Genre: Fantasy
Starring: Dakota Blue Richards, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliot
Rated: PG-13 (scenes of fantasy violence)
Length: 118 minutes
Plot:  In a parallel world everything is run by a group called the Magistarium which demands total obedience for the sake of peace.  When children start to disappear a young girl is caught up in an adventure to rescue one of her friends.  She is aided by her demon (another word for animal familiar), a group of “free thinking” gypsies, a talking bear, and other assorted characters.Personal Thoughts:  The Chronicles of Narnia for atheists.  I knew going into the movie that Philip Pullman has it out for religion and God.  When The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe came out I heard complaints that it was just quoting the bible.  I found comfort in this because the message was not missed.  While Narnia is unashamedly Christian this is unashamedly anti-God and religion.  To be honest, I would have to say that if people are going to complain about Narnia having an agenda then I can complain about this agenda and still honor the right for it to be vocalized.
The movie itself was only okay.  It just didn’t grasp me.  The imagination was not all that it could have been and there were many similarities to Narnia; just in reverse.  Wardrobe has the White Witch as the antagonist.  She is seeking to retain control over Narnia, keep it winter, and keep people from being free.  She believes a lie but has convinced herself it is the truth.  In Compass, the “White Witch” is an extension of the Magistarium which represents the Church.  In this case, she is trying to keep people enslaved to the Magistarium which knows it is hiding the truth but is afraid of losing its control over people.  Kidnapped children are taken to the North Pole where they are brainwashed to believe the Magistarium.  Eternal winter is in both movies.The Aslan parallel in Compass was the armored bear who binds himself to Lyra (the main character).  He is the King of his people but is in exile and he travels north the girl to protect her and reclaim his throne.
I found it interesting that Pullman still insists that there is a truth in the universe.  The Golden Compass is a devise that can be used to determine truth once a person knows how to read it.  The Magistarium wants to destroy the object because of this.  It would reveal that they are suppressing the truth.  People who follow them are deluded and those who question it are “free thinkers” and therefore threats.
The “demons” were an interesting touch in story.  Everyone has one and they work as companions and guides in the tale.  A few interesting symbols that I saw were that one member of the Magistarium’s demon was a serpent and another, who worked with children, had a praying mantis as his demon.  The idea expressed being this group is evil and out to prey on people.  Overall I can see why Christians were upset at this movie.  I can handle most insults but this was pretty bad.  I will not deny the right of the film makers to create the film but at the same time this is no innocent children’s story.  It is very clearly attacking religion.  It teaches that if you follow the authority (read religion) they you are selling your soul into slavery.  The only way to find the truth, according to this movie, is to reject the authority and do what you want.I have found that there is an equal amount of group thinking outside the church.  A true free thinker would examine the claims of scripture and arrive at their own conclusion.  There is authority in the world and that cannot be denied.  Where one chooses to submit to that authority is another matter.    Of course, Pullman destroys his own premise when the exiled bear king wins back his throne.  He stands and shouts, “Who is your King?!”  to which all the other bears acknowledge his authority without a second thought.  So much for free thinking.
Recommend?:  I would not say I recommend it, but if you do watch it, watch it with discernment.