Harry goes Hollywood

Rating: 2/10 (24 July 2007)

When the director, screenwriter and producers sat down and planned this film, something must have gone totally wrong. The essence of the book: Harry's loneliness, his fight against the Ministry and Voldemort's mind has been discarded or has been done poorly. The first three minutes were good(Daniel Radcliffe has changed dramatically) and gave me that very feeling of an eerie world. Sadly, that is where I lost track. The movie flies through the book's pages as if it was some kind of tabloid-newspaper without anything important to tell. And before you know it, Harry arrives at the ministry. As Harry battles his way to the final meeting between Dumbledore and Voldemort, we are served spectacular(!) effects, but sadly - thats about it.
The acting throughout the movie is more or less rather good, Daniel Radcliffe has matured greatly since the fourth installment. Rupert Grint and Emma Watson never really manages to grab us, but that is heavily due to a poorly written script. Emma Watson has a tendency to overact(even though her character in many ways is over-the-edge) which is sad, given her talent. Rupert Grint performs well, but could use a bit more aggressiveness.
The soundtrack is horrible, and I can't stress this enough. What should have been a deep and sentimental moment when Harry and his friends fly to the ministry to save Harry's godfather(and many other scenes), is turned into a pile of Hollywood poo given the appalling into-the-sunset strings and orchestra sound - the director obviously doesn't know how to conjure feelings at all.
Someone ought to take action and show the director and screenwriter how to make people cry, for I can't stand watching HFB and DH turn into another happy Hollywood money-machine.