By far the worst of the Harry Potter movies

Rating: 2/10 (23 December 2007)

Yes, the acting was excellent. Casting of Umbridge was excellent. The special fx likewise excellent.
But acting, casting and fx do not make a movie.
This movie can not stand alone and be enjoyed. If you haven't read the book(s), then the movie will make very little sense to you. It's disjointed, choppy, with little or no continuity, and simply doesn't make much sense.
For instance, the opening scene with Harry and Dudley was about the longest scene in the entire movie. Yet, there was nearly no follow up later in the movie as to how and why it happened.
The capture of the DA members made no sense either, unless you hadn't read the book. Then the means of entry into the Room of Requirement used in the movie is OK.
Or the veil in the ministry. What was that about? (You want to know, go read the book.) The betrayal of the DA breaks the continuity between Harry and Cho from previous stories and future references & possibilities.
Then, of course, what was the purpose of the DA in the first place? Wasn't it due to the OWLS? So was the DA successful or was it a failure? The last scene with the DA and Umbridge seems to say it was a failure.
Okay, so the biggest book of all is crammed into a short movie barely long enough to give the Reader's Digest version. Even so, the liberties taken in the movie, the choppy nature of the movie and the lack of continuity leaves this viewer cold.
I read somewhere that this director was going to be making the next movie as well. If he does, I will certainly wait until I find out if he botched the job again before rushing out and seeing the movie.