After overhearing a shocking secret, precocious orphan Lyra Belacqua trades her carefree existence roaming the halls of Jordan College for an otherworldly adventure in the far North, unaware that it’s part of her destiny.

Credits: TheMovieDb.

Film Cast:

• Marisa Coulter: Nicole Kidman
• Lord Asriel: Daniel Craig
• Lyra Belacqua: Dakota Blue Richards
• Roger Parslow: Ben Walker
• Pantalaimon (voice): Freddie Highmore
• Iorek Byrnison (voice): Ian McKellen
• Serafina Pekkala: Eva Green
• John Faa: Jim Carter
• Farder Coram: Tom Courtenay
• Ragnar Sturlusson (voice): Ian McShane
• Lee Scoresby: Sam Elliott
• First High Councilor: Christopher Lee
• Stelmania (voice): Kristin Scott Thomas
• Second High Councilor: Edward de Souza
• Hester (voice): Kathy Bates
• Fra Pavel: Simon McBurney
• Master: Jack Shepherd
• Mrs. Lonsdale: Magda Szubanski
• Magisterial Emissary: Derek Jacobi
• Ma Coster: Clare Higgins
• Billy Costa: Charlie Rowe
• Tony Costa: Steven Loton
• Kerim Costa: Michael Antoniou
• Jaxer Costa: Mark Mottram
• Bolvangar Doctor: Paul Antony-Barber
• Bolvangar Official: Jason Watkins
• Bolvangar Orderly: Jody Halse
• Sister Clara: Hattie Morahan
• Thorold: John Bett
• Librarian: John Franklyn-Robbins
• Younger Fellow: Jonathan Laury
• Jacob Huismans / Daemon Puppeteer: Tommy Luther
• Passing Scholar: James Rawlings
• Hunt: Joao de Sousa
• Ragnar: Habib Nasib Nader
• Magisterial Officer: Theo Fraser Steele
• Police Captain: Bill Hurst
• Commanding Officer: Elliot Cowan
• Second in Command: Sam Hoare
• Gobbler: Thomas Arnold
• Gobbler: David Garrick
• Gobbler: Brian Nickels
• Gobbler: Gary Kane
• Gyptian Kid: Alfred Harmsworth
• Gyptian Chief: Charles Evanson
• Gyptian Chief: Patrick Cleary
• Gyptian Chief: Tarek Khalil
• Gyptian Chief: Madrios Ohannessian
• Gyptian Chief: Sandra Wolfe
• Fellow: Hewson Osbourne
• Fellow: Albert Kenrick
• Fellow: John Cartier
• Fellow: Chris Abbott
• Tartar Officer: Alexander Mercury
• Samoyed Kidnapper: David Forman
• Giant Gyptian (uncredited): Spencer Wilding
• Witch (uncredited): Caridad Angus

Film Crew:

• Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
• Executive Producer: Mark Ordesky
• Executive Producer: Michael Lynne
• Production Design: Dennis Gassner
• Original Music Composer: Alexandre Desplat
• Director: Chris Weitz
• Executive Producer: Paul Weitz
• Executive Producer: Robert Shaye
• Editor: Anne V. Coates
• Editor: Peter Honess
• Supervising Art Director: Richard L. Johnson
• Art Direction: Andy Nicholson
• Casting: Fiona Weir
• First Assistant Director: Terry Needham
• Sound Designer: Glenn Freemantle
• Sound Designer: Tom Sayers
• Supervising Dialogue Editor: Gillian Dodders
• ADR Supervisor: Lee Herrick
• Foley Editor: Hugo Adams
• Sound Effects Editor: Ben Barker
• Music Editor: Peter Clarke
• ADR Mixer: Robert Deschaine
• Second Unit Director: Vic Armstrong
• Assistant Set Decoration: Fergus Clegg
• Director: Gábor Csupó
• Second Unit Director: Peter MacDonald
• Foley Artist: Nicolas Becker
• Costume Design: Ruth Myers
• Executive Producer: Toby Emmerich
• Novel: Philip Pullman
• Unit Production Manager: Bill Carraro
• Producer: Deborah Forte
• Director of Photography: Henry Braham
• Casting: Lucy Bevan
• Art Direction: Chris Lowe
• Makeup Artist: Nicola Buck
• Makeup Artist: Angela Levin
• Executive Producer: Ileen Maisel
• Executive Producer: Andrew Miano
• Stunt Coordinator: Paul Jennings
• Makeup & Hair: Lesley Smith
• Editor: Kevin Tent
• Makeup Designer: Peter Swords King
• ADR Mixer: Peter Gleaves
• Key Makeup Artist: Janine Schneider
• Scenic Artist: Rohan Harris
• Post Production Supervisor: Michael Solinger
• Assistant Set Decoration: Sophie Newman
• Sound Designer: Andy Kennedy
• Steadicam Operator: George Richmond
• Assistant Costume Designer: Camille Benda
• Foley Recordist: Philippe Amouroux
• Draughtsman: Gavin Fitch
• Costume Supervisor: William McPhail
• Assistant Set Decoration: Lee Sandales
• Draughtsman: Kate Grimble
• Property Master: Barry Gibbs
• Assistant Sound Editor: Danny Freemantle
• Draughtsman: Ashley Winter
• Draughtsman: Matthew Robinson
• Stunt Double: Rowley Irlam
• First Assistant “B” Camera: John Gamble
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Ben Morris
• Dialect Coach: Sandra Frieze
• Assistant Art Director: Helen Xenopoulos
• Camera Operator: Graham Hall
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Mike Prestwood Smith
• Construction Manager: Andy Evans
• Conceptual Design: Constantine Sekeris
• Post Production Supervisor: Sara Romilly
• Second Unit Director: Michael L. Fink
• Electrician: Dean Kennedy
• First Assistant Editor: Tom Harrison-Read
• Production Secretary: Samuel Sharpe
• Makeup & Hair: Paula Price
• Still Photographer: Laurie Sparham
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Bill Westenhofer
• Animation: Sachin Bangera
• Animation: Alexander Fernandes
• Lighting Technician: Howard R. Campbell
• Lighting Artist: Justin Hammond
• Dialect Coach: Roisin Carty
• ADR Recordist: Rachael Tate
• Script Supervisor: Nikki Clapp
• Unit Publicist: Susan d’Arcy
• ADR Mixer: Nick Kray
• Electrician: Lou Bogue
• Special Effects Supervisor: Trevor Wood
• Additional Editing: Martin Corbett
• Armorer: Jon Baker
• Armorer: Nick Jeffries
• Second Assistant “A” Camera: Alan Hall
• Unit Production Manager: Nik Korda
• Concept Artist: Cyrille Nomberg
• Makeup & Hair: Tamsin Dorling
• Foley Recordist: Damien Lazzerini
• Storyboard Artist: Temple Clark
• Concept Artist: Virginie Bourdin
• Second Unit First Assistant Director: David Daniels
• Pilot: Frédéric North
• Second Assistant Director: William Dodds
• Second Unit First Assistant Director: Tommy Gormley
• Colorist: Mel Kangleon
• Storyboard Artist: Chris Baker
• Draughtsman: Tim Browning
• Key Grip: Gary Hymns
• Wardrobe Master: Laura Ergis
• Boom Operator: Tristan Tarrant
• Concept Artist: Neil Campbell Ross
• Seamstress: Emma Brown
• Armorer: Damian Mitchell
• Second Unit First Assistant Director: Edward Brett
• Makeup Artist: Julia Wilson
• Assistant Editor: Russell Pawson
• Art Department Coordinator: Tamazin Simmonds
• Draughtsman: Charlotte Leatherland
• Draughtsman: Alice Biddle
• Concept Artist: Dan Walker
• Second Assistant Director: Richard Goodwin
• Second Assistant “B” Camera: Ben Perry
• First Assistant “A” Camera: Kenny Groom
• Focus Puller: György Vesztergombi
• Concept Artist: Lee Oliver
• Production Accountant: Emma Bendell
• Scenic Artist: Satarupa Bradley
• Storyboard Artist: Giles Asbury
• Storyboard Artist: Jonathan Millward
• Concept Artist: Sevendalino Khay
• Assistant Director: Iain Lawrence
• Seamstress: Lisa Robinson
• Second Second Assistant Director: Kim Whittaker
• Fight Choreographer: Douglas Bunn
• Post Production Coordinator: Jolyon Haverson
• Production Coordinator: Veronika Dobos
• Stunts: Richard Wu
• Studio Teacher: Esther Davis
• Makeup & Hair: Nuala McArdle
• Concept Artist: Linda Bergkvist
• Conceptual Design: Greg Spalenka
• Draughtsman: Ruth Wallington
• Construction Coordinator: Zoe Wilson
• Stunt Double: Sophie Tommy
• Generator Operator: Barry Bellotti
• Electrician: Colin Gallagher
• Electrician: Tony Hannington
• Electrician: Ben Suter
• Seamstress: Jennifer Alford
• Seamstress: Elizabeth Harrison
• Seamstress: Harriet Johnson
• Seamstress: Elaine Mansouri
• Seamstress: Louise Mills
• Pilot: Franz Cotting
• Pilot: Roger Eide
• Production Coordinator: Emily Glatter
• Production Accountant: Aniko Hegedus
• Studio Teacher: Mari Smith
• Set Medic: Jeannie Udall

Movie Reviews:

• CinemaSerf: Philip Pullman novels are always dark and intricate – and they don’t necessarily make a great deal of sense in isolation – so adapting them for the screen was likely to be a tough ask. This story centres around the young “Lyra” (Dakota Blue Richards) who overhears some sinister plotting by the “Magisterium” that could put the lives of other children – and the demons with whom they are connected – in dire jeopardy. Determined to thwart this, she heads to the frozen Arctic where she encounters “Scoresby” (Sam Elliott) and helps the dispossessed king of the polar bears “Iorek Byrnison” to reclaim his kingdom before all descend on an heavily guarded secret location where she hopes to free the children from the experiments. Director Chris Weisz has assembled a strong cast, on paper, here – but they don’t really add much to what is an increasingly sterile story full of imaginative and impressive visual effects, but is remarkably devoid of engaging characterisations. Richards is fine, indeed given that she probably spent much of her time acting against a blue screen, she fairs quite well but Daniel Craig isn’t on screen often/long enough to make much impact, nor is the conniving “Mrs. Coulter” (Nicole Kidman) used to anything like enough of an extent to exude much menace. Her adventures are well put together but are too episodic to knit the whole story together very well before a denouement that clearly illustrated that this story is part of a series and that more was yet to come in a sequel – if we were to make enough sense of the continuing dynamic. It’s also rather wordy, too, which paired with the manner in which Weitz has decided to present this leaves it all just a bit dry, dull even. Great looking, though…!