Favorite Book...Least Favorite Film

Rating: 6/10 (21 November 2005)

Having read all six in the series and owing the first three films on DVD, I can say that this film depends on the audience familiarity with Rowling's world. It is visually beautiful, and we are able to witness the development of each character in a way that is true to the actor..
I would guess that the first 200 pages are represented in the first 10 minutes of the film. These minutes were an abbreviated nod to the book's content similar to a story board.
Deviating from the original story line was a necessity. By eliminating the house elves and the Dursleys, valuable minutes were reclaimed for the TriWizard Tournament..Given the brevity of dedicated film time, all reference to the Quidditch World Cup and Rita Skeeter could have been eliminated, as could Haggrid's romance and the unexplained friction between Ron and Harry. I had to explain a number of issues to my husband who has not read anything of the series.
There is always a danger in seeing the film of a favorite book. The vision is always better in our heads.
Too little of too many subplots exist to be truly satisfying, but we are forgiving. After all, it is Harry Potter.