The Philip Pullman books are known for their darkness and complexity—they aren’t always easy to grasp on their own—so bringing them to film was bound to be challenging. The narrative follows the young Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards), who stumbles upon a dangerous scheme by the Magisterium that threatens children and their linked spirits. Driven to stop it, she journeys to the Arctic, where she meets Scoresby (Sam Elliott) and assists the exiled polar bear king Iorek Byrnison in regaining his throne, before everyone moves toward a heavily protected place where Lyra intends to rescue the children from some kind of experimentation. Director Chris Weitz gathered what looked like a talented group of actors, but they don’t elevate what becomes an increasingly lifeless story filled with visually striking and inventive effects, yet lacking compelling characters. Richards does okay; considering she likely spent much time performing in front of a blue screen, she manages well enough. Daniel Craig doesn't appear frequently or for long enough to make a significant impression, and Nicole Kidman’s scheming Mrs. Coulter isn’t utilized sufficiently to convey any real threat. The story segments are competently constructed but feel too disconnected to create a cohesive whole before the ending makes it obvious that this is part of an ongoing saga and more will be revealed later—provided audiences can piece together what's happening. It also feels overly long, and combined with Weitz’s directorial choices, this contributes to a somewhat lifeless quality; it’s even a bit boring. It certainly looks good, though...!

Source on TMDB