapped her monkey.FYI, Never slap a monkey. Its was more than diffcult trying to understand the thick british dialects let alone possibly comprehend the outlandish plot. Something about "Dust" dont look at me like that. At every mention of that word I think someone was asking "whered you hear about dust?" as if it were some kinda illegal street drug? Oh my lets not talk about Dust. Then there was the bear on bear fight. probably the most memorable scene in the movie. and who doesnt like CGI bears wrestling in the snow? I just didnt like the idea that the little girl had to be involved in every single moment. Still im glad to see a new face, because they could have easily booked Dakota Fanning and banked on her popularity, but i think shes had enough starring roles for a while. On a plus side old scruffy face Sam Elliott was in the movieand Ian Mckellen's voice attached to the bear. not bad. A better choice then lets say James earl jones or micheal clark duncan as your typical montone bear.

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Posted jun 16, 2008 2:41 am pt

sarkar368

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I generally like fantasy movies. I didn't knew that I a trilogy film. The film is lacking pace, the graphics is moderate, not so exciting , but I liked the Bear fight scene. The final war scene could had been more intensifying, But It was quite...
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I generally like fantasy movies. I didn't knew that I a trilogy film. The film is lacking pace, the graphics is moderate, not so exciting , but I liked the Bear fight scene. The final war scene could had been more intensifying, But It was quite normal. Story is quite confusing and Kids will not understand the stuffs there like another world linking, daemons, souls , etc.. I didn't knew that its a first part of a Trilogy book based movie, and was thinking weird about the sudden finish of the movie. The lead role girl is also quite boaring.

Finally a watchable movie for all fantasy lovers. It has Narnia type scenes and characters where animals speak, walk with people. Despite this movie little boaring the story is getting interesting now, and the 2nd part release will be good with lot more action in there. I give this movie thumps up .

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Posted jun 5, 2008 9:00 am pt

SpongeHarry

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I thought this was a good movie,but it didn't catch anything that I liked in these kind of movies. I love the Harry Potter movies so I watched this it didn't catch my eye though! good film still! :)

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Posted may 24, 2008 6:14 pm pt

The_Gnat_5000

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This is a quite entertaining film, good epic scenes, and a solid story. It really doesn't do the books justice, and it isn't likely to ever do so because of the content of the books and the director that it has. Overall still not bad, basically...
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This is a quite entertaining film, good epic scenes, and a solid story. It really doesn't do the books justice, and it isn't likely to ever do so because of the content of the books and the director that it has. Overall still not bad, basically an entertaining fantasy film.

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Posted may 14, 2008 9:55 pm pt

Lilclown123

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This is the most boring film ive ever seen in my life seriously the only thing this film should be used for is sleeping aid.

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Posted mar 23, 2008 2:48 am pt

julietann

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The Golden Compass is a great film, I loved the books, and although there were some changes, a lot of the things were just as I had imagined them.
I thought the casting was excellent, and the special effects superb

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Posted mar 8, 2008 4:38 pm pt

JeffNipples

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Golden Compass was a pretty good movie. The cast was pretty good too. The fantasy aspect wasnt quite as much as I had hoped for but it was pretty good.The bears looked amazing and were used very well in the movie...sometimes a movie will have...
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Golden Compass was a pretty good movie. The cast was pretty good too. The fantasy aspect wasnt quite as much as I had hoped for but it was pretty good.The bears looked amazing and were used very well in the movie...sometimes a movie will have mosters that look amazing then they move around weird and look really fake, I didnt feel that way about these bears. I liked the final battle scene and the movie ended off well leaving you wanting to see the next!

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Posted feb 21, 2008 8:03 am pt

• [+] Chicago Sun-Times
  
  100
  A darker, deeper fantasy epic than the "Rings" trilogy, "The Chronicles of Narnia" or the "Potter" films. It springs from the same British world of quasi-philosophical magic, but creates more complex villains and poses more intriguing questions. As a visual experience, it is superb. As an escapist fantasy, it is challenging.

  by Roger Ebert | Read Full Review »
• [+] New York Daily News
  
  88
  Represents the year's biggest gamble - and it delivers the year's biggest and most ambitious fantasy.

  by Jack Mathews | Read Full Review »
• [+] The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
  
  75
  A demanding blend of spectacle, drama and exposition of ideas.

  by Liam Lacey | Read Full Review »
• [+] Philadelphia Inquirer
  
  75
  If Weitz's Golden Compass feels, at times, too crammed with exposition and big set pieces, the film nonetheless works far more successfully than the first Potter pic - the leaden "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" - did translating its source material.

  by Steven Rea | Read Full Review »
• [+] Baltimore Sun
  
  75
  Weitz doesn't manage Pullman's feat of being rational and magical simultaneously. But he rapidly and intelligently opens up Pullman's world.

  by Michael Sragow | Read Full Review »
• [+] Chicago Tribune
  
  75
  It's pure introductory adventure, meant to immerse readers in Pullman's richly complicated fantasy universe.

  by Tasha Robinson | Read Full Review »
• [+] The Hollywood Reporter
  
  70
  A "soft" epic, a film touching on childhood fantasies with sturdy, unwavering characters driven to evil or good. More "Harry Potter," in other words, than "Beowulf."

  by Kirk Honeycutt | Read Full Review »
• [+] Austin Chronicle
  
  67
  There are significant stretches of talky tedium, more than a few "huh" moments for neophytes - especially whenever anyone starts nattering on about Dust with a capital D - and the ending plays abruptly, but there's plenty here to hang a franchise on.

  by Kimberley Jones | Read Full Review »
• [+] Boston Globe
  
  63
  At times you feel Weitz flipping the pages and dog-earing wildly, and that's a shame: This is a movie that needs to be lengthy and discursive, the better to duck into the back alleys of its invention. A visionary is required. This director isn't one.

  by Ty Burr | Read Full Review »
• [+] ReelViews
  
  63
  One key missing element: the world in which this story takes place never feels unique. We aren't drawn into it the way we were with Middle Earth or Hogwarts. In fact, with all the airships flying around, there are times when it feels like an extension of Stardust.

  by James Berardinelli | Read Full Review »
• [+] Time
  
  60
  There's something missing, beyond the iconoclastic theology, in this perfectly OK, blandly underwhelming superproduction. The movie lacks an elevating passion, a cohesive vision, a soul. It's as if The Golden Compass has misplaced its artistic compass. Somebody stole its daemon.

  by Richard Corliss | Read Full Review »
• [+] Los Angeles Times
  
  60
  Ultimately satisfying and successful version of the opening volume of the celebrated "His Dark Materials" trilogy.

  by Kenneth Turan | Read Full Review »
• [+] The Onion (A.V. Club)
  
  58
  The Golden Compass does manage the job of bringing Pullman's world to the screen. With luck, any future entries will try harder to get the job done right.

  by Keith Phipps | Read Full Review »
• [+] Chicago Reader
  
  50
  An innocuous, passably entertaining effects extravaganza.

  by J.R. Jones | Read Full Review »
• [+] Entertainment Weekly
  
  50
  The Golden Compass is a snowbound mystical-whizbang kiddie ride that hovers somewhere between the loopy and the lugubrious.

  by Owen Gleiberman | Read Full Review »