Great if you have not read the book

Rating: 2/10 (11 July 2007)

I wonder what it takes sometimes to be a screenwriter for a major novel. I felt that this was a good movie if you had not read the book and had no idea of the flow of the story and any of the details. It moved slow and was not at all suspenseful during most of the first half.
When my 10 year old became bored and started commenting about changed plot sequences and totally skipped items, I knew that something had gone wrong.
No mention of Prefect for Ron and Hermione was a major short fall. Harry's anger management plays out heavily in the book and there was little regard shown to it in the movie. When the students returned to Hogwarts after Christmas break, there was no snow. Odd for January and totally opposite the book. Umbridge was already in Hagrids cottage when Ron, Harry, and Hermione arrive and they did not use the cloak or the map. These are only a few of the blatant and needless changes that my son noticed.
I felt as though I had just watched a screenplay written from the Cliff's notes as recited by a child. I can only hope that this is not a trend.