I have never cringed more in my life than in the hours I spent watching this.

Rating: 1/10 (11 May 2005)

It's difficult for me to comment on this movie in an unbiased fashion, since I am an avid fan of the books. However, I am not the kind of person who automatically thinks that any change of the story from the book is a bad thing.
This is an enjoyable enough film for people who have never read the book, even if they will probably not understand some of the plot. This movie completely ignored some of the key sub-plots that I was really looking forward to seeing. Ron's character is still portrayed as a wimpy, cowardly moron just like in the previous movie. They add many stupid annoying lines and objects that are obviously supposed to be funny but just made me cringe. The storyline has been so re-arranged and edited that it barely feels like a Harry Potter movie. Hogwarts is suddenly in a different location, as is Hagrid's hut, the interior of the castle is different, etc. I'll admit I did like the changes to the grounds but not to the interior of the castle or the location of Hagrid's hut. Many of the characters are portrayed differently than they are in the book (not only Ron).
The ending feels rushed and incomplete. If you have never read the book, you will most likely be lost. The lower your expectations are when you are about to see this movie, the less disappointed you will be. I recommend all people avoid watching the last couple minutes of the movie. If you have already seen it, you know why.