The Golden Compass - Not for Children Under 16-Years-Old

Are you Kidding me? Not a movie for children.This review contains spolier material!

3 out of 5 stars

Let me begin by saying I have read so many different reviews about the Golden Compass that we took our children (6 years old and 9 years old) with reservations about the movie possibly being too much for small children. Maybe we were irresponsible in doing so as most PG-13 movies aren't really that violent. The Golden Compass was rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence.

There is a lot to be said for fantasy in this day and age. With animation being as real as it has become in film, I think anytime you see a mass battle of people killing each other in detail (i.e. Brave Heart, The Golden Compass, etc.) that it would be considered real violence. Fantasy violence would be the Roadrunner getting hit on the head by Wiley Coyote with a large cartoon hammer. What has happened to our sense of reality? We have become so in-sensed with violence in our country that real violence even animated is just fantasy. Isn't all violence in movies just fantasy?

What I'm looking for is someone to give us honest information about a movie for kids that let's us know to what degree the violence is displayed graphically. This is by no means a kids movie or story. It is a very dark story that is fiction. Perfectly suited for adults who enjoy dark themes.

The Golden Compass is not an appropriate children's movie hence the rating of PG-13 : Parents strongly cautioned. The only problem with this rating system is that it is far too broad and characterizes so many varied films that some would be appropriate and many would not be.

Although the actors did a fine job of acting in their respective parts, the movie was meant for mature audiences. The special effects were great, the conceptualized end result is a picture of average brilliance. The characters are not well developed, and the visual treats seem to carry the movie. It almost seemed like it was very important to get the movie made as the overall message seemed to force dark themes down our throats at every turn. There is a spot in the middle of the movie where the Polar bears fight and one of two main fighters get their entire jaw ripped off in violent detail. Does that sound like the cartoon Polar bears our children are used to seeing. Reality tells us that Polar bears are actually very wild animals that can be vicious when necessary. They are a wild bear after all. My children understand that quite clearly without having to see the gory details of that reality shoved immediately in front of their wide open innocent eyes.

I feel like the marketing of the movie did a bait and switch on us. I was under the impression it was like Narnia, The lion, The Witch,
and the Wardrobe. It turned out it is NOT a family friendly movie.

I hope that the future holds some better information for parents regarding the new media that is out there. It seems we are hell bent on getting violence and darkness in front of our children's eyes at any cost.

I take responsibility for being foolish enough not to trust my own judgment in taking my children to see this movie. I hope you are not as foolish