I've Got a Golden Compass
Dec. 19th, 2007 12:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annundrielMom, Dad, and I saw The Golden Compass tonight. While I enjoyed it, I also had some issues. Mom and Dad both agreed with me, though Mom's never read the book(s). She does, however, sing, "I've got a golden compass!" like Charlie Bucket from Willy Wonka almost whenever the movie gets mentioned. Which makes me laugh.
All of the issues I had with the movie had nothing to do with the book-to-film translation. I thought that was nicely done, even with the changes. I also loved the sets and the costuming. And, actually, I could have done with some more time spent in some of the sets because I kind of just wanted to look around them.
Which leads me to some of the things that didn't work for me. The pacing wasn't quite right. The film was rushed, from beginning to end. Along with that, I never once felt any sense of urgency. When Lyra escaped from Mrs. Coulter's I wanted to really feel her fear and her need to get away, but no. Instead, I was just waiting for what would happen next. You could chalk that up to my recent re-read, but I don't think that's it. I don't necessarily like to compare one film to another, but I kept thinking about The Lord of the Rings and how even though I'd read each book before going to the theater, I was still absorbed by whatever was going on on-screen. So this reaction wasn't just that I was comfortable with the plot.
Although when Billy Costa called his daemon Ratter and I realized what that meant was going to happen, I was upset.
The other issue I had with the movie was a slighter one that I explained to my folks as "lazy storytelling." That's maybe not the best way to explain it, but it works. What I mean is, sometimes something would happen in the film and it would seem kind of random because whatever had led up to it in the book had been removed. Specifically, the spy-fly thing. Farder Coram sealed it in the tin, but then it was never mentioned or seen again. Until, that is, Lyra gives it to Mrs. Coulter. No mention of Lyra stealing it. They could have at least, I don't know, had Farder Coram hand it to her and tell her to keep it safe or something.
Similarly, when Lyra explained her plan about fighting Ragnor to Iorek she mentioned them burning him before he got close enough to fight. Now, I may have spaced for a moment, but I don't remember them mentioning this potential burning to Lyra before she tricked Ragnor. Or even after. In the book, that's all there. And here it felt like some sentence had been left out and what was left was incomplete.
It was just a little weird, but not really a big deal.
As for the ending? I was not expecting it to end so soon. Especially because I was sure I'd seen parts that would fit in later in the preview.
It's kind of sad. Because I wanted to be swept up and I just wasn't. But I did like the movie. And I'd definitely be in to seeing more. Visually, it was great. The way the daemons exploded/dissolved when their humans were killed was very cool. Plus, Daniel Craig. I really, really like Daniel Craig. And I could just listen to Ian McKellen all of the time.
All of the issues I had with the movie had nothing to do with the book-to-film translation. I thought that was nicely done, even with the changes. I also loved the sets and the costuming. And, actually, I could have done with some more time spent in some of the sets because I kind of just wanted to look around them.
Which leads me to some of the things that didn't work for me. The pacing wasn't quite right. The film was rushed, from beginning to end. Along with that, I never once felt any sense of urgency. When Lyra escaped from Mrs. Coulter's I wanted to really feel her fear and her need to get away, but no. Instead, I was just waiting for what would happen next. You could chalk that up to my recent re-read, but I don't think that's it. I don't necessarily like to compare one film to another, but I kept thinking about The Lord of the Rings and how even though I'd read each book before going to the theater, I was still absorbed by whatever was going on on-screen. So this reaction wasn't just that I was comfortable with the plot.
Although when Billy Costa called his daemon Ratter and I realized what that meant was going to happen, I was upset.
The other issue I had with the movie was a slighter one that I explained to my folks as "lazy storytelling." That's maybe not the best way to explain it, but it works. What I mean is, sometimes something would happen in the film and it would seem kind of random because whatever had led up to it in the book had been removed. Specifically, the spy-fly thing. Farder Coram sealed it in the tin, but then it was never mentioned or seen again. Until, that is, Lyra gives it to Mrs. Coulter. No mention of Lyra stealing it. They could have at least, I don't know, had Farder Coram hand it to her and tell her to keep it safe or something.
Similarly, when Lyra explained her plan about fighting Ragnor to Iorek she mentioned them burning him before he got close enough to fight. Now, I may have spaced for a moment, but I don't remember them mentioning this potential burning to Lyra before she tricked Ragnor. Or even after. In the book, that's all there. And here it felt like some sentence had been left out and what was left was incomplete.
It was just a little weird, but not really a big deal.
As for the ending? I was not expecting it to end so soon. Especially because I was sure I'd seen parts that would fit in later in the preview.
It's kind of sad. Because I wanted to be swept up and I just wasn't. But I did like the movie. And I'd definitely be in to seeing more. Visually, it was great. The way the daemons exploded/dissolved when their humans were killed was very cool. Plus, Daniel Craig. I really, really like Daniel Craig. And I could just listen to Ian McKellen all of the time.
