Author Philip Pullman will doubtless be delighted - and relieved - to learn that The Golden Compass has been given the golden seal of approval by Oxford audiences.

The movie opened today across the country and, at least in Oxford, the first audience to see the epic production were unanimous in their praise of it.

Starring James Bond star Daniel Craig, ex-Mrs Tom Cruise Nicole Kidman and a host of other famous names - Ian McKellen, Tom Courtenay, Ian McShane, Derek Jacobi, Kathy Bates and Christopher Lee - the film was shot in and around Oxford.

Jeremy Smith, entertainments editor of the Oxford Mail, who joined the first screening at the Odeon cinema, in Magdalen Street, said reviews elsewhere had been mixed.

He added: "Some critics are praising it to the roof, while others have been noticeably less kind. Certainly, not so many months ago, media pundits were predicting the film would be a disaster, but then after several re-shoots of major scenes and many more millions of dollars spent on the film's special effects, the vibe noticeably changed.

"So, it's been fascinating to see who was right, and how cinema-goers themselves, many fans of the wildly successful books, have greeted this hugely expensive film."

According to tourism bosses in the city, the film could give Oxford's economy a £15m boost, with visitor numbers expected to break the 10m mark in 2008.

Mr Pullman has already said he likes the movie interpretation of his books and hopes "lots of people in Oxford do go and see it".

Packed with special effects, the film is expected to compete with the Harry Potter series, which have done brisk business at the box office for the past six years.

And there are also comparisons with the Lord of The Rings trilogy which skilfully re-introduced audiences to the fantasy genre.