The plot seems simple enough-a story about good versus evil. The real complexity behind The Golden Compass (New Line Cinema, Dec. 7) lies in one question: Is the evil in the film actually meant to represent something else?
Some are pegging Golden Compass as the next Lord of the Rings, a movie trilogy based off of a series of popular fantasy novels. Golden Compass even has the name recognition that LOTR did, with Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig and Sir Ian McKellen-another reason for the comparison. What sets Golden Compass apart, however, is the controversy surrounding the movie.
Outspoken atheist Philip Pullman wrote the trilogy His Dark Materials-of which Golden Compass is a part-which became best-sellers in the United Kingdom.
The story follows 12-year-old protagonist Lyra as she travels to an alternate universe where everyone has a spiritual animal known as a daemon that follows them, acting as guide. While in the alternate universe, Lyra receives a golden compass that is sought after by many, driving the plot of the stories.
In an attempt to make the film less controversial, director Chris Weitz has made some changes to the premise of the first novel, which is already considered to be the least controversial of the three.
In the novel, the evil organization dominating the world is known as “the church,” whereas in the film, that same organization is known as the “Magisterium,” a controversial topic in and of itself. Magisterium is a term for Catholic authority.
Another controversial matter does not occur until the third novel, when a character by the name of God-who is later proven to be a false god-is killed. Though it is unknown whether or not Golden Compass will be popular enough to lead the way to an entire series of movies, some are worried that marketing the film to children will make young readers more likely to pick up the novels.
“I definitely think that, for a child, [movies] can have an impact,” said Director of Campus Ministry Lisa Reiter. “A child of 5 years old, however, is very different from a child of 13 [or older] . It’s the responsibility of the parent to watch the film with their child and answer their questions.”
Catholic League President Bill Donohue has been among the most outspoken with his feelings about the movie. Donohue is in favor of a boycott of the movie.
“Atheism for kids. That’s what Philip Pullman sells,” Donohue said to the Los Angeles Times.
Despite the controversies surrounding the book series, its fans stand by the literary works.
“I can see where the controversies come from,” said sophomore Ashley Benson, who has been reading the series since she was in the sixth grade. “I don’t feel that The Golden Compass warrants as much controversy as, say, the second and third installments in the His Dark Materials trilogy … I think that if you present a book in a way that emphasizes the controversy around it, it will influence the readers because they will be looking for the bad things instead of forming their own opinion about them.”
Regarding the possible boycotts, Reiter said that she believed it should be up to the individual whether or not to view the movie.
“I very much come from a viewpoint that involves forming one’s own opinions,” Reiter said. “That goes for reading a book, watching a film, visiting a provocative art exhibit . It’s all part of a Jesuit education . We can be receptive to values that we hold and to values different from the ones we hold.”
All controversies and complexities aside, Golden Compass has already achieved success in the United Kingdom, grossing $1.9 million on its opening day, Wednesday, Dec. 5. Similar success is expected in the United States, even with the questions surrounding the film.
