Rated: PG
Running Time: 2 hours, 22 minutes
Tabitha's Rating:***.5/5
Synopsis: Based on the ultra popular book series, this movie is based directly on the first book about a boy at a wizard's school.
First of all, let me make it clear that I have not read any of the Harry Potter books. So this review is based soley on what I thought of the story as a movie. Although many adults came to see it, this movie is aimed at children. So why is it so freakin long? I can sit many times through such movies as Titanic and Gone With the Wind, but I was getting seriously bored. The special effects were not enough to keep me interested for so long, and children have an even shorter attention span. The problem was, as I understand it from those who have read the book, practically nothing was taken from the novel. It's popularity obviously had the director fearing the public would be upset if anything was left out. In a book, many directions and storylines can be taken one after the other, as long as it keeps the central theme. But in a children's movie, there needs to be a central plot, a beginning, middle and end. The movie takes too long getting through the beginning which involves all the extra details from the book that could have been left out for the movie, before it finally gets to the middle. The middle of the movie introduces the plot with the sorcerer's stone (oh thats what they have been trying to get at for so long!).
The actors chosen for the parts were for the most part, well selected. The little girl was very cute. As for the lead of Harry Potter, he could have been better. His facial expressions were unconvincing. Meaning, his emotions seemed too flat. He doesn't seem to astonsished or surprised at anything, and yet the movie is filled with things too be shocked at. Maybe he will improve sometime in the -dear god no- next 5 sequels.
OKay, some good things. The story is filled with interesting concepts like running through walls, flying, unicorns and baby dragons. The credit for all that goes to the author, who has a terrific imagine. And the moviemakes did a great job in making the words come to life. The story is great, definately more interesting for older people than mose kid flicks, but is just a bit too long. I really do not think there would be so much buzz and record breaking box office numbers if it werent for the book. The books get children to read, and that is wonderful. Perphaps they deserve the buzz, I am just not convinced the movie does.
