What's all the fuss about?

Rating: Null/10 (23 July 2007)

The Harry Potter franchise is, to be quite honest, rather over-hyped. This fifth instalment was full of endless teenage angst moments, which bored the hell out of me. The acting, particularly in so-called 'emotional' moments, was moribund at best. The film features surprisingly little magic for a film about wizards; rather, it dwells on never ending references to the baddie, who turns up at the end of each film for a ding-dong with Potter. Boo-hoo. The special effects had all the panache of a squashed orange. So what happens in this film? Well, not much. Harry uses a spell in front of a 'muggle' which translates from geek to standard English as 'non-magician'. The powers-that-be get all hot and bothered and say he's out of Hogwarts. Sadly, he doesn't seek gainful employment, but weasles his way back in, as if there was ever any doubt! Harry bags himself a filly, for a snog, but seems to have eyes for some Irish lass as well. On the whole, a very poor effort this film: JK Rowling is one of those champagne socialists who's lucked into a few hundred million because people are so easily pleased.