Fridae

The Golden Compass aspires to be the next Lord of the Rings, with its fantastical tale set in a mythological world. According to the laws of this world, there are numerous parallel universes that exist alongside the human world. Gaining access into these parallel universes, however, is a mystery that humans have yet to unlock.

So when Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig) discovers evidence that there might be a way to enter these other dimensions, he trudges off to Arctic Circle to get hold of the evidence. He leaves behind his young niece Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards) who quickly becomes friends with the mysterious Mrs Coulter (Nicole Kidman). Mrs Coulter offers to bring Lyra to the North to search for her uncle. But along the way, Lyra discovers that Mrs Coulter has an evil agenda of her own...

Directed by Chris Weitz, The Golden Compass is a magnificently-designed film with many wondrous objects and characters to behold. True to its fantasy genre, animals can talk, ships can fly and bears make fearless warriors. Each human being is also accompanied by an animal, called a daemon, which expresses the thoughts and moods of that person. This adaptation of the first book in His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman certainly impresses with its fine and vivid imagination.

The actors are also good, with Dakota Blue Richards delivering quite a remarkable performance for someone so young and Nicole Kidman stealing the show with her glamorous outfits. There's very little of Daniel Craig, but one assumes he will play a bigger role in the second and third instalment.

The only trouble with the film, however, is that it is often shot against a green screen where the exotic sets and locations are later added. As a result, the images have a bland palette and soft hue which makes the film feel rather strange and cold. (Remember the Star Wars prequels?) Consequently, you can't help but feel somewhat detached from the proceedings.

Still, that's a small quibble over what is obviously a fine and enjoyable fantasy film. The Golden Compass is the must-see of the week.