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Then I learned of the author’s militant atheism. I waffled.
Then I read the reviews that say most of the anti-religious tone
was not very readily apparent, because the movie was poorly done
and disjointed.

If the anti-religious tone is not readily apparent...
that's likely done ON PURPOSE.
So the general public (at least in the USA) will think it's
"This Holiday Season's 'Narnia'"
If "The Golden Compass" wasn't an stealth advance guard for evangelical atheism,
mainstream film critics would be dismissing it with a sniff and
mutttering "how derivative" as they gave it Two Thumbs Down.

"The Golden Compass" is a Trojan Horse, or more readily,
a "Cash Cow" that MUST succeed in order to get the $$$$$ from
boxoffice, thus allowing the Hollywood "greenlighting" of the
second film in the series.
Thus the clear atheistic themes in the source book by Pullman
HAD to go into hiding...at least to get $$$$$ to continue into
a series of films.

Pullman, the film-makers, actors/crew and the publishing houses
really need this to succeed financially.

And . . . the sales of the books will go up because of the movie (essentially cross-marketing no ironic pun intended). That’s a big chunk of the evil of this even if the film is less aggressive in its athiesm and its attacks on Christ.

If "The Golden Compass" wasn't an stealth advance guard for evangelical atheism, mainstream film critics would be dismissing it with a sniff and mutttering "how derivative" as they gave it Two Thumbs Down.

I disagree. The LOTR was heardled by critics in all three films. The story is from, Tolkien, a known devout Catholic, that converted C.S. Lewis to Christianity. The story is about the pure destruction caused of evil. About absolutes, (the ring WILL corrupt you).

The third film in the series was nominated for as many Academy awards as any movie ever, and won best picture.

My bet is that the Golden Compass won't even be nominated. And I don't think it will even be a financial success. I mean watch the trailer, it's just simply awful. And that's supposedly the best parts to entice you to go see it.