Not good at all...

Rating: 6/10 (19 July 2007)

Well, what can i say? I'm not a huge fan of the franchise and haven't read a word of the books. This film was ultimately disappointing due to one major flaw. THE DIRECTOR! David Yates, of Merseyside. He?s apparently not really up to the job of handling(read more)a several million dollar budget. I haven't seen any of his other work but then i don't usually watch 'The Bill'. Bring back Chris Columbus, a much more capable director. Although a change of screenwriter probably didn't help things much either. The big effects scenes were marred by the director's insistence to cut away from the glorious special effects work at every opportunity! I can't understand his thinking, if you have huge budget special effects sequences why limit their time on screen? Shining through this incompetence are superb performances from Imelda Staunton as a delightfully evil and vicious Dolores Umbridge, and the usual impeccable stability from Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon and Gary Oldman along with a sadly under used Ralph Fiennes. The score was a bit over the top and didn't do enough to improve the depth and atmosphere of any scene. Only seeming to accentuate the awful direction. However, the sound design was superb; never overdone and perfectly judged. All in all not a good film at all. Unfortunately, I feel the producers are giving in to the needs of it's increasing adult audience (different covers for the books, WTF?) It should have been left where it was; an excellent children's fantasy adventure in the best traditions of British literature that adults can secretly enjoy.