A serious improvement!

Rating: 8/10 (2 January 2006)

I read the first book when I was 11 and have since then been what you might call a Harry Potter fanatic. I loved the true human nature present in the stories and the scope the 'magic' gave the imagination. I made the stories my own.
Thus I was very nervous when I went to see the first film! It wasn't too bad. The special effects were good and it did have a certain charm, but the major fault for me was the wooden acting of the star of the show: Harry Potter. Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley was obviously a natural actor, but Daniel Radcliffe failed to win me over.
I have continued to watch the films, partly out of curiosity and partly because, despite the weak lead, the supporting cast and visual effect really are amazing. But, in the last film (Harry Potter and The Prisoner Of Askaban) there were moments when I forgot it was a teen actor pretending to be the hero in one of my favourite stories of all time and finally saw some real acting from the child star.
I felt a flicker of hope and was very anxious to see the latest film, hoping for great things. I was not disappointed! Though by no means is it as good as the book it does at last come within sight of it's goal and as a popular book made into a film it is an excellent specimen.
For those who have not read the books, it is a really good teenage fantasy, mixing magical tricks and real life. And for those who, like myself have fallen in love with the books, as long you know it's not going to be exactly like the book and respect the different media and the directors personal vision of the story, it is very enjoyable.
I would recommend it to all. It is a chance to forget real life, troublesome and mundane, and enter a wonderful world where broomsticks really can fly!!
p.s. Fred and George were fab!!!