The moral to "The Golden Compass" — a coming-of-age tale that takes place in a parallel, rockin' kind of universe where there is no God and people's souls are embodied by animals that frolic at their side and accompany them wherever they go and the general wardrobe scheme is too cool for words — is that fantasy movies can do without morals, thank you very much.
Based on the "His Dark Materials" trilogy: an imaginative, philosophical novel series by Phillip Pullman, "The Golden Compass" plucks you from the yawn-inducing, common-sense world of the everyday to a realm of heightened colors and incredible dangers.
With Einstein-defying nonlogic, this is a world where — if not a deity — someone obviously gets his kicks out of playing dice. Thankfully, the results are more poetically chaotic than cruel, as portrayed by incredible visual effects (that rightfully won an Academy Award).