The Golden Compass (2007) (2024)

Popular reviews

• Review by JP Dalton #ReleaseCoyoteVsAcme ★★★ 10

  I used to go to sunday school and the weekend this came out they gave us notices to show our parents saying "Do not take your kids to see this movie. In The Golden Compass book series they fight God." I gave the letter to my dad. He looked at it, looked at me, and then drove to the movie theater and we saw this.

  The God-fighting is a later book and Dad was disappointed.

  EDIT: Since this is my biggest review, as a bonus I'll also let you know my confirmation name was Wolfgang.

• Review by Sam ★½ 29

  Has the same amount of Academy Awards as:

  • Citizen Kane
  • Some Like it Hot
  • What ever happened to Baby Jane?
  • The Graduate
  • Dog Day Afternoon
  • Alien
  • Cinema Paradiso
  • Misery
  • GoodFellas
  • Thelma and Louise
  • Pulp Fiction
  • Erin Brockovich
  • Almost Famous
  • Spirited Away
  • Eternal Sunshine
  • Babel
  • Ratatouille
  • Juno
  • Black Swan
  • Amour
  • Silver Linings Playbook
  • Her
  • Room
  • Ex Machina
  • Get Out
  • Call Me by your Name
  • The Favourite

• Review by Dragonknight ★★ 5

  Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series are not the easiest novels to adapt from. Although their main character is a young girl the themes, events and structure of the novels are more suitable for adults. Chris Weitz’s The Golden Compass makes lots of mistakes in its adaptation and the worst of them is that its narrative style and its depiction of the novel is more childish than the original books. The movie is visually convincing but it doesn’t have an idea what to do with Pullman’s elaborate and somehow confusing novel. Characters are one dimensional, their motivations are not clear, none of them are exciting and the main character is so clichéd and predictable that the audience loses interest in her fate. This movie was met with such criticism and had such a bad box office performance that the producers decided to abandon the franchise. That was a right decision. His Dark Materials deserves better than this.

• Review by sofi✨ ★★★½

  i used to love that cgi bear as if he was my own and still today when he gets hurt in those scenes i cry

• Review by Aliza ★★★★

  I know this movie is “bad” but..... my childhood🤷‍♀️

• Review by indi ★★ 5

  ruth wilson > nicole kidman sorry gays but facts is facts!!

• Review by v✮⋆˙ ★★½

  polar bear fight was best part

• Review by Vilu ★★★

  Catch me screaming @ my tv whenever a cgi bear gets hurt.

• Review by nadine x ★½ 2

  this movie fuckin sucked, just like every movie where some dumbass prophecy says some dumbass kid is Chosen fucking sucks

• Review by grace ౨ৎ ★★ 1

  my favourite genre is nicole kidman playing an evil villain with short blonde hair in children’s films

• Review by Andy Summers 🤠 ★★★ 6

  For a kids film this was surprisingly entertaining. The poster however does kid you into thinking that this has a certain Daniel Craig in a leading role, it doesn't. This is all about the young Dakota Blue Richards (what a cracking name) who carries the film with some help from some more seasoned pros.
  I must admit that I'm unfamiliar with the series of books this film is based on. Phillip Pullman's trilogy His Dark Materials is unfortunately a mystery to me. This film however does have a great story beneath the special effects heavy visuals. Director Chris Weitz has a mixed track record but this did have all the elements for a successful franchise but seems to have come…

• Review by King #adoptdontshop ★★½ 2

  Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig together in a project is never good news.

  The Golden Compass is a fantasy adventure film about… I’m not sure, to be honest. This movie is a mishmash of ideas haphazardly thrown together to crate a soggy, family friendly time. What stood out for me is the almost anti-Church tone; with rejection of dogmas and abuse by religious institutions a recurring theme. However, even this facet was diluted to create a non-heretic watch that wont offend denominations. Such a shame, as this could’ve been The Golden Compass’ best saving grace. Acting wise, Kidman and Dakota Blue Richards delivered while Craig, Sam Elliot and Eva Green’s characters weren’t utilized well due to the overstuffed plot.

  The…