A few wrinkles, but still the best Potter yet

Rating: 8/10 (15 December 2005)

I'll throw up my hands and confess I HAVE NEVER, EVER READ A HARRY POTTER. This placed me at an immediate disadvantage when watching this movie (though I have watched all the previous instalments with a cool, but interested eye). Nevertheless, along I went, and found myself thrilled, chilled and, er, spilled for the duration. Although the oddly speeded-up pace of the opening (the Quidditch World Cup hardly gets five minutes more than sufficient to impress an audience with awe-inspiring CG) jarred me a little, once the film had settled down and found its pace I was spellbound. The darkness is really closing in at Hogwarts, and finally a Potter movie has stopped patronising and started actually trying to be a film for adults as well as tots (who will be snivelling at the sight of the hideous, evil Voldemort, made even more sinister by Ralph Fiennes' superb turn).
Twee child-friendly magic-for-laughs such as inflating a bothersome relative has been largely dispensed with, and a strong element of horror and fear crept needlingly into the formerly cosy warmth of Hogwarts. Now the youngsters are growing up, finding love, finding out why life can be cruel, and having to confront the darker side of witchcraft and wizardry. The direction is generally strong and assertive, and the spirit of the previous films lingers with the addition of a lot more spice and excitement.
Not that this film is perfect by any means. Aside from continuity errors and a choppy edit for the first 20 minutes, many wonderful characters have been swept aside by the need to cram so much into such a short space of time. Snape has faded, Draco Malfoy all but disappeared and even Hagrid doesn't get much of a look in. I am reliably informed by my Potter mad friends that much key plot has been axed for the sake of time. So what does get the focus?
Unfortunately as this saga unfurls, more and more time is being spent following Harry in his struggles with the past and present. This is the most emotionally charged chapter in the Potter movies thus far, and Harry's journey would be difficult for any young actor to pull off. A stronger actor than Radcliffe would, however, be better able to handle the challenge of acting with CG and SFX, and would be unfazed by the (sometimes Oscar-winning) pros around him (particularly after three movies playing the same character). Radcliffe, however, shows here more starkly than in any previous Potter, that his range is disappointingly limited. Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are trying hard, and often succeeding, at convincingly playing the confused teenage friends, but Daniel Radcliffe's characterisation of the teen wizard is still painfully self-conscious. Potter is growing up, and Radcliffe is in serious danger of being outgrown by his own character.
Radcliffe aside (and he's young, and has much potential), the cast is wonderful, stellar and delivering buckets of charisma on every level, and finally a British helmer has risen to take the reins of what is, after all, a quintessentially British tale. I hope that the Potters will continue to gather momentum, and this has certainly been the best so far.