The Golden Compass (DVD)

The Golden Compass (2007) starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Dakota Blue Richards, Ben Walker, Ian McKellan (voice), Eva Green, Jim Carter, Sam Elliott, Freddie Highmore (voice). The first book of Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy is brought to the screen, albeit somewhat truncated. The fantasy world, a parallel universe where everyone's soul lives outside their body in the form of an animal "daemon," is brought to life effectively. It's an adventure in which young Lyra Belacqua (Richards) must journey to the North to save the children who have been taken away by the "Gobblers." She makes an alliance with an armored polar bear, and all kinds of magical things happen. Unfortunately, a lot of material from the book had to be left out so that the movie could have an acceptable running time. Still, it's a pretty good entertainment. Grade: B