The Golden Compass

11/17/2022

Philip Pullman novels are always dark and intricate - and they don't necessarily make a great deal of sense in isolation - so adapting them for the screen was likely to be a tough ask. This story centres around the young "Lyra" (Dakota Blue Richards) who overhears some sinister plotting by the "Magisterium" that could put the lives of other children - and the demons with whom they are connected - in dire jeopardy. Determined to thwart this, she heads to the frozen Arctic where she encounters "Scoresby" (Sam Elliott) and helps the dispossessed king of the polar bears "Iorek Byrnison" to reclaim his kingdom before all descend on an heavily guarded secret location where she hopes to free the children from the experiments. Director Chris Weisz has assembled a strong cast, on paper, here - but