One Paragraph Review: The Golden Compass

This was visually an amazing movie. Very well done. Beyond that, however, the movie felt like less than the sum of its parts. The world and lore is engaging, but the whole thing just doesn't seem to click. There were so many characters, landscapes and plot developments that you never really got much depth to any of it. I really could have done with 1/3 less the characters and without the feeling that the movie really wanted to be Lord of the Rings. I realize it's part of a trilogy, but I felt a bit cheated by having so much storyline but so little of it being resolved. All in all though, it was a good way to spend two hours. And it was sure pretty.