I just finished reading The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman and it was one of my favorite books I've read this year. Since this book has been made into a movie, I decided it was a good time to watch it since the story was fresh in my mind. What was I thinking? I can see why the movies never took off. Sadness...
All the good parts of the book were jam packed into the movie, but all the good parts don't do you any good without the nitty gritty. You need all that dirt to give background to the story, without it, its dead and bland. If I hadn't already read the book, I would have never understood the movie. My poor husband was completely lost. At several points in the movie, I had to give him back story that wasn't included, just so he could keep up.
And lets not forget the ending. The book left you on a cliffhanger, but it was a wrapped up, neat little package that left you feeling fulfilled, but wanting more. The movie on the other hand cut the story short and left you wondering what the hell happened to one of the key characters. And to make it worse, there was never a second movie to answer those unanswered questions that left you hanging for no reason.
The characters should have been the main focus, but they all seemed shallow and random. Its was like, here is one guy and he randomly introduces the main little girl to some other guy whom she automatically trusts without any context. OMG, there is a big bear and.. guess what?... he pledges his life to the little girl for no reason... It was so wrong.
I think that there was too much in the book that it couldn't all fit into the movie without missing something. That or, the writer/director was way over his head and should have left this book alone.
Book, five stars, movie two stars. If you are going to watch the movie, read the book first. You will know whats going on a whole lot better.
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