Okay - after reading your review I'll have to get the book and read it quick like a bunny so I can then see the film - or would it be okay to see the film, while it's still on the big screen, first?
Either way I WILL read the book (and probably wouldn’t have otherwise.)

Suzette--read the book first! It's so good.

Alison, now I can't wait to see the movie. Thanks for letting me know it isn't a waste of 2 hours.

I just finished the book on Wedneday morning and can't wait to see the film. READ it, it won't take you that long (my copy has 398 pages) and you will have such an advantage when seeing the movie. I will NEVER see a movie without reading the book first again. Since "Fellowship of the Rings" Frodo IS Elijah Wood and as much as I loved him and the trilogy, I would rather have my own impression of the setting and characters rather envisioning the film after the fact. Anyway, as we all know the book is always better than the movie and that's the way it SHOULD be!

I'm so jealous that you've already seen it. I live in a little town in Northern CA and the first show today is at 4:15. I can't wait! Amy (find out about my children's fantasy book at wozabooks)

So...for all of you who have seen the film and/or read the book, what is your take on the controversy surrounding this movie? Does it have a bad message? Is it anti-God? Or, is all the talk just hype like the Harry Potter hoopla when those books first came out?

Saw the movie yesterday and agree wholeheartedly with youre review. If a second movie is made, keeping my fingers crossed that it will be, they'll have to find some way to show what was cruely left out before introducing will.

Loved the movie and this review sums it up pretty well for me. I don't know how the non-book reading viewership will find it to follow (and I fear that book 3 is unfilmable) but I was so happy to see it all up there, so close to what I had imagined. I loved it. Sad to say, I think the coordinated attack campaigns are keeping crowds down.

Felicity,
The author is an athiest who has been quoted as saying his purpose for writing the books was "to kill God". And he targeted his message at children. That's not the same as having an author write a story and having other interpret her words (a la JK Rowling's Harry Potter). Make your own mind up, but the author has made no bones about his message or his reason for writing it.

Loved the movie. My non-book reading husband liked the movie but thought everything was wrapped up a little too neatly at the end. I tend to agree but still loved it.

Anonymous & Felicity, Here's how Philip Pullman responded to accusations that his books "promote atheism" in a Nov. 2nd interview on "The Today Show": "In the world of the story — Lyra’s world — there is a church that has acquired great political power, rather in the way that some religions in our world have done at various times, and still do (think of the Taliban in Afghanistan). My point is that religion is at its best — it does most good — when it is farthest away from political power, and that when it gets hold of the power to (for example) send armies to war or to condemn people to death, or to rule every aspect of our lives, it rapidly goes bad. Sometimes people think that if something is done in the name of faith or religion, it must be good. Unfortunately, that isn’t true; some things done in the name of religion are very bad. That was what I was trying to describe in my story... As for the atheism, it doesn’t matter to me whether people believe in God or not, so I’m not promoting anything of that sort. What I do care about is whether people are cruel or whether they’re kind, whether they act for democracy or for tyranny, whether they believe in open-minded enquiry or in shutting the freedom of thought and expression. Good things have been done in the name of religion, and so have bad things; and both good things and bad things have been done with no religion at all. What I care about is the good, wherever it comes from." You can watch the full interview on the MSNBC website.

Niki, Jean, & Cathy, I'm so glad to hear that you guys enjoyed the movie too! Jean, I was intrigued by your remark about book 3 potentially being "unfilmable." I've been wondering about that, too. I think it'll either look amazing or amazingly bad! I can imagine that the land of the dead might look remarkable, but the mulefa?? I just don't know...

Respectfully, Shelf Talker, Mr. Pullman speaks directly to specifics, not religious intolerance in general, when he is quoted in the Washington Post in 2001 saying "I'm trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief." And in the Sydney Herald when he was quoted: "My books are about killing God." In one of these ostensibly children's books, a character says "The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all." Mr. Pullman isn't concerned about religion going bad, he is on his own crusade against God and is using children to do it.

Alison, thanks for the excellent review! I can't wait to see the movie, and I appreciate your comments about where it differs (sometimes necessarily so) from the book. I also appreciated the "cheese warning" and consider myself appropriately mentally prepared!

Over here in New Zealand, we have to wait until December 26 to see this! Definitely looking forward to it, although I wonder whether the book trilogy will make an effective film trilogy? I was not alone in loving the first book, liking the second book and hating the third book (I find being preached at by an atheaist fanantic is just as annoying as being preached at by a religious fanatic)- although I know others thought the third book was brilliant...

I think you did a fabulous job with your review. Exactly the same weak points I saw with the movie. I was let down after such a build up with the trailers.
(I've read all three books, and although I definitely agree to there being an edge, I don't believe it to be anti-God. Mostly anti-establishment.)
Thanks for such a concise review.

I am an atheist. I saw the 1st Narnia movie, read the book, gritted my teeth at the parts I found objectionable, and remained polite. I did not boycott the movie or tell other people they shouldn't see it because I didn't agree with its philosophy (even though I found it somewhat offensive).

I wish believers of all stripes would extend the same courtesy to this new movie.

From reading the books, I conclude Pullman is a decent person with clear moral values. People who have not read the books should not assume they know what his beliefs are based on religious smear campaigns. The books and movies should be appreciated for their own merits, not on whether they conform to a certain group's beliefs or not. If he disagrees with you, the more you need to read the book and find out why before you attack it. The poster(s) in this list who talked about "killing God" clearly had not read the books, only about them, and should not have commented until they found out more (or at least read the books).

This shouldn't even have to be said.

I thought the movies were stunning visually and not nearly as profound and troubling as the books. All movies sacrifice richness for narrative clarity and concision. I never like that sacrifice, and here I liked it less than in the other fantasy movies of recent years. But visually -- wow! I loooooved the bears. Bears seem to be the animal of the moment, what with fears for polar bears due to global warming, etc. "Grizzly Man", anyone?

As a fan of the Golden Compass Series I went to the film with low expectations. The Lion the Witch and Wardrobe really was a disappointment so I didn't have high hopes on this. But I loved it. You should read the book first. It really offers a deeper explanation of the daemons and the role they play in pullman's character's lives. Please let's not make this great children's series a religious debate. A dose of "read it and then decide" should be perscribed to all those out there that have made their decisions to censor these beautifully written books based on what "someone else" says.