I miss you like Steven Kloves missed the mark...

Rating: 6/10 (8 January 2006)

Yeah... this movie ought to have been two parts. When I heard they were originally planning to do it as two movies, I celebrated and danced about my pile of Potter paraphernalia in an orgy of movie bliss. When I found out later that they had decided to cut it down to one film, I sighed and lamented all the cool sub-plots that would undoubtedly be left out of said movie.
Unfortunately for us movie goers and Pot-heads, this film seemed to contain naught but sub-plots. It delivered powerfully and accurately the tension between Harry and Ron, and the budding relationship between Ron and Hermy. The special effects were excellent, and offered superb imagery to some of the less focused upon aspects of the book (say the second task?). But as I said, this focus on the subtler points of the book leaves behind a very important element: the overall plot of the book. The writer took some incredible liberties with the story (introducing Barty Crouch in the first scene? That was a... surprise.) So much so that watching the movie only vaguely reminded me of reading the book. I remember in reading the book feeling a profound attachment to "Mad Eye", as an incredibly sympathetic and supportive character. In the movie he came out just sort of creepy. In the book, Sirius had an important part. He was barely involved in this film. What happened to the whole Hermione capturing Rita Skeeter? What about Fudge parting ways with Dumbledore? For that matter what about everything that actually happened in the third task? Krum being Imperiused and using the Cruciatus curse on Cedric and Fleur? All the elements of the fourth book that set up important parts of the fifth book... The alienation between Dumbledore and the Ministry, the death of Sirius, who is supposed to be Harry's substitute father figure? I just don't understand how this will quite fit in the grand scheme of things.
But gaping plot holes aside, I still think the movie was stilted and uneven. It seemed to flow at times, and other times it seemed slow and dragging. It was difficult to watch and left me feeling unfulfilled. I would have been much happier with a stripped down, accurate version of the plot, or better still with two separate movies, where the sub-plots and undercurrents the writer seemed so enamored with could have been brought to full fruition, while preserving the integrity of the main story line. As it was, the product that was delivered was disappointingly garden variety. Six out of ten, at best.