Better know the book if you want to keep up

Rating: 7/10 (6 April 2019)

This movie could have been the best but it is way too choppy. I don't know if the director or editing is to blame. This is Mike Newell's only outing as an HP director and the editors for the movies change quite a bit, so that is hard to say but I would have to argue for some of both. Anyone not very familiar with the books will probably get lost at various points of this movie simply because so much has been cut. I would say a minimum of two reads of the book are required to keep pace with the movie gaps. A few points that maybe adding 20 min on the movie and fleshing out a few areas would have helped with (this was a big book with a lot happening): some brief explanation of the Quidditch World Cup before dropping us in it and maybe at least a few flying passes of the game, fix the messed up arrivals of the two visiting schools (very chopped up), include the weighing of the wands with the important information about Fleur's heritage, there's also the plot change in how Harry gets gillyweed which I've never really understood why they changed it from the book, next there is the sudden arrival at the start of the third task with no introduction to the maze before to offer any transition. Then there are whole facets like SPEW that are cut that I guess I understand don't add anything to the main story, but purists find it hard to see them gone. One small thing that was added that I love as an all time favorite bit of acting from all the HP movies was the small scene with an annoyed Snape in the study hall when the trio are discussing dates to the ball. Genius acting by Alan Rickman. Overall conclusion is I really wish I could see an extended cut.