A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!!!!!

Rating: 6/10 (7 June 2004)

WARNING CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!
My wife and I re-read POA before going to see the movie. We were both really disappointed.
I understand that for length reasons they would have to condense some things and leave out others, but...
There were a number of things that were not done right.
The special effects were really good. Most were very believable, especially Buckbeak.
They completely left out the parts about Harry, Hermione, and Ron helping Hagrid with the case of Buckbeak.
They completely left out Christmas. Instead Harry doesn't get the Firebolt until the very end of the film. They also left out the part at the beginning where Harry goes and sees the Firebolt in Diagon Alley. They left out the Quidditch final. Shall I continue?
They also added some things that were not even in the book. They added Harry seeing Peter Pettigrew on the map and going to find him in the school.
Overall this was so far off from the book it is crazy. If we did not read the book right before going to see the movie we probably would have enjoyed the movie more. Since we did it was a total distraction.
In summary things were left out, things were added, and things were re-arranged.
A very disappointing movie for any Harry Potter fan!