Leaving aside the book comparisons...

Rating: 9/10 (11 July 2007)

Since I saw the midnight show last night, I have been reading a lot of things online concerning how much story was cut from the movie, or how the movie was good but could never compare to the book. As a devoted Harry Potter fan, I prefer to keep the movies and books as separate entities. The films are each respectively a director's interpretation of a book, and leaving aside Chris Colombus (whom I am not insulting whatsoever), each director chose to take certain liberties and focus on certain plot lines. I personally think that David Yates is a GENIUS filmmaker. I went into the movie NOT expecting a perfect replica of my beloved 900 pages. Instead I came in with an open mind and I left with a satisfying movie experience that left me talking about for hours. Between the often documentary-style camera work, the smart, plot outlining newspaper montages, the personal touch added to the CGI's of the dementors, Kreacher, Grawp, the centaurs AND VOLDEMORTS POSSESSION OF HARRY'S BODY (my personal fave visual effect) and the wonderfully elaborate set designs, I was more than pleased with this film. And, of course, the humor was spot on and the crowd at my theater must have found at least 20 triumphant moments that makes a HarryPotter fan need to shout out and cheer. And how much the young actors have really grown into themselves! THe filmmaker seemed to really have a grasp on a relationship such as Ron and Hermione's, and filled nearly every moment with the wonderful awkwardness ever present between them. Plus, our new Umbridge and Luna were forces to be reckoned with, both with strong grasps on their characters. Their performances also reminded me that each and every JKR reader does not imagine any character the same, and therefore each actor will be putting on display their very own interpretations. Only disappointments: the concluding parts at the Ministry seemed rushed, and I wish there was more Tonks, she was really just a visual addition rather than a character. Of course I was sad to leave behind "Weasley is our King", Luna's lion hat, the St. Mungo's visit, etc...but Yates was more than sufficient in making up for the absences of our favorite side stories.