Only well understood, this movie can be truly enjoyed

Rating: Null/10 (19 April 2003)

So, another movie rushed on by. Sadly, even though it has a good concept and it adopts an original, good theme, rarely met on movies these days (because most of the movies these days promote violence one way or another), even though all this, this movie isn't so good understood by us, the watchers. If you don't understand a movie, how can you appreciate it? Thanks to the fact that I have read this book after which the movie was made, I understood the movie and this lead me to appreciate the movie by his high standards (good actors, original theme etc.). I'm glad however that the movie was very faithful to the book, because it is a good book indeed. Even though we all know that Harry Potter is actually the hero of a series of novels (children's books) the movie isn't so easy to be understand (it is not only a children's movie). That is why I highly recommend everyone to read the book before they see the movie (J.K. Rowling obviously knows her way with books and adventure, she's great!). Only understood, the movie can be truly enjoyed. It's a real pity if the movie isn't well understood. About the movie, what can I say? A little foggy, not too clear, that matters too, doesn't it? But for me, what matters most is not the picture itself (although this is very important, because that is what movies are all about), is the message that it is trying to promote and how it manages to do it. For start, I think that Daniel Radcliffe was very well picked because he looks just like the Harry Potter I imagined while reading the book. Rupert did too. And that was a pleasant surprise. The actors gave an impressive "act". I liked Richard Harris (Dumbledore), Maggie Smith (professor McGonagall), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid). Alan Rickman (professor Severus Snape), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) and of course, not to mention Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Rupert Grint (Ron) and Emma Watson (Hermione), the undoubtedly known trio of the movie... The movie's story is very attractive. Harry, an ordinary, orphan boy was living a miserable life with his uncles. One day (more precisely, on his 11th birthday, which no one bothered to remind) he discovers that he isn't so ordinary after all. He finds out he is actually a well-known wizard who had very powerful wizards as his parents. When he find out the truth about his past, Harry is invited to join Hogwarts, a wizard school. There he makes friends a funny boy, Ron and a smart Muggle-born girl, Hermione. And with Ron and Hermione by his side, Harry faces great dangers send by the evil Lord Voldemort who killed his parents and is now after to kill him, in search of a powerful stone that bring immortality. Interesting story, isn't it? We can however easily see that all the "action" spins around Harry who is the main character. My favorite parts of the movie were the Quidditch match, the giant chess board game, the Zoo were Harry went with the Dursleys and the discussions between Harry and Dumbledore. All these scenes were made and designed thru Chris Columbus's "wand". He did remarkably well as a director. I appreciate the fact that he respected the book, not interfering with his personal stamp and ideas which would have certainly spoil the movie. It was a tense and a relaxing movie altogether, not to mention, funny! I found myself laughing all the way. This movie let us -the ordinary Muggles- to see our Muggle world as it is thru wizard's eyes. That gave me something to think about. The movie and the book turned me in a real Harry Potter fan. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a good movie basically because, with its popularity among people's movie preferences, shows us that everyone -age doesn't matter- absolutely everyone wants a little adventure in his life, a little adventure and. magic!