Extreme Change Leaves Loyal Viewer Confused

Rating: 7/10 (27 November 2005)

I am an avid Harry Potter Fan of both the books and the movies, though they are separate entities, and was very psyched to see this new film. This film was good, but there was something different about it. J.K.Rowling did in fact say once that she had never felt the same way about her books after the 3rd one, and her writing style did change, as is evident to those who have read the books. That change was widely accepted, but, in my opinion, this movie was a bit too different for my liking.
Firstly, though the book was meant to do this, I felt utterly blown away at the end of the film. Not because I was in awe, merely because I felt as though the film had raced on at a whirlwind pace and left me behind during the second hour. It was very hard to keep up with the plot as it zoomed away into the unknown. I have read all the books twice or more and happen to be in my teens, so do not label me as a stuck-in-their-ways old person who still believes in black and white television. I am at the lower half of the target audience for this movie and am still bemused over what occurred on that screen.
Another reason I was a bit skeptical about this film is that quite a few entertaining plots were left out; but mainly some important plot points of plots that were included in this motion picture. I agree that Mike Newell and Steven Kloves could not follow this book word for word in two and a half hours, but the other three films did relate very closely to the books. This movie felt set apart, but not necessarily in a good way.
I will withhold complete judgment until I can see the directors cut, but I actually believe it could have been better as two movies, if it meant that important plot points could have been left in, such as why exactly Barty Crouch died, which seemed quite random in the book. I have always loved Harry Potter, and always will, but this film has definitely tested some loyal fans devotion.