by Missy Thompson

On very few occasions have I been proven wrong by the statement: The book will always be better than the movie. This comes up time and time again as books are adapted for the screen. "Harry Potter" is a prime example where most can agree the films are nothing in comparison to reading the books and letting imagination take its course. The same can be said for "The Golden Compass."

I finished reading "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman the night before I saw the film so it was still fresh in my mind. I was severely disappointed at how much was given away within the first few moments of the film that would take someone several hundred pages in the book to figure out.

The controversy surrounding "The Golden Compass" is not surprising, as many anti-religious themes are prevalent. Religious leaders who are encouraging their members not to see this film are missing the big picture. The book -- and the movie to an extent -- want readers to question and find out for themselves what is true. The alethiometer, a golden compass that tells the truth, is not only a key plot point for the story, but serves as an underlying theme of discovering what is true for them.

While "The Golden Compass" is a children's book and movie, it has a few adult themes such as kidnapping and violence. What bothered me the most about the movie in comparison with the book is that it "dumbed" everything down. Instead of allowing a child to think for themselves -- like the book so wonderfully does -- it gave all the exposition up front, so thinking and comprehension was not needed. This destroys the beauty of the book.

Even though "The Golden Compass" as a movie doesn't compare to the book, it can be enjoyable if the book hasn't been read first. It will fill children with wonderment and a look into the other world with an innocent and skeptical eye. The characters are wonderful, but the actors are not. It felt as if something was missing from the movie.

In "The Golden Compass," Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) is a mischievous child who enjoys playing with her Gyptian friends. But when her friend Roger (Ben Walker) disappears and a mention of the particle Dust circulates, Lyra becomes suspicious. She is also aware of Gobblers taking children and they never return. After overhearing the Magisterium and Scholars argue about Dust, her uncle, Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), decides it would be a good idea if Lyra spent some time with Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman), a beautiful, rich woman up north.

Lyra and her animal daemon Pantalaimon (voiced by Freddie Highmore) find Mrs. Coulter is a cruel woman who is doing something evil to children. After a quick escape, Lyra and Pantalaimon run into more Gyptians who can be trusted. John Faa (Jim Carter), king of the Gyptians, takes her to meet an armored ice bear Iorek Byrnison (voiced by Ian McKellen), who joins in the brigade to save the children from a mysterious organization.

"The Golden Compass" may have been better left alone as a book. So much happens within the story that by compressing it into an hour-and-a-half movie destroys the impact. It's disappointing that director/screenwriter Chris Weitz felt as if he had to water down the anti-Christian elements. Pullman should be discouraged his wonderful piece of work was mangled in such a way.

missy@tooeletranscript.com

Grade: C+

Rated: PG-13

Time: 93 minutes

Opens Friday