Missing key elements

Rating: 7/10 (15 June 2004)

This is a good movie that Potter fans will enjoy but it is not up to the level of the previous two. Less time is spent with the adults and there is considerably less magic by everyone except Harry. Richard Harris' replacement seems lost in his role; is he wise or lost in the school? The answer isn't clear and I wasn't sure if I even wanted to spend the time seeking the answer. The plot line is razor thin and the climax is a mere bump in the storyline. Lots of surprises as to why the second week ticket sales drops so sharply. Funny thing was is that I wasn't surprised as all. One can only hope this movie is a segway to something greater else this series has run its course. One last note, you can tell how much everyone has grown up since the last movie. Unfortunately, many of the classmates are not present in the background. Mr. Longshaft was good in the first two movies but is both absent and not even mentioned in the third.