A movie full of magic, but with little heart

Rating: 3/10 (11 July 2007)

First off let me say that as a die hard Potterholic, I tried to like this film, honestly I did. Now, that being said, this was the closest I've ever come in my entire life to walking out on a film, and for those who know me that is really saying something. The first half of the film was simply put, horrendous. The movie begins as a collage of mis-matched scenes accompanied by stilted dialogue, which is followed by a tolerable second and confusing third act with a disappointing finale. I don't know if it was the script they were given, or perhaps the direction of David Yates, but the actors seemed incredibly uncomfortable in their characters for most of the movie. I don't know what happened with Michael Goldenberg, or how he confused exclamation marks in the novel for simple periods in the screenplay. At times it seemed that all Harry would do in the book was scream and yell, yet he quietly delivers his lines with little to no anger, only a tired reservation in the movies. The Weasley twins even go so far as to poke fun at Harry for shouting, which was supposed to be funny, but only leaves you confused as to what "shouting" they're referencing.
The only bright spots in the black hole that was this film were Evanna Lynch's inspired performance as "Loony" Luna Lovegood, and Imelda Staunton as deliciously evil Dolores Umbridge. Gary Oldman is at long last given room to stretch his legs as Sirius Black, making you wish that he were given more to work with than what the script allowed him because he was simply magic in this role.
I'm not even going to comment on Michael Gambon, who typically delivers the horrendous, and completely uncharacteristic performance of Dumbledore that I have come to expect from him in these movies. The end of this movie leaves us with more questions than answers. When did Dudley become a gangster? Why doesn't Uncle Vernon shout at Harry (which is all he's supposed to do)? Where is Aunt Petunia's Howler? Where is the closure for Harry concerning Cho Chang? Why are the entire D.A. writing lines with the Blood Quill? What the hell is up with Seamus Finnigan and his Wild West showdown type argument with Harry? Why the hell are things from book 6 being referenced in this movie when they haven't even happened yet? Did Harry just poke a Dementor in the eye with his wand? They don't even have eyes, how is that possible? What is this madness!?! Madness? This is Harry Potter!! Or at least Warner's sad counterfeit of it.
It seems that ever since Chris Columbus's inspired adaptations of the first two books, the series has steadily gotten worse and worse, straying further and further away from its source material. Yes Columbus's movies were greatly flawed, but that can easily be forgiven since they possessed that sense of wonderment and heart that every movie since has been sorely lacking. It seems that each director since has been more concerned with leaving his own mark on the series rather than ensuring that the heart of the story remains intact in the transition from book to screen. Sadly the coming of each new director has been like a Dementor's whisper, each time drawing a little bit more soul out of Harry's body, and I fear that soon he'll have none left.
"Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy." These were Dumbledore's words to Harry, but they can equally apply to Warner Bros. It's just disappointing that they chose to do what was easy and turned Harry Potter into a faint shadow of what it could've been.