Far and Away, the Best of the Three

Rating: 10/10 (5 June 2004)

If the only criteria you have for a Harry Potter movie is absolute fidelity to the book, then you will be disappointed in this one. But if you understand that the filmmakers (especially screenwriter Steve Kloves) need to condense the increasingly long novels into acceptable screen time while preserving their essence, then you are at the right stating point.

They condense and take some liberties, but this movie looks and feels like Hogwarts in a way that the first two never did. It has a beautiful texture and look. The film is content to let magical things happen along the edges and the background without having to land heavily on each moment. The result is that you feel so much more a part of this world then you did previously. The three leads have improved wonderfully and I can now imagine them having post-Potter careers.
There is no point in recapping the plot. If you are interested in the movie you no doubt read the book. Accept some differences from the sources, however, and you will enjoy the best Otter yet.