Lacking substance and so much more (spoilers)

Rating: 3/10 (13 June 2004)

I've refrained from reviewing this movie for awhile now, but I an finally going to put my two cents in. This may be rather long, but I have a lot to say. I watched this film the first time and absolutely despised it, along with the 3 other people watching it with me. I decided to have another go at it now that my expectations of the movie were blown to smithereens, never to be repaired. The second time, I enjoyed it a little more, but I realized that I was watching the film now as if it was any other film, that didn't have predecessors and could stand alone. This, in and of itself, disturbed me, since the HP movies are meant to flow together and seem like each other. This isn't just any other movie, this was the third part of a many movie installment.
I'd have to say explaining the meaning of the story is very important and the elements that would truly have explained this story were cut. I didn't feel this movie was magical in the "Harry Potter" way. I felt like I was watching a bunch of teenagers run around and solve a mystery with a little bit of abacadabra thrown in. My main irritation at this film was the strange casting and lack of characters and continuity. Where were all of the characters that we had grown to love in the first two films (and the books)? Instead, we had to endure Cuaron throwing in all these new faces without explaining who they are (if they are the recasts of old characters? or just random people). Cuaron was pretty obvious in the fact that he was trying to broaden the nationalities of the characters. (sine the first two were all white people basically). However, he did this with no explanation and he pushed all the regular characters out of the movie entirely. I can't tell you how many people ask, "who's that big black kid?"
There were also some VERY important items that were left out of the movie or not explained well enough at all. The marauders map is the most important item. They never tell you who really made the map and who "Padfoot, Mooney, Prongs, and Wormtail" are. They also never explain why Professor Snape has the grudge against Harry. It would have taken an extra 10 minutes to explain these details, but instead we had to endure too much time on the bus with the talking head and the weirdly "Titanic" scene with the hippogriff.
Where were the classes? I think that was the most fun aspect of the first two films. They were entertaining and made you feel part of the life of Hogwarts.
The entire film was rushed and it didn't get me nearly as involved with the characters emotions and their lives as the first two films did. I remember after watching the film the first time I turned around to my friend and said "I waited a year and half for this???"
The whole meaning of the third book was "Everything isn't as it appears." It also delves into Harry's feelings of his parents and of his friends. This movie, as much as it was touted to supposedly show, did not truly emphasize Harry's feelings of his parents. I mean, he was supposed to be really upset about the Dementors showing him more of his parents deaths. This movie barely skimmed into that area, except to briefly mention it here and there.
Cuaron was a great visual effects person. He knows how to visually stimulate and create a "great" film in that regards. However, his editing and his deletions were not so great. Watching the first two films made me want to be part of that world, be in the classes learning how to do spells, going to dinner in the great hall, hanging out trying to find the mysteries of Hogwarts. In this film, all of that was lacking.
Everyone is going off about how horrible Columbus was for the films, but he is what made it great. There must have been some appeal for the films that kept people coming back for more, right? However, considering the fact that POA is in it's second weekend and it's not selling out anymore and not even coming close shows something about this movie. The first two sold out for many consecutive weekends and lasted quite some time. I fear that this film probably will last maybe until mid-July.
I had barely heard of Harry Potter before the first film. After I watched that movie, I went out and bought the series. I became a die-hard fan of the series. I loved the first two films. Yes, they had glitches, but all movies have glitches. However, after viewing POA I don't feel the same way about the movies.
After the second movie came out and went away, I eagerly anticipated the next film right from the get-go. After this movie has come out and is still out, I have no anticipation, in fact I'm left with dread about the upcoming movies.
I thank god that Cuaron is not directing the next film. I just hope the next director doesn't sell out to Hollywood as this one did.