The Golden Compass - A Movie Review - Part I

I've started watching it, and even though I haven't finished I have some thoughts. Most of the dialogue so far is expository: what the world is, how the universe works, who each of the groups mentioned are and a complete dictionary full of weird new terms used, which serve no purpose at all, etc. That is a lot of exposition to sit thru for so little characterization. Most of the actors feel wasted (Chris Lee?)

The story seems to be about a kidnapping and a rescue. Do we really need all those earlier things explained? They are unnecessary and should be cut out.

You wanna see how it's done? See Howl's Moving Castle, for example. Another universe with different laws, visually beautiful, but does not waste any time in this exposition, instead, it focuses on the characters, and even though one character (Howl himself!) fails the rest make up for it.

In Harry Potter and Narnia (or other similar movies) we also have a lot of exposition, but it is justified, because Harry and the Pevensies are being introduced to a new world/universe, thus they stand in for the viewer.
In this world all dialogue feels artificial because characters are constantly explaining to one another what words mean, what things are, and how they operate, things that should be taken for granted by people who've lived there their whole lives!
If the dialogue was written this way (taking all of this for granted,) it would explain less or at least in a slower manner, but it'd be more effective, because, really, we don't need any of these explanations, as they have nothing to do with the basic suspense generating premise (the kidnapping)!

Why treat the story as a mystery? Isn't it enough that we are discovering a new universe? Do we also need a mystery within it to make it even more interesting?

Why cheat to the audience into thinking the kids are enemies (or in danger from each other,) while using terms the audience does not yet understand ("gobblers") only to learn a few minutes later that it is only play, and that there really are gobblers in the story, but these are not them, the danger actually lies somewhere else? The kids are not the gobblers, but are playing at being gobblers. The real gobblers are actually another group, which we've yet to meet! Why have the mom urgently try to stop the kids from this play, if she knows it is only play, even if the audience does not yet know it?

This endless audience manipulation does not work, here or in any other movie. I resent it and probably other audience members do. And it works even less when it is pointlessly used, why do we need to think that these kids might be a threat?

The use of the word "daemon" is unfortunate and unwise. Yes, some of us know the difference, but most will be confused.
Why not use something like "Dopple" instead? Any word would have done.

But anyway, the concept is weak, having two vulnerable connected bodies does not make sense. Why would I want my soul to be trapped in a small bird or mouse? I would think that people would not live very long in this universe ("oops! sorry, I stepped on your mouse, o wait, you're already dead",) unless they were able to strengthen their souls early in their childhood.

Some of the other concepts also do not make sense, and we just have to accept them.

Why are there bandits in a snowy waste, where nobody in their right mind would travel? Who do they live off? Why call them bandits at all?

Oh, we call them bandits because we want the audience to know they are evil...

Why are there polar bears warriors? Isn't it sorta established in the beginning that this is somewhat of a peaceful and prosperous world? Where is the war taking place?

How useful can a polar bear be as a warrior (even if he is armored,) when you've got plenty of technology which renders the concept of an armored warrior obsolete?

People stopped wearing armor as soon as gunpowder was invented. Doesn't the writer have any idea of this? He must, because at the point where the bear is surrounded by people with guns no one bothers to shoots him.

Isn't a polar bear limited by geography? Why not have him be simply a giant or an ogre or troll of some kind?

Oh, we have bear warriors, because they are cool, and marketable and good Coke pushers, and we might need them later on...

I'll have more comments when I finish the movie...

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