A faithful adaptation

Rating: 7/10 (17 August 2014)

I will always think fondly of this movie because it inspired me to pick up the first Harry Potter book and I've been a rabid fan ever since. I'm one of those book before movie people so I had to read the novel in order to go see this movie and I was pleased to see that it was such a faithful adaptation to Rowling's wonderful tale.
This movie did a wonderful job of capturing the wonder and awe of the first HP novel. Hogwarts was an especially lovely effect and when Harry first walks into the Great Hall and all the candles are floating overhead, I felt all the magic I felt when reading those words on the page. I think Columbus and crew captured the essence of the castle and somehow managed to create a visual of something so fantastical.
The casting of the movie was also extremely well done. I adore Maggie Smith as McGonagall and Richard Harris captures the mischievous and wise nature of Dumbledore. Perhaps best of all the adult casting is that of Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid. He looks exactly as I pictured the character but, more importantly, he captures Hagrid's rather childlike nature and the accent is wonderful. Coltrane doesn't just portray Hagrid, he is Hagrid.
I also thought the children were wonderfully cast. Daniel Radcliffe looks like Harry and I fought back tears when his earnest young face first looked into the Mirror of Erised. Rupert Grint looks just as I pictured Ron Weasley and Emma Watson is wonderfully bossy and a fantastic know-it-all as Hermione Granger. The casting of the Phelps brothers as the Weasley twins was absolutely brilliant and I think they were dead on in their interpretation of the lovable scoundrels.
Yet in spite of its fantastical nature, this film, like the book, feels as though it is something like our own reality. There are many wonderful things in Harry's world but it's not that different from our own. The same prejudices and the same human frailties that exist in our world exist in Harry's. Though being a wizard is pretty darn cool, it's not the answer to Harry's problems and the film makes clear that he has some difficult challenges ahead of him.
I think the central theme of this movie is one that is invaluable for both children and adults alike: that love is the most powerful magic that exists. Even with all the wand waving and fantastical creatures, it is love that is Harry's salvation.