GOLDEN COMPASS

I DON'T HAVE THE SPACE OR EXPERTISE TO FRAME THE THEOLOGICALPROBLEMS / ISSUES OF THIS FILM.
THERE IS AN ELEMENT IN THE STORY THAT MIGHT OFFEND CERTAIN DENOMINATIONS, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MUST BE
RESEARCHED / EXPLORED AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN THIS COLUMN.
THE BOOK THIS MOVIE IS MADE FROM IS DESCRIBED AS BEING ANTI-CATHOLIC AND PRO ATHEIST. THERE ARE ELEMENTS IN THE FILM THAT TAKE SHOTS AT WHAT WOULD APPEAR TO BE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
THERE IS NO REFERENCE TO GOD IN THE FILM AT ANYTIME. THE PEOPLE HAVE NO "HIGHER POWER" -- THEY SEEM TO FEEL THAT EACH PERSON IS ON THEIR OWN SPIRITUALLY.
LEAVING THE THEOLOGY TO WISER FOLKS, I WILL DEAL WITH THE MOVIE ITSELF - WHICH IS VERY WELL MADE AND IT DOES A GOOD JOB OF GIVING THE AUDIENCE ENOUGH OF THE PLOT GUIDELINES TO MAKE IT UNDERSTANDABLE.
OFTEN, A FANTASY FILM WILL JUST PLOW AHEAD AND FORGET TO TAKE THE AUDIENCE ALONG FOR THE RIDE.
I CAN'T FOLLOW HARRY POTTER AND I CAN'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING ABOUT LORD OF THE RINGS, SINCE I NEVER COULD WATCH IT BEYOND THE FIRST TWENTY MINUTES OF THE FIRST EPISODE. BOTH OF THESE ARE FINE MOVIES, I JUST NEVER GOT INTO THEM, BUT I WOULD NOT SAY THEIR FOLLOWERS ARE MISGUIDED - I HAVE TO ASSUME ANY MOVIES AS LOVED AS THESE TWO ARE WORTHY OF THAT AFFECTION.
THE TECHNOLOGY IS BRILLIANT. THE BATTLES ARE FIERCE, BUT NOT GORY.
FILM-WISE, THIS MOVIE WILL NOT DISAPPOINT.