More of the same (Minor spoilers)

Rating: 7/10 (30 May 2007)

I might be more enthusiastic about this movie if I had not seen the previous ones first. Indeed it might have come across as the best yet if viewed in isolation. However, the fact is that most people watching this movie have already seen its predecessors. The cinematic magic of Hogwarts has been extensively explored by three other movies, so another long sequence of Harry flying around the castle pursued by a dragon quickly palls. Also, as a previous reviewer noted, the movie skips over some areas so fast that you need to have read the book to know what is going on (the romance between Krum and Hermione, for example) while lingering over special effects that add little to the story.
On the positive side, the acting of the young protagonists has greatly improved over the movies series, and the darker scenery of Voldemort's abode was well realised.