It was all a let down, save for Neville

Rating: 1/10 (21 November 2005)

Despite the fact that the third Harry Potter movie was deeply disappointing, I was going to give this one a chance. There was a new director, so I was not going to judge without seeing the movie. One look at the trailers and I figured, this movie ought to be pretty good. I was proved more than wrong.
Based on the choppy scenes with no genuine transitions and lack of continuity, the movie itself seemed like one big trailer that would be promoting the "real film." I find it hard to believe that anyone who had not read the books could follow along in the beginning at all. I was very let down within the first ten minutes of the movie. At least the last one was able to keep me happy for half an hour. The only reason I continued watching was because I paid 6.50 for my ticket and I figured they could not butcher it more than they already had.
I knew from the first scene that they had gone and rewritten it again when I saw the "third" man in the room with Voldemort and Wormtail. I knew straight away what they had done and that by placing Barty Crouch Junior in the room they would be able to magically write out the house elves. That is the moment that I knew they ruined what makes the Harry Potter series so great, the mystery. In the first ten minutes they managed to write out all of the mystery, which is what makes the books worth reading. Harry was never supposed to prematurely know that Crouch Junior was alive, that is half of the shock at the end of the book. The movies without that mystery turn into cheap fantasy thrillers with a bit of teenage drama.
The beginning is probably one of the main reasons I intensely dislike this movie. Then what angered me further was the unnecessary scenes that were lengthened or inserted into the movie for "action." For example, the chase scene with the dragon which lasted a good seven or eight minutes long could have been taken out for its useless (intended to be) climax of action. In the book, Harry never left the arena and that scene in the movie was completely ridiculous with them climbing on the roof of the castle. Then there was the scene when the other schools arrived and there was like a five minute show they put on that was completely meaningless. It was like a circus performance and had nothing to do with the plot whatsoever. They could have kept the dragon scene like it is in the book and took out the little performances by the other schools and then done a little more work on the beginning and end. The end more so because they left out parts integral to the next book.
They failed to have Dumbledore explain what exactly Prior Incantatem was and why Voldemort and Harry's wands failed to work against one another. It was also never stated that the ministry refuses to believe that Voldemort is back, and that is the most important information because the entire fifth book is based around the fact that almost no one believes Harry that Voldemort is back. Although not as major as the last bit of "forgotten" information, they also left out how Dumbledore was rallying old friends to start fighting against Voldemort, the triwizard winnings and how Harry gave them to Fred and George, and they even left loose ends. They began the Rita Skeeter story line but they never concluded it, they just stopped mentioning or showing her halfway through the movie. I'm sure they did such a cut for time, but Rita skeeter plays a roll in the next book when Harry tries to convince the wizarding world of the truth. Now all of that is only most of the reasons I hated it. If anyone wishes to discuss further or ask more detailed questions you can e-mail me at padfoot_3@yahoo.com.
There was one thing I DID enjoy in the movie and that was Neville. Everything else was absolutely dreadful whether it was the acting, the writing, or the cuts, but Neville I loved. In fact I like his character more than I used to due to this movie. Ron was my favorite character (in the books) but now he is tied for first with poor Neville. I am also saddened that most of the real Harry Potter comedy is written out of the movies and they insert corny movie comedy. All the comedy the story needs is in Fred and George and they always leave any of their scenes on the cutting room floor. Or maybe they don't even consider including them.
As a Harry Potter fan and a moviegoer, this movie was atrocious and I will never recommend watching this movie. It was a waste of time that could have been put to better use. If anyone does feel compelled to watch it I suggest not paying to see it, borrow it from the library and fast forward over all parts except any scene in which Neville plays a part (which is only about five scenes). I will reiterate how tragic Neville always seems and this makes him more likable.
I would just like to say that as a person who never watches football and has never liked it, I would have spent my time better had I watched the Ohio State vs. Michigan game instead.
To anyone who e-mails me, I will gladly reply. If you read this entire comment, then kudos to you.