Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane,
Alan Rickman, Julie Walters, Richard Griffiths, Ian Hart, John Hurt, John Cleese.
Directed by Chris Columbus.
Harry Potter's parents died when he just a baby, so he was sent to live with his aunt,
uncle and spoiled brat cousin. He lives in a closet under the stairs, forced their
by these unpleasant relatives. A mysterious letter addressed to Harry arrives, written
in peculiar green ink and accompanied by an owl. Harry is surprised and excited by
the curious dispatch, but his horrified Uncle Vernon (Griffiths) destroys the letter
before Harry has a chance to read it. As each day follows the next, letters and owls
continue turning up on Harry's doorstep until the Dursleys, fearing they can no longer
suppress the letters, flee with Harry to a remote cabin
where they think they cannot be found.
Their plan appears to be working until a huge giant named Hagrid (Coltrane) shows up
and informs Harry he's a wizard and that he is invited to leave the regular world
and join his similarly-talented peers at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
and Wizardry. Aboard the train packed with wide-eyed first year students, Harry befriends
fellow wizards-in-training Hermione Granger (Watson) and Ron Weasley (Grint). Together
with his new friends, Harry embarks on an adventure at Hogwarts, a place where he discovers
his exceptional talents and finds a home and family he never experienced before.
When a movie is directed by Chris Columbus, one is wary of being showered with unnecessary
amounts of sap and shmaltz, but for the most part those fears are unfounded.
Based on the first of J.K. Rowling's mega-popular children's novels about young wizard
Harry Potter, the movie is reported to be very faithful to the book. Which means the
book is a very imaginative and enjoyable adventure, for there is much to recommend
in this movie. The movie lasts over two hours but it rarely drags, and there are several
interesting stories going on at once, including Harry's yearning to know his parents,
his suspicions about one of his professors, and his relationship with Hermione and
Weasley. There are plenty of special effects, and save a cheesy looking three-headed
dog, they are quite real looking, and the atmosphere and set design are very well done.
Of note is a excellent chess board with life-size stone pieces that violently
destroy other pieces when they make a capture.
On the negative side, the ending is a typical Chris Columbus style sapfest, where
everyone gathers in the ornate dining hall for the winning house to be selected, and
events are shamelessly manipulated to provide the maximum happy ending. The film
does not need it, as the result of the story is happy enough. I don't know if this
ending was part of the book or not, but it deviated from the charm and thoughtfulness
of the rest of the movie.
One major plus is the exclusive use of British actors, including stellar veterans and credible
youngsters. Standing out is Maggie Smith as a stern but decent professor at Hogwarts, and
Robbie Coltrane as the brawny but loose-lipped caretaker of the school. For the youngsters,
Radcliffe projects a nice combination of nerdy lovability and plucky courage, and Watson
as the brainy Hermione is appropriately feisty as one of the minority of females at
the school, reminding me somewhat of a young Anna Paquin (and she has a great accent too).
Harry Potter is an entertaining two hours plus of interesting story, strong effects and
solid performances by both young and old. Take the family, or just sneak off yourself
for an enjoyable escape.
 
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