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Directionless 'Compass'

Christian Toto
December 7, 2007

Talking animals, sweeping vistas and stories ripped from popular fantasy books do not necessarily an epic film make.

The 2005 film "The Chronicles of Narnia" leveraged those elements into an unexpectedly stirring treat.

"The Golden Compass," in sharp contrast, shows how difficult such a cinematic juggling act can be.

Based on Philip Pullman's popular "His Dark Materials" trilogy, "Compass" tells of an alternate universe in which people's souls exist outside their bodies in the form of furry animals.

Audiences new to Mr. Pullman's world will be intrigued by the setup, but little else here will send them scrambling to the library to catch up with his series.

A rebellious orphan named Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards) is introduced to Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman), a stately woman who promises to take her on a trek to their world's northern region.

Mrs. Coulter, however, is tied to the Magisterium, a group which seeks mass conformity and the total eradication of scientific curiosity.

Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), Lyra's parent-by-default, has discovered a connection between their world and other universes, a link forged by mysterious golden dust. The Magisterium wants to quash Asriel's discovery, attempting to poison him at first and then hunting him down later on.

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