On the whole, a disappointing interpretation of a great book

Rating: 5/10 (16 December 2001)

A classic example of why you don't just 'act out the book' when interpreting a novel for the screen. The film, while it looked and felt right in terms of visualisation and tone, was a lifeless quick once-over of the plot, leaving those who hadn't read the book (friends I went with) thinking it was rather a lame story. A real shame and a poor advertisement for the book. None of the British wit and charm of the story was preserved, substitued instead for weak Hollywood laughs (3 kids screaming in unison, then turning 2 seconds later and running out of the room -gimme a break).
I beg the movie-gods to not let this film franchise last more than a couple more films. There is NO way the team responible for this film could hope to pull off The Goblet of Fire (book 4). I fear the series would degenerate into a B-movie joke which would seriously undermine the integrity of this fantastic series of books.
(PS. For a lesson in how a good book should be turned into a script, go see The Fellowship of The Ring.)