Advanced Search Beta »
Basic Search Fields
The Golden Compass
The Golden Compass Image
See the trailer
Metascore
51 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 33 Critics What's this?

User Score
6.1 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 284 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
Rate this:
  • Starring: Dakota Blue Richards, Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman
  • Summary: Based on author Philip Pullman's bestselling and award-winning novel, The Golden Compass tells the first story in Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. The Golden Compass is an exciting fantasy adventure, set in an alternative world where people's souls manifest themselves as animals, talking bears fight wars, and Gyptians and witches coexist. At the center of the story is Lyra, a 12-year-old girl who starts out trying to rescue a friend who's been kidnapped by a mysterious organization known as the Gobblers--and winds up on an epic quest to save not only her world, but ours as well. (New Line Cinema)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 33
  3. Negative: 3 out of 33
  1. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    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.
  2. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kenneth Turan
    60
    Ultimately satisfying and successful version of the opening volume of the celebrated "His Dark Materials" trilogy.
  3. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    38
    Me, I just think it blows. What does it matter if you spend millions on a movie - love the talking, battling bears! - if the effects are cheesy, the story runs off on tangents and after watching the movie fail utterly to be the next Lord of the Rings, you just want to go home.

See all 33 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 98 out of 155
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 155
  3. Negative: 38 out of 155
  1. GeorgeG.
    10
    If you didn't read the trilogy you would feel a litle lost, except that the movie is fabulous the effects the voices the cast everything..I can't wait for the second movie.… Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  2. ChadS.
    5
    Here is a paradox for you. Arguably, we want to learn more about the dust from one of these parallel universes Lord Asriel(Daniel Craig) prattles on about, but sitting through two more installments of this upstart trilogy(billed as the thinking man's "Harry Potter"), methinks is a taxing proposition, because "The Golden Compass" lays an egg, and it certainly isn't golden. For starters, a disproportionate amount of time is spent at the university, in which the exposition is laid out to us; at one point, in seminar-like fashion from a lectern. Lyra(Dakota Blue Richards), eventually, like Bilbo Baggins, leaves behind her sheltered existence and accompanies Marisa(Nicole Kidman) to the north as her assistant. That's when "The Golden Compass" starts to pay the price for its needless dawdling. Kidman is cheated out of precious screen time as Marisa, or rather Marisa's spirit, makes us wonder what it would be like if Joan Crawford had a monkey(what makes Marisa angry reminded me of the wire hanger scene in "Mommie Dearest"). This is where the film loses its footing. There's evidence of heavy editing here. "The Golden Compass" should've established Marisa as Lyra's mentor before the girl learns the truth about her duplicitous nature. The movie never truly recovers. This filmmaker is a novice at staging action scenes, and it shows. Kidman is upstaged by a talking polar bear. That's some bear, though.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. Paxster
    3
    How do you destroy a book franchise with universal acclaim? How do you dissapoint readers by changing the books name for the film? How do you cast bad actors for important roles? You film the golden compass. The book is brilliant but the film is terrible. The kid playing Lyra is terrible,switching between cockney and posh! Make your mind up. The director goes as far as to mix the story up with a shocking polt change. Yes,the graphics are impressive and Ian Mckellen as Iorek is a good move but please,don't bother with the movie,just read the book (And the other 2 books in the trilogy!).… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 155 User Reviews

Trailers