Golden Compass, The

Aroview: Visually magnificent fantasy epic adapted from the first installment in Philip Pullman's controversial "His Dark Materials" trilogy traverses similar thematic terrain to LOTR, that manages to conjure up an altogether more sinister world.

Set in a parallel England, young Lyra is the keeper of the last surviving Golden Compass, a perfect truth machine, feared by the evil Magisterium and sought after by cool, cruel Ms Coulter (Kidman) and the kidnapping Gobblers.

While the CGI effects are rendered impressively well, the film suffers slightly from a lack of real spark, maintaining a decidedly icy tone throughout. Nevertheless, young and old alike will find plenty to enjoyably navigate.

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