Christians in Cinema BLOG

There’s been a lot of outcry about the film “The Golden Compass.” Numerous faith-based groups have called for boycotts of the film, and thus increased the publicity the film has received. That makes sense. I’ve talked here before about how negative publicity is good, so I won’t rehash all of that here. Just read the earlier blogs.

What we saw was . . . a forgettable movie.

I also don’t intend to discuss the books themselves, and why it has so upset the Christian community. There are things to be cautious of, and those intending to read the books and/or see the films would be wise to do so very thoughtfully. Jeffrey Overstreet, film critic and author of Auralia’s Colors and Through a Screen Darkly, has written a very thorough article about this topic posted on ChristianityTodayMovies.com. Dr. Marc Newman of MovieMinistry.com has also written some articles we’ve posted in the Movie News section. Hollywood Jesus has created a Philip Pullman Resource Center with some very helpful discussion materials.

Last night 3 of us from ChristianCinema.com went to see “The Golden Compass.” We wanted to see for ourselves what the hue and cry was all about, and to report responsibly about what we saw. What we saw was a forgettable movie. There were some great special effects and the CGI was good, but overall it was just…forgettable.

Let’s start with the story. It’s a fantasy - along the lines of The Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings. In Narnia and the Lord of the Rings, even though the tales are fantasies, the filmmakers were able to bring the viewers into those worlds. However, even if I had had a compass to guide my way, I would have gotten lost in the film. The world wasn’t explained well enough to make sense to us. A basic tenet of fantasy story-telling is that in the creation of your world, you are also creating rules for how the world works. If you break those rules, then you’ve lost the reader/viewer. There were several “rules” that were broken in the film, so the story wasn’t true to itself.

The story wasn’t true to itself.

The namesake of the film, The Golden Compass, is a device that shows the truth to the holder. Only a chosen few are able to operate the compass so they can see the truth. That fails on several levels. First is that the viewer isn’t drawn into the visions of the truth. When Frodo puts on the ring in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, we are drawn into his vision, and we experience it with him. That helps us understand his character, his motivations, and to participate in the story. When Lyra sees apparitions in the compass, they are fogged by some sort of pixie dust, and they last only a second or two, so they’re not discernible to the viewer. After that happens a couple of times, the compass no longer held interest for me.

The other issue I had with the compass was the truths revealed were very small. Where was the larger truth? There was a major revelation toward the end of the film, but Lyra didn’t use the all-powerful compass to verify its truth. Why not? And if the alethiometer is so powerful, why didn’t she use it to find out great and meaningful truths?

Like the Chronicles of Narnia, the film ends with a war scene in which warriors are summoned to a great battle. But even the battle falls short. Witches, who have appeared only briefly, and whose allegiance and purpose are unclear, suddenly appear from nowhere to participate. As the battle goes forward, new groups of warriors keep appearing. Where Narnia has clear representatives of good and evil, right and wrong, the battling forces in The Golden Compass aren’t as clearly defined. It just felt like a fight that went on too long.

Most disappointing were the characters. None of them cared about each other. In the end, it’s a sad movie.

What was most disappointing were the characters. Daniel Craig, the new 007, was in a few scenes as Lord Asriel, who is the hope of the future for Jordan College. Nicole Kidman, as Mrs. Coulter, was chillingly cold and remote, determined in her quest to take ownership of the Golden Compass. Sam Elliott has the role of Lee Scoresby, an odd character who seems to have been plucked out of the OK Corral and plopped into this fantasy world. There is a group of people called “gyptians” who are nothing more than gypsies. The “gyptians” and Scoresby characters were strangely familiar notes in the middle of this fantasy.

Dakota Blue Richards, as Lyra Belacqua, had moments that caused us to almost care about her character, but sadly, they were fleeting. For the majority of the film she shrilly defies authority, lies, and manipulates those around her. She lives an isolated existence with a marked absence of adults who really care about her. She doesn’t really care about others. She’s trying to save other children, but only as a reaction to what the Magisterium is doing. She’s helped along the way by many people, but attached to none.

Don’t waste your money.

This morning I attended worship services at my church, and in the middle of one, I had a thought about last night’s cinematic adventure. In the end, The Golden Compass is a sad film. There is no hope, no inspiration, nothing for me to care about.

My recommendation? Save your money for a film that will engage, entertain, and enlighten you.