'Compass' spins slick effects with little drama

Not since David Lynch's "Dune" has there been an extravagant fantasy so front-loaded with exposition that you feel like taking notes in case there's a quiz at the end.

Characters in Chris Weitz's ambitious, special-effects-stuffed fantasy "The Golden Compass" spend an inordinate amount of time explaining what they're doing, who the people are and announcing the names of the places when they arrive as if they were train conductors.

This unwieldy adaptation of Philip Pullman's best-selling children's book receives half-inspired direction from screenwriter Weitz, who seldom digs beneath the gleaming surface of the sleek special effects and cool, fantastic scenery.

But cool and fantastic they are, and the sheer imagination poured into these elaborate, otherworldly realms easily compensates for its dramatic drawbacks.

The story, set in a mythic universe along the lines of a "Chronicles of Narnia" or "The Lord of the Rings," centers around a strong-willed 12-year-old orphan named Lyra Belacqua (newcomer Dakota Blue Richards). She is another one of those "the ones" popular in prophecy movies such as "The Matrix."

Lyra discovers she has the uncanny ability to read the last known golden compass, called an Aletheometer, which enables her to see pure truth by dialing it up.

All other compasses have been confiscated by the dreaded government, called the Magisterium, which doesn't bother to camouflage its campaign to control the actions and very thoughts of its citizens and their daemons.

Yep. In this otherworld, characters have CGI animal counterparts called daemons that go everywhere with them and often chat with them. The daemons (still pronounced "demons") can shape-shift, up until the human becomes mature, then the daemons take on a permanent form.

The government has started a secret campaign to seize children and cut them away from their daemons, an obvious metaphor for their souls. Spunky Lyra stumbles onto their scheme, led by the beautiful Mrs. Coulter (a very icy Nicole Kidman).

The Magisterium has put out a hit on Lyra's uncle, Lord Asriel (erstwhile 007 Daniel Craig), who has discovered a magical element called "dust" that can unlock the doorway between the various dimensions of the universe.

When Mrs. Coulter insists on taking Lyra with her on a government mission to the north, Lyra goes but quickly runs afoul of the rules and winds up on her own in a strange and menacing world.

As she travels, Lyra picks up allies in characters such as the cowboy-inspired aeronaut Lee Scoresby (reliable Sam Elliott), a flying archer/witch named Sarafina (Eva Green) and an armored bear named Iorek (voiced by Ian McKellen), who gives up the booze to redeem himself by helping little Lyra in her quest.

Presumably, all the details of this tale will be tied together in the next two movies, based on Pullman's celebrated trilogy - providing they get produced.

Unlike the three "Lord of the Rings" movies shot back to back, New Line Cinema has opted to see if this one flies before committing to parts two and three.

"The Golden Compass" has come under attack from groups charging the story is "anti-God." In this first movie at least, the theme appears less religious and more political in an Orwellian, "1984" way.

Besides, how seriously can you take a movie where a group of CGI polar bears gathers around to watch a fight, and you keep expecting them all to suddenly whip out a frosty bottle of Coca-Cola to the tune of "It's the Real Thing"?

"The Golden Compass"

2½ stars out of four

Starring:

Nicole Kidman as Mrs. Coulter

Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra

Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel

Sam Elliott as Lee Scoresby

With Eva Green, Kathy Bates, Christopher Lee, Ian McKellen and Kristin Scott Thomas.

Written and directed by Chris Weitz; based on the book by Philip Pullman. Produced by Deborah Forte and Bill Carraro. A New Line Cinema release. Rated PG-13 (violence). Running time: 118 minutes.