Pretty disappointing and hard to follow

Rating: 6/10 (18 June 2004)

I was highly anticipating this film ever since "Sorcerer's Stone", but really feel that I have been let down. I am a hardcore Harry Potter fan, and I feel that Alfonso Cuaron has left out much of the detail found in the books and the first two movies. This movie felt as if you could never follow the story unless you have already read the books. And this movie doesn't seem to fall into place with the rest of the in-progress series.
The most striking change from the first films to this one is probably the set. The school of young sorcerers, Hogwarts, looks absolutely nothing like it did before. The Great Hall has apparently shrunk, the Whomping Willow is now standing right there in the middle of the lawn, and a clock tower has emerged from the building that's pendulum can easily clip students trying to enter the village of Hogsmeade. Hagrid's Hut has moved about a mile downhill, and the Fat Lady has received a change of address and an extreme makeover. Basically Hogwarts is no longer the warm, cheery, magical, welcoming castle from before, but now not much more than a haunted mansion. While this dark forebodingness goes with the dark foreboding plot of the story, it really destroys the feel of the school.
The plot is choppy, jumpy. There is only the inflation of Aunt Marge - a funny little scene, by the way - of the little skirmishes and annoyances of life with the Dursleys. There is absolutely no attention on Quidditch except for that one match, the one where the dementors knock Harry out. There is not much explanation about Hogsmeade, particularly the Shrieking Shack - although Hogsmeade, the candy store, is very well done. The appearance of the Patronus is questionable, and the stag, Prongs, Harry's Patronus and the form of his father, only appears once. And could we please explain the Marauder's Map and its creators?
Characters? Well, the students are adolescents now, and it really shows in Harry and Hermione. (Punching Malfoy was, well, brilliant!) But Ron is just this little arachnophobic redhead freckle-face who makes about two jokes and has a talent for whimpering. The enmity between Harry and Co. against Malfoy and Co. is displayed only occasionally. Michael Gambon as Dumbledore was a poor choice, and we don't hear any of his confusing magic lectures. (Which is a bad thing.) And Lupin's werewolf form just didn't look right. It's called a wereWOLF for a reason....
Still, a nice stab at the Harry Potter Hollywoodization Project, although it could have been better. Can't argue with the soundtrack... it is John Williams, people. If you have kids who think they love or at least enjoyed the first movies, make absolutely no move to resist, although remind them that it could be disappointing. If you enjoyed Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets, sure, go if you'd like, but prepare to be disappointed. If you are on a strictly J.K. Rowling diet, obviously don't go. If you just wanna start the summer movies with this, then you might want to make a visit to your public library to prepare. Just don't complain if you don't and can't follow the story.
Overall Rating: 6/10. Book-to-Movie Adaptation: 5/10. Casting: 7/10. Setting: 3/10. Plot: 6/10. Scripting: 5/10. Music: 10/10.