Wasn't able to capture the book's power, but technically remarkable Potter film

Rating: 8/10 (25 December 2014)

As an avid reader of the Harry Potter series, I'm a bit disappointed the very first time I saw it. At first, I find the minimalist approach rather awkward given the "loud" first two films. When compared to the experience I had with the book, it lacked the powerful drive of the story. It was also disappointing to find out that they excluded many twists and other amusing details that were found in the book. I thought that the film brought injustice to an avid reader, but I also thought that it was also unjust to undermine the film's quality.
The visuals were impressive, and the unique storytelling was a breakthrough in the series. It was certainly better than the first two because it was a sublime Potter movie, a film that may be enjoyed both by children and adults alike. It's quality is close to the films that you see in a critic's top ten of the year; and yes, it can be a critic's fave.
I watched the film for the second time, no longer as an avid reader; thereby watching the film just the way it was, as a standalone film without any comparison to the book. The experience was much better this time. Disappointment transformed into amusement and even admiration. There were lots of humor "bits" in it and most of them were not easily noticed (some were rather dry actually). They could be found even in scenes where they were least expected. Just let the director take you, and you may find amusement in many of its details. I think that Harry Potter was at last given a chance to show its magnificent and competitive side in this adaptation.
Relative to the performances in the first two films, the acting has improved. Harry, Ron, and Hermione owned their characters more. The new Dumbledore was energetic, and I thought he was fascinating although he wasn't able to get the mysterious and gentle side of the late Richard Harris' Dumbledore. Not all acting were very convincing for me, but at least it was much better this time. The direction was great. Alfonso Cuaron gave a sophisticated approach to the film; it was also a film that adults may enjoy too. The musical score was minimalist, and it had many "little" tunes in it. Additional themes were composed by John Williams, and I could remember best the music during Buckbeak's flight and the theme during the time when Harry and Lupin were talking about Harry's parents. What I find lacking in the score, however, was a unifying theme given a more varied landscape of music. Speaking of the effects, Buckbeak, the Whooping Willow, and the dementors were the most impressive creations. The downside, however, happened during the werewolf scene. Other than that, the scenes looked vibrant, and they were colored such that they looked less monotonous, as opposed to the palette of the first two films. Hogwarts and the surroundings looked better in this film.
The third film improved many things about a Potter movie. It was not close to the book's power but it managed to capture its essence. As a film, it was a bit short to be called a masterpiece, but the production quality was already remarkable for a Potter movie. It could disappoint as many fans as it could, but I think it was generally a good movie to watch. To the avid readers, may a modified viewing approach work on you; but I think this movie will work best on those who have not yet read the book but who have seen the first two films already.