Could have been much better, but still a treat

Rating: Null/10 (18 April 2003)

Okay, my views may be a bit unfair as I watched the movie right after finishing the book the second time through, but anyone who bothers to post on these things probably already knows the book is always better anyway. The movie was much like Sorcerer's Stone in its advantages and disadvantages. The writer did another admirable job of condensing events without losing too much, though again some fairly big scenes were left out (hopefully included on the dvd). The soundtrack was a bit much at times but nowhere near as overbearing as with Sorcerer's Stone. My biggest gripe with this one was the ending. It just seemed to drag very badly, and when they had the big welcome home for Hagrid everything ground to an ungainly halt. Even the battle with the basilisk seemed to take too long (that particular event ZOOMED by breathlessly in the book. I still love the big reveal though, when Harry finally learns who he's really dealing with.
Absolute best part of the movie, hands down, though, was Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart. No surprise there. Good movie, outstanding book. If you haven't experienced both, do it.