Long live the Potter series

Rating: Null/10 (25 June 2004)

J.K. Rowling has creating an amazing universe that Harry Potter and his friends occupy, and I'm fascinated at the way each movie has allowed Harry to grow and mature from childhood to now early teenage years. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson all are outstanding as the leads, with Alan Rickman and David Thewlis providing solid support. The special effects are once again spectacular, and I feel that CGI has never been put to better use than it has in the Potter series. I found myself missing Richard Harris, however. His world-weary hoarseness gave Dumbledore a type of regalness not achieved by replacement Michael Gambon. That aside, the growth given to the characters whets your appetite for more in the series, and I'm already anxious for the next one.