Calling All Truth Seekers
by Flick Chick Vique
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The Golden Compass points to 4 Red Vines for being a fabulous fantasy. |
I’m totally baffled. Why? Because I’ve just seen my third ‘kid’ movie in a month and I’m really having a hard time buying that ‘kid’ movies are made for kids. Bee Movie was adorable but the humor far too sophisticated. Enchanted was charm on steroids but seemed to be made for the little girl in every adult woman. Now, I’ve just seen The Golden Compass and both I and my adult companion were put to a comprehension test following this alternate universe fantasy.
There is a lot of controversy surrounding the movie because it is based on Philip Pullman’s trilogy His Dark Materials. As a self –proclaimed atheist, the movie naturally has Christians in an uproar and calling for a boycott. The producers say all references to religion have been removed from the film adaptation and they aren’t lying. The result is a movie with such ambiguous beginnings that it takes one a while to follow the action. However, once it is figured out, The Golden Compass is a fascinating tale of honor, loyalty and the dangers of following goose-step authority.
Set in what is called an alternate universe; The Golden Compass follows the exploits of a rambunctious girl, Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards), who is given a precious gift: a golden compass, known as an Alethiometer, which has the ability to see the truth. She alone can read the instrument and she uses it to solve the mystery of disappearing children and the nefarious Magisterium organization that seems to be behind the kidnappings.
The visuals are quite stunning and were perhaps what I liked most about this movie. One minute we appear to be in turn of the century London, the next it looks like the streets from a Dickens novel with the children all playing their parts as artful dodgers. Suddenly it looks like we are in the art deco period, complete with futuristic looking metallic dirigibles! Once Lyra begins her journey, we are on the high seas, pirate’s style, docking in what reminded me of San Francisco during the gold rush. Finally the action ends up in an artic wonderland. But forget your images of Coca Cola drinking polar bears. The citizens of this denizen are mighty fighting ice bears!
The cast that pulls off this fantasy tour de force is just as diverse and mesmerizing. From film icon Christopher Lee (still going strong at an amazing 85!) to fresh find Dakota Blue Richards, you will be entertained and delighted by the performances. Nicole Kidman is properly menacing as Mrs. Coulter, while Daniel Craig is a dignified scholar, simmering with a secret. Sam Elliot supplies the cowboy hero charm, while Ian McKellen does a magnificent job of bringing the ice bear Iorek Bynison to powerful life.
Then there’s Dakota Blue. The 12 year old was plucked from an audition of 10,000 unknowns! She is so natural; it’s hard to believe she is acting. But acting she is and for the very first time in front of cameras! Surely big things are in store for such a talented child performer. Make no mistake that in spite of being surrounded by a stellar cast and an incredible production staff, little Dakota Blue carries this unique fantasy.
I wondered what kind of child could really understand a movie like this but its little star answers that question. Although I haven’t read the books, I can only assume they are quite complex, judging by this movie that is by all accounts an extremely edited version of the tale. But Dakota Blue walked into those auditions as a big fan of the trilogy!
This now brings me to the controversy surrounding the film. My friend did not know anything about the author’s views, so I asked him if he thought the movie was anti religion. He looked at me puzzled. I started pointing out the metaphors and he understood but still looked perplexed. Like the Harry Potter books or Star Wars the movie concerns itself with the issues of good versus evil.
What is unconventional is the use of witches and gypsies as heroes in this tale. If lessons in kindness, compassion, intelligence and freethinking are values you hold dear then The Golden Compass might speak the truth you seek.
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WHAT’S YOUR DAEMON?
Okay, here’s another twist in this tale that probably offends at first blush but is really quite innocent and fun. In this movie there are two kinds of people, the people who carry their souls inside them and those whose souls walk side by side with them. The souls are called daemons, which are various creatures from birds to lions and are not to be confused with demons! The creatures are a reflection of a person’s true character. It is a fascinating concept that the movie executes wonderfully. Mine is Rasthmus a male fox and I was matched with him because my profile revealed that I am modest, competitive, sociable, proud and dependable. Here’s where you can find your own daemon. After choosing your language, click "Daemons". Enjoy!
LADIES ROOM LOWDOWN:
Okay my friend really liked the movie. He said he would give it 4 &1/2 Red Vines. I asked a woman in the Ladies Room what she thought and she said, “What the ? with ending?!” She was frustrated by the open ending that was a complete set-up for the sequel. When I asked her if she liked the movie she said yes but she wanted to know how it ended. Oh well.
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