bad bad bad, wait for the DVD !

Rating: Null/10 (24 June 2004)

Not bad as a movie.
Although... Over here it is rated 9 years and over, but I fail to see why. OK, the effects are a little scary, but all in all there is only one real shocker in the movie. And that happens all the way up front. I have to agree with the comments they made in the Netherlands. The movie is shot (too much) in the dark. I understand they can not do CGI and stuff in broad daylight, but it was actually very noticeable the special effects budget was waaaaaay lower than in lord of the rings, to name but one other series. At more than one moment it was very obvious something was edited in. Try to picture the bridge that leads to Hagrids house, it is painfully obvious it was painted into the scene. If Harry and Lupin are talking the bridges even looks different from close® up !
I think the director made a huge mistake in the movie. He is assuming (demanding !) the viewer knows the Harry Potter series. Books or movies. If Potter-3 is your first encounter with Harry, you are going to be lost. Completely.
As an example, Snape (who else) says somewhere in the middle of the movie "2 points deduction for Griffendor" . Without prior knowledge you would not have a clue what he is talking about. The other characters were completely not introduced. Who are those two blokes that look so much alike ? (I know they are twin brothers, and brothers of Ron, but imagine you had not read the book). Why on earth did they give the map to Harry ? I could give another 100 examples of where the director did wrong, but you get the point I hope.
The big screen was used not once. It is obvious they want to release this movie on DVD, and are keeping in mind most people still don't have wide screen TV's. All, and I mean all action takes place within the center part of the screen. They should not even have bothered making a wide-screen version.
"Lately" there was something new introduced into movie theaters. It is called DOLBY surround. As an extra bonus there is this thing called THX. It is a quite good idea that allows for sounds and musical effects to "fly around" through the theaters giving the audience the idea to sit in the center of the movie (at least soundwise). It uses 4,5,6 or even 8 speakers. I watched the closing credits. It was used for Harry Potter 3. Once in the entire movie...
The pace is slow. As in the first two movies, the movie "stops" at unexpected and unwanted moments. Inbetween shots with no particular intention, zoomouts where they could as well be left out. I think if the cutters had done their job well, the movie would have lasted 120 minutes, and not 141. And nobody would have noticed anything missing.
--- All in all the movie was worth the trip, but I am happy we only paid one fee for the two of us. This one was not worth full money. I would advise everybody to wait for the DVD, and hope the extras make up for the movie itself. Sorry ~!