Enjoyable with a few disappointments.

Rating: 7/10 (28 November 2005)

I did enjoy this film and it was most certainly the best of the four so far... But I have my qualms.
It is a huge shame about the apparent lack of funds... After spending so much money on the special effects, it seems they only had enough money left to hire a plank of wood for the part of Harry Potter.
These are big films and will go down in history along with the incredible books so then why do they give us bad acting? It was understandable at first... The kids were young (not to say its impossible to find an eleven-year-old that can act) and new to the world of films, but three films later and Daniel Radcliffe is still spouting emotionless rubbish! Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) are coming into their own, Emma with a beautiful vocal tone with expression and strength, Rupert with brilliant comic timing, which will definitely get him far. But does Mr Radcliffe, the 'star' of the story, not realise he has to prove something to the audience? Yes he may be sitting comfortably with his supposed £15million wage for this film, but I'm far from impressed.
I know I'm not the only person with this opinion, I'm sure half the nation will agree. In short, Daniel Radcliffe cannot act. His facial expression is bland, his vocal expression is blander and his overall performance leaves more that a lot to be desired. Now either they replace Daniel with someone as talented as his co-stars, or get him some acting lessons quickly, or he will be out performed by the rest of the cast.
The film as a whole was enjoyable, with thrills and some brilliant scenes, perfectly grasping the tension of the book. Ralph Fiennes makes great Voldemort, with charm and charisma on his side, and once again Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman both deliver the goods. Michael Gambon did worry me slightly with his portrayal of Dumbledore in this film. His accent was rather indistinct and his character as a whole seemed less poised than you expect Dumbledore to be.
Overall, an enjoyable film with a few disappointments. 7/10 from me.