the golden compass

i have three words for the movie: fucking big disappointment.

in more words: the director, chris weitz, should be crucified. i mean, literally, with a wooden cross and nails and stuff. the books are awesome - among the best sf&f i've ever read. but the movie adaptation is crappy, to say the least. too many important scenes were cut. too many scenarios were left out. too many wrong adaptations were made. for fuck's sake: to start with, lyra does not meet serafina pekkala in the gyptian boat; the gyptians never took their women to war; the svalbard episode follows the events in bolvangar, not the other way 'round; and the ending.... oh my fucking god, what the hell was that all about?

of course, there are good things about the movie. the dæmons have very well made, both when they morph and when they die. the bears are very good, especially iorek and his armour. the scenarios are good and all. but the first half of the movie runs in fast forward, and some moments completely ruin the plot. the most silly example: mrs. coulter does not borrow lyra from the master of jordan. and i could go on like this for the rest of the evening.

remember the adaptation of the lord of the rings? three very good movies that, in my opinion, are a good adaptation of the books. and why? because it makes sense. the characters are defined and the plot was ingenious. the golden compass is the exact opposite - a bad adaptation of a great story. shame, shame. and the director said in an interview he wanted this to be as epic as the lord of the rings? yeah, right. keep dreaming, pal.

still, if they make a movie out of the subtle knife and the amber spyglass, i will definetely see them. the first movie has so many holes in the story that i'm really curious to see what more crap they're making up.