Great Movie, Bad Adaptation

Rating: 9/10 (7 June 2008)

Being a Harry Potter fan for almost 10 years now, I've read each book at least 3 times, but this one breaks the record. I've read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at least 6 times. Therefore, I know this book better that any of the others. It always has been my favorite book because Sirius is much bigger than ever before, but that was just foreshadowing to is imminent death at the end of the book. When I walked out of the theater, after seeing the biggest film of the year (for me), and meeting the actors who portrayed the Weasley twins, I was ecstatic. Afterward, though, I felt somewhat flat. This was my favorite movie in the series. However, as an adaptation of the book, I thought it was awful. But, I didn't want a carbon copy of the book. That's what makes the movies exciting. To see what they do with it. I hated the fact that Ron and Hermione were pushed outward, how short Harry cut his hair (Harry wouldn't do that, the scar wouldn't show, but you see it here anyway), and the removal of Quidditch. I know what they wanted to do with this movie, and I liked David "Montage Man" Yates as director. I'm glad to see him return. Overall, I think that this is the best entry in the film saga, but falls short as an adaptation of an 870-page-long novel.