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IMDbPro

The Golden Compass

  • 20072007
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 53m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
188K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,031
235
Nicole Kidman, Sam Elliott, Daniel Craig, Eva Green, and Dakota Blue Richards in The Golden Compass (2007)
The Golden Compass - Trailer
Play trailer1:01
2 Videos
99+ Photos
AdventureFamilyFantasy
In a parallel universe, young Lyra Belacqua journeys to the far North to save her best friend and other kidnapped children from terrible experiments by a mysterious organization.In a parallel universe, young Lyra Belacqua journeys to the far North to save her best friend and other kidnapped children from terrible experiments by a mysterious organization.In a parallel universe, young Lyra Belacqua journeys to the far North to save her best friend and other kidnapped children from terrible experiments by a mysterious organization.
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
188K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,031
235
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Chris Weitz
    • Writers
      • Chris Weitz(screenplay)
      • Philip Pullman(novel "Northern Lights")
    • Stars
      • Nicole Kidman
      • Daniel Craig
      • Dakota Blue Richards
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Chris Weitz
    • Writers
      • Chris Weitz(screenplay)
      • Philip Pullman(novel "Northern Lights")
    • Stars
      • Nicole Kidman
      • Daniel Craig
      • Dakota Blue Richards
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 727User reviews
    • 244Critic reviews
    • 51Metascore
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 7 wins & 32 nominations total

    Videos2

    The Golden Compass
    Trailer 1:01
    The Golden Compass
    What to Watch This October on IMDb TV
    Full Episode 3:37
    What to Watch This October on IMDb TV

    Photos140

    Ian McKellen and Dakota Blue Richards in The Golden Compass (2007)
    Kristin Scott Thomas and Daniel Craig in The Golden Compass (2007)
    Jim Carter, Tom Courtenay, and Dakota Blue Richards in The Golden Compass (2007)
    Ben Walker and Charlie Rowe in The Golden Compass (2007)
    The Golden Compass (2007)
    Nicole Kidman in The Golden Compass (2007)
    Dakota Blue Richards in The Golden Compass (2007)
    Kristin Scott Thomas in The Golden Compass (2007)
    Freddie Highmore in The Golden Compass (2007)
    Freddie Highmore, Ben Walker, and Dakota Blue Richards in The Golden Compass (2007)
    Nicole Kidman and Dakota Blue Richards in The Golden Compass (2007)
    Nicole Kidman in The Golden Compass (2007)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Nicole Kidman
    Nicole Kidman
    • Mrs. Coulter
    Daniel Craig
    Daniel Craig
    • Lord Asriel
    Dakota Blue Richards
    Dakota Blue Richards
    • Lyra
    Ben Walker
    Ben Walker
    • Roger
    Freddie Highmore
    Freddie Highmore
    • Pantalaimon
    • (voice)
    Ian McKellen
    Ian McKellen
    • Iorek Byrnison
    • (voice)
    Eva Green
    Eva Green
    • Serafina Pekkala
    Jim Carter
    Jim Carter
    • John Faa
    Tom Courtenay
    Tom Courtenay
    • Farder Coram
    Ian McShane
    Ian McShane
    • Ragnar Sturlusson
    • (voice)
    Sam Elliott
    Sam Elliott
    • Lee Scoresby
    Christopher Lee
    Christopher Lee
    • First High Councilor
    Kristin Scott Thomas
    Kristin Scott Thomas
    • Stelmaria
    • (voice)
    Edward de Souza
    Edward de Souza
    • Second High Councilor
    Kathy Bates
    Kathy Bates
    • Hester
    • (voice)
    Simon McBurney
    Simon McBurney
    • Fra Pavel
    Jack Shepherd
    Jack Shepherd
    • Master
    Magda Szubanski
    Magda Szubanski
    • Mrs. Lonsdale
    • Director
      • Chris Weitz
    • Writers
      • Chris Weitz(screenplay)
      • Philip Pullman(novel "Northern Lights")
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      George R.R. Martin cited this movie as one of the reasons he wanted Game of Thrones (2011) to be turned into a television series, rather than movies.
    • Goofs
      Pantalaimon is able to transform into a small moth when he wishes. When he and Lyra are confined in the intercision machine, they are separated by a metal grid through which Pantalaimon in moth form could easily crawl: it is not clear what prevents him from trying this.
    • Quotes

      Ragnar Sturlusson: Is that all?

      [hits Iorek]

      Ragnar Sturlusson: Is that all? IS THAT AAAALL?

      [Iorek swings at him and breaks his lower jaw off, then bites him in the throat, killing him]

      Iorek Byrnison: Yes, that is all.

    • Crazy credits
      On the DVD, the FBI anti-piracy warning is displayed with the Magisterium logo and has the Magisterium building behind the warning as a watermark.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Wolfman (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Lyra
      Written and Performed by Kate Bush

      Featuring The Choristers of Magdalen College Choir, Oxford

      Conductor: Bill Ives

      With Thanks to Andrew Halls

      Kate Bush appears courtesy of Noble and Brite Limited / EMI Records Limited

    User reviews727

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Ask the Dust
    An evil empire called the Magestirium attempts total control of the population by hiding the secrets or parallel universes and a unifying particle called Dust in Chris Weitz's clunky but entertaining adaptation of Philip Pullman's "The Golden Compass".

    "Harry Potter" and "The Lord of the Rings" have never apologized about their overt paganism. Likewise, "The Chronicles of Narnia" have never been accused of being subtle as a Christian allegory. These series, in both literary and film forms, have been monster hits due to their unapologetic natures that speak truths to their ardent fan bases. British writer Philip Pullman's darkly subversive anti-religious fantasy books have also been hugely successful, more so overseas than here in the States. Stripped of the books' overt atheistic messages, "The Golden Compass" takes a reverse psychology approach in its film treatment and oddly positions itself as an apology for Pullman's work. The result is a tepid affair that joins a long line of fantasy films about children discovering they are the chosen ones destined to save the world. At least this film is refreshing in its stance on girl-power as represented in the main character Lyra, played wonderfully by newcomer Dakota Blue Richards, who apparently is a graduate of the Dakota Fanning school of acting. Whether or not this tactic to strip the film of its soul (much like the Magesiterium strips children of their daemons) will make the film broadly appealing enough to warrant a franchise has yet to be determined.

    The film comes across as more anti-authoritarianism in general than specifically anti-religion. In the 21st century the line between authoritarian politics and organized religion has become increasingly blurred. Since we currently live in a world where a born-again Christian sits in the White House and wages wars in Muslim nations, it's easy to see why folks from both sides of the aisle, ardent fans of the books and conservative Christians alike, have been worked up into a mindless and silly frenzy over even just a watered-down film version of the first of Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy, with one side saying it's not wickedly subversive enough, and the other side saying it's still subversively wicked.

    However, viewing the film out of the context of the books upon which it is based and the ridiculous faux-controversy surrounding them, it makes the grade as a big-budget fantasy flick. Yes, there are too many characters to keep track of, and the film has rushed feel to it as if it was edited at the last minute, but it still makes for an interesting trip. Kids will be wowed by the elaborate set designs and CGI effects, which are far superior to the ones in the similarly clunky but still entertaining "Chronicles of Narnia" and culminate in an awesome battle sequence involving armored polar bears--take that Global Warming! Adults will get a kick out the nimble ensemble cast, who all seem to be having a great deal of fun with the self-seriousness of the whole production and are headlined by Nicole Kidman--botoxed, full-lipped and deliciously frosty in a creepy villain role that suits her perfectly.

    Possibly the strangest aspect of the film comes as an accidental subtext resulting from its apologetic nature. With its depiction of mystical-minded do-gooders rallying against the totalitarian Magestirium, "The Golden Compass" almost comes across as a period piece anti-Communist allegory rallying for the fall of the Soviet Union. It makes the film feel charmingly dated. There's also the disturbing subtext of child abuse at the hands of the Catholic Church as seen in the Magestirium's cruel experiments with kidnapped children, which makes the film feel charmingly grotesque.

    Bottom Line: Any movie that depicts Nicole Kidman walking around with a monkey and preaches the importance of free will, making bonds, sticking together, and fighting for your friends and loved ones can't be all that bad. Despite some of the themes of the books being exorcised and arbitrarily presented by a poorly chosen Chris Weitz (a director known for his comedies "American Pie" and "About a Boy"), "The Golden Compass" still has enough interesting elements and old-fashioned razzle dazzle presented with new age CGI to make it entertaining. At its worst, it presents two hours of dark fantasy-land eye candy. At its best, it encourages adults and children alike to use their free will to do something far better with their two hours, like read.
    helpful•171
    89
    • WriterDave
    • Dec 9, 2007

    FAQ7

    • Is 'The Golden Compass' based on a book?
    • Why is the title of the book different in the US than it is in the UK?
    • What's with the talking animals?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 7, 2007 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • English
      • Icelandic
      • Russian
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Chiếc La Bàn Vàng
    • Filming locations
      • Bergen, Hordaland, Norway
    • Production companies
      • New Line Cinema
      • Ingenious Film Partners
      • Scholastic Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $180,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $70,107,728
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $26,125,000
      • Dec 9, 2007
    • Gross worldwide
      • $372,234,864
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 53 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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