Watch The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass is an film that is truly underrated, but not by the fault of viewing audiences. The film had many problems within the production company that backed it, but also from the studios and even the Catholic Church launching criticism upon it. The Golden Compass ended up under scrutiny and controversy, most not deserved. This 2007 motion picture was a screen written adaptation of a novel from author Philip Pullman, and was directed by Chris Weitz. The Golden compass storyline centers around the life and adventures had by Lyra Belacqua, who is played by Dakota Blue Richards. Lyra is an orphan, who discovers that children around her are being stolen. In Lyra's world, a powerful group called the Magisterium rules through conspiracy and political intrigue. The Magisterium also seems to be in league with an odd secretive group of people known only as the Gobblers. Lyra comes to understand that the Gobblers and the Magisterium are in league, and both are somehow responsible for the missing children. In Lyra's world, all children have familiar spirits of sorts called daemons. Nicole Kidman plays the strange villain Mrs. Coulter, who befriends and adopts Lyra as her personal assistant. It becomes clear that this is for her own wicked purposes very quickly in the film. Perhaps the best performance is by Sam Elliott, who plays the character named Lee Scoresby. Mr. Scoresby is an outspoken Texas born pilot and astronaut. It is he who accidentally ends up being Lyra's knight in shining armor. He also introduces her to some new friends of the polar bear persuasion, but that is later in the movie. Even before coming to theaters, The Golden Compass received harsh criticism from secular religious groups and the movie industry worldwide. Despite these views, it is clear that the film achieved great movie making, and many major awards that make the case for this.