In the weeks and months leading up to the release of The Golden Compass, it was hard to escape reading about how the Catholic League was calling for a boycott of the film. I guess it was to be expected. The fantasy novel's author, Philip Pullman, is an atheist and the series does take the Catholic Church and authority in general to task, more so as the series progresses. Of course, I cannot lay claim to any firsthand knowledge having not read the books.

Still, I found the concerns of the film encouraging kids around the nation, and the world, to turn away from God and give up on religion to be a little extreme. After all, it is only a story. Fiction only has as much power as we give it, and I think that the League's giving it a little more than it deserves. How about a little faith in the parents' ability to correctly raise and guide their children? Better yet, how about the fast-maturing children's ability to educate themselves and make up their own minds with regards to their beliefs? I fear I have gone on too long about this, in turn giving them more power and attention than they deserve. On to the movie proper!

You know what they say about power: "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." At least, that is how I think it goes, but no matter, I am sure you know what I am talking about. It is this concept that lies at the heart of The Golden Compass, a movie that burns through its plot like there's no tomorrow.

Young Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards making her big screen debut) is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime, where she will meet aeronauts, battle bears, a controlling ruling organization, and a variety of friends and foes. Helping her along the way is an elethiometer (aka the golden compass), a device that can show the truth when the right question is asked. With this device in hand she heads off for adventure, pursued by the evil Magisterium (the ruling organization), and seeking the truth behind missing children.

At least, that is what I gathered the plot was. The Golden Compass is like a movie set on fast forward. It feels as if all of the connective tissue was cut, leaving a lean two hour movie that only serves to reveal plot points rather tell an actual story. To simulate this in a more complete movie, for the sake of comparison let's use Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. Put in the DVD and then watch it in fast forward, literally. You will get the main plot stuff, but as scenes skip past and chunks are missing, you'll lose character moments and the reason why you should care about them.