The further into the movie I got, the more I tried to care, and the more I could not. There were no real character moments; the script was preoccupied with propelling the plot at the expense of everthing else. Even then, the plot was not very well developed. There are many threads dropped into the mix, many of which do not ultimately lead anywhere. Presumably the payoff will come over the next two films. Among those threads are the adventures of Lyra's Uncle Asriel (Daniel Craig), the truth behind "dust," the truth about her parents, the future of the ice bear kingdom, and probably a few others that I already forgot.

The main plot thrust is split between Lyra's search for missing children and Marisa Coulter's (Nicole Kidman) desire to get her hands on the compass. It's too bad none of it makes sense and nothing is explained, otherwise this could have been an interesting movie. It was easy enough to follow what was going on, but when it came to the whys, I found my mind wandering.

Whenever I saw angry polar bears all I wanted to do was give them a Coke. Everybody knows that polar bears like Coke, and there is nothing like a soft drink to soothe the savage beast. I wondered when Lyra would do something other than rely on the compass crutch to figure something out. I tried to find the anti-religious sentiment that brought down the ire of the League. Also, just when did witches fly and fight with bows and arrows? Finally, why did the end of the movie give us an outline of what comes in the next book/film?

What can I say? The Golden Compass is a rushed film. It moves forward at warp speed, never slowing to give us any quieter character moments, motivations, or story points. Where did the Gobblers come from? How many kids were missing? Was this some sort of epidemic? We are never told; the facts are just there with no supporting evidence. Overall, the movie is a bit of a slog.

What I liked about the movie can be summed up by saying, "Nicole Kidman and Sam Elliot, and the polar bear fight." If you've seen the movie, you will understand. For those who have yet to see it, allow me to expand.

The performances are more or less decent, with Nicole Kidman and Sam Elliot providing standout work. Nicole Kidman is Marisa Coulter. She holds a high rank in the Magisterium and is intent on obtaining the compass. Kidman brings her best ice queen persona to the role as she struts coldly through every scene she is in. Let me say that she is a vision of beauty, but when it comes to emotion, she is as icy as they come. Watching her work her magic was one of the highlights. At the other end of the spectrum is Sam Elliot as the aeronaut Lee Scoresby. He brings his cowboy warmth and dry humor to the screen in fantastic manner, delivering the most human of all the performances. He brings so much charisma to the screen that he is impossible to ignore.