This might be a change too far...

Rating: Null/10 (7 July 2004)

***Spoilers Ahead***
Disappointingly this films merely 'skims' the book, and might be better described as inspired by J.K. Rowlings novel rather than based on it. Book and screenplay visibly diverge in this third installment of the Potter franchise and significant differences between the two have emerged. Amongst others, liberties were taken with the story of Harry's Firebolt, the first Boggart lesson with Lupin, and the Marauders map as well as the ruthless condensing of several Quidditch matches and Hogsmeade visits, and the subsequent discarding of detail. This has left a couple of plot legacies that will need to be dealt with in subsequent movies in order for the whole thing to make sense. The spirit too has taken a knock with the admittedly unavoidable substitution of Gambon for the late Richard Harris, but the change of director means that the feel of the movie has shifted away from the formula made successful by Columbus.
Whether the new director read the book beforehand or not I have no idea, but the movie looks like he didn't, and suffers for it. I was left with a real feeling that this was just another day at the office for all involved and none of the passion or humour of the book comes through. It's not helped by the gap between second and third installment which has left some of the principal 'child' actors unrecognisable. At school we aged over the year, but the relatively short summer break wasn't enough to make much difference, but with the movies being shot in a matter of weeks after a break of 18 months the opposite effect is noticed. I had to check on the IMDb to make sure that Longbottom was actually still being played by Matthew Harris. Other disappointments include Emma Thompson who is miscast as Trelawney, and Thewlis who was unconvincing as the unfortunately named Remus Lupin. Gambon as Dumbledore lacks the gravitas of Harris, but with four movies to go should grow into the part.
Having said all that the movie does gad along at pace, with the pick of the early scenes being the wild ride aboard the Knight Bus. The time shifting scene is handled competently if not brilliantly, and the Hippogriff (which I'm guessing was a real horse, with CGI head and wings added) was very convincing. A word about its intensity. My seven year old boy loved it, while my daughter, four, watched most of it through her fingers. Something to bear in mind when bringing the children.
Overall it scores a 7/10 and while a step down in class from the other movies is still watchable. It could have been better however and we can only hope that Mike Newell who is currently shooting 'Goblet of Fire' makes a better fist of it.