A Cheery, if Inconsequential, Foray That Merely Scratches the Surface of Harry's World

Rating: 7/10 (8 July 2013)

Undoubtedly targeted at a very young audience, there's a certain degree of magic dancing around this picture that makes it easily-accessible to adults as well. Although my own childhood was long gone by the time this hit theaters, watching it today was like leaping back through time to an age filled with innocence and wonder. That effect does occasionally get lathered on a bit thick, but a speedy pace and densely populated realm are usually enough to compensate for such moments. JK Rowling's rich, sprawling, imaginative world is downright hypnotizing on the screen, loaded with treats and treasures, and it's tough to look away for even an instant. Although the CGI work is distractingly bad in a few instances (it very nearly ruins the Quidditch match), the child actors are average at best and there isn't much adversity to our heroes' hunt for the MacGuffin Stone, it's still a cheery, entertaining introduction to a universe that's positively buzzing with potential.