An excellent, true-to-book film

Rating: 10/10 (19 November 2001)

When I read the first Harry Potter book six months ago, I felt that I was reading something very special. Indeed, an entire generation of children are growing up with something that is so wondrous and exciting, that it pales anything like it to date. This film captures the magic of the books beautifully. From John William's magical score, to the fast-paced Quidditch match, to the 4-star cast, this film IS Harry Potter, realized as best as humanly possible. The trio of child actors portraying Harry, Ron, and Hermoine have perfect chemistry. The supporting players, Maggie Smith, Richard Harris, Richard Griffiths, and especially Alan Rickman are perfect. The one casting that just blows my socks off is that of Robbie Coltrane playing the role of the giant Hagrid. Coltrane has fun with this role, making Hagrid a perfect mentor/guide for Harry Potter as he enters this new, magical world. Chris Columbus has done a terrific job creating this world, which could easily have been watered-down and lost in budget cuts. Excellent film.