Finally within my compass

Finally, we made it to see The Golden Compass. The film was going to have to be fairly amazing to live up to my highly elevated expectations and by and large it delivered.

The book is long, has many characters and a complex plot, so some changes and omissions were inevitable. The film rattles along at a cracking pace, moving from Oxford to London before setting out northward to Norroway, Svalbard and Bolvanger. The effects and design of Lyra’s universe are beautiful, and you can have a bit of fun location spotting, although there have been a few additions to the famous London skyline in this parallel world.

Sam Eliot’s version of Lee Scorsby is an old fashioned cowboy, and we get treated to a good old fashioned western style stand off in the process of rescuing Iorek Byrnison. The fight scenes provide the real climax to the film, the duelling armoured bears are magnificent and the flying witches are elegant and contribute to an impressive battle scene.

Did the film live up to the hype? Yes it did. Highly recommended.