Lyra Belacqua is a precocious young girl who finds herself in the possession of the Golden Compass, a magical instrument that will decide not only the fate of her own world but that of the universe. A fantastical adventure where witches rule the skies and warrior polar bears roam the planet The Golden Compass is adapted from Philip Pullman's ‘Northern Lights' and though a visual spectacle it has not made the transition comfortably; a mess of a story that lacks coherence and a ruthlessly open ended finale that makes you feel like you've just watched a very long opening credit. An enjoyable kid's film perhaps, but it had the potential for rather more.