{mosimage} First of the three movies based on fiction writer Philip Pulman´s epic trilogy.
New Line Cinema studio is back with another fantasy trilogy (after Lord of the Rings). But this time, although also visually shocking, the essence from the books has been partly lost. Ingredients are good, the cast has been meticulously chosen and Nicole Kidman as Marisa Coulter, Dakota Blue Richards as young Lyra or Daniel Craig in the couple of moments he is on screen as Lord Asriel look perfect in their roles, but the result tastes insipid.
Nonetheless, the pace of the action seems a bit forced, like if things are pushed to happen around the film without a natural explanation, and in the end the adult spectator gets bored and the final is too predictable. A couple of glorious moments like the battle of the armored polar bears to become the king or the nice introduction of Oxford´s Jordan College where Lyra studies get melt with a product and a failed script that turns too much artificial and is not able to capture the magic of the original books.
By the way, the Finnish spectators will find a curious wink to their culture, since Eva Green´s witch character is named Serafina Pekkala (does it ring a bell such a surname?).
Let´s wait if the following parts of the trilogy improve the general result. For the moment, surely the children will enjoy the display and plasticity of scenario and characters, but for the rest, it will be difficult to forget that Lord of the Rings is still our favorite fiction trilogy.
Rating 3/5.