Enjoyable, but many unnecessary changes

Rating: 6/10 (4 June 2004)

(Disclaimer: Minor, non-plot-centered spoilers)
I saw the midnight showing of this film, and though I feel Cuarón was successful in capturing the "darker" feel of this story, I think he simply changed too much of what Chris Columbus had set up. Most notably, I saw no reason to change the sets. I was expecting to return to the same old Hogwarts, but instead found Hagrid's house down a rocky hill as opposed to across a green meadow. The familiar courtyards and hallways from the first two films were gone as well, and were replaced with entirely new ones. I agree that using the same sets for seven (if they make them all) different films would get repetitive, but I feel that it would be possible to show a different angle, perhaps showing new areas of the castle that had not previously been shown, while still retaining what existed from earlier films.
My girlfriend (who has read all of the books while I have not) pointed out many elements of the story that were just plain left out. Unless I am mistaken, this was the shortest of the first three films, despite being adapted from the longest of the first three books. Does this mean "Goblet of Fire" will be pared down to ninety minutes, and we'll leave the theaters in 2005 wondering what just hit us? After the immense success of the "Lord of the Rings" Trilogy, I feel that audiences have the attention span to sit through three-hour movies. Heck, kids can read these 800-page monstrosities that J. K. Rowling writes, so throw them a bone, Cuarón!
One more minor comment: I know Michael Gambon probably wanted to create his own interpretation of Dumbledore, but I still think that he, like the director, could have followed more of what was previously set up. His accent and speech patterns reminded me more of Ian McKellen's Gandalf than Richard Harris' Dumbledore. And they at least could have given him a white beard instead of a gray one!
I hope the next director finds a way to maintain a dark feel, but do so without creating a whole new set. I know that the plots necessitate changes, but there's just something comforting about coming back to the same old Hogwarts every year or so.
Final rating: 6/10