SACK the director (and anyone responsible)!!!

Rating: 1/10 (24 August 2007)

As a great fan of the books, I went to see this movie as I had done for the last 4. And it proved to be the worst ever! I had thought I had been disappointed by film 2 & 4, (1 is excusable) because they were children's films, but then I hadn't seen this one: It's not as if they were lacking the money to pay for screenwriters, good actors, and a director who knows what he's doing. My main point of criticism is the lack of coherent story-telling: Even if they had good reason to reinvent the story and change everything around; still editing a movie is about more than just chopping some scenes and putting them together! I completely missed a golden threat! It's like in a puzzle where the pieces are related but don't quite fit! And then it isn't really surprising that even though we find some really good puzzle pieces, such as Alan Rickman's brilliant performance of Snape or Staunton's Umbridge, the final sum is (a lot) less than its components! Which , I believe, is a great pity, for: not only contains this book more fundamental ideas (DA coins, the locket, Kreacher, the two way mirror, the Ministry...) and people( Bellatrix mainly, some Death Eaters, Tonks, Kingsley...) that will be developed further in future books, than any other book so far, it also lives by its great detail and most of all: by Harry's EMOTIONS. But where were they?????
@Mr Radcliffe, what exactly is your definition of range, shouting, terror, the so important mourning for Sirius, the devastation ???? I didn't see any!!!!
Sirius's death scene was completely lost; without managing to convey any feeling/shock/sadness!! And I'm convinced that it was not Mr Oldman's fault. It was just lousily directed [-->just remember the death of Gandalf in LOTR 1 for comparison] !
@Ms Watson, why do you use such a peculiar way of panting when speaking of emotionally touching things? don't! It looks ridiculous.
@ Mr Gambon, you seem to be under the impression, that Dumbledore is a over-energetic, dim-witted 23 year-old, well, I suggest: you re-read the book!
@Mrs (Dame) Smith, being used to your usual performances: I really expected better!!!
@ Mr Fiennes, in Red Dragon, you scared the living daylights out of me without doing any (black) magic and in HP: you're laughing stock!
@ Mrs Thompson: What's your understanding of "crying out your heart"?? I could see nothing of Trelawny's devastation and utter loss of confidence in your interpretation of the sacking scene!
---I could go on forever....
And of course, the screenplay.... well, let's just say this much: IT HAS NOTHING GOT TO DO WITH J.K. ROWLINGS BOOK! Why they changed basically every scene, I cannot see! Why they cut important details, that would have been easy to bring in and yet wasted minutes on Filch hanging up yet another of Umbridge's degrees???? I'm really wondering how they're gonna manage to stuff them in the next film.... There really is no excuse for ruining the continuity and smoothness of the film, some parts of the story are stretched unbearably (like the DA scenes) others so very much rushed (Snape's memory, Dumbledore's "office")... *shakingmyhead*
Please: next time bear in mind the following:
1) -either cut something or don't but don't do some weird compromise!
2)- Leave those great actors, you have cast, room to develop the characters (that feature was absent in this film !)
3) -Teach the kid-actors the meaning and importance of dialogue! (for the little dialogue encountered in this movie was pretty much lost)
4) -Take time to process the book's content and "think" before you translate it into a screenplay (also taking into account those books to come)!
5)- Well and last but not least: GET PETER JACKSON TO DIRECT THE NEXT ONES ! PLEASE ! I just couldn't stand another one of the beautiful stories so ruined when put onto screen......