Maybe the ones enjoying it the most have read the books...

Rating: Null/10 (23 November 2001)

...but that certainly didn't stop my friends from enjoying it.
Sure, I had to explain a few things that doesn't come forward in the movie, but on the other hand, I am not sure how it could have been done and still keep the movie format.
The movie got it's weaknesses, but the biggest weakness is something all movies experience. It is impossible to make a movie true to a book that has so many important characters in it like Harry Potter has. And I think people seeing the movie will be disappointed that many characters in the books got their parts slimmed down to a minimum. Even Harry Potter himself seems almost like a supporting role, in their efforts to let as many characters as possible into the movie.
Despite it's length it only manages to give a person that has never read the books, a small glimpse of the world hiding between the book covers. In a world where TV, movies and multimedia takes up more and more of our time, it somehow feels good that it is that way. Hopefully it will inspire more people to actually read the book, and not only pick up the movie on their way home from school or work.
But, while the characters was slimmed down quite a bit, the set certainly wasn't. Arguably the most enjoyable part of the movie is the set, which is wonderful, and not overdone.
The highlight of the movie was without a doubt, the Quidditch game. I've enjoyed descriptions of the games played in the books, but as with all kind of sports, it's best medium is in moving pictures format. I just can't see enough of it, and I can't help but wonder what a movie like "Mighty Ducks", the icehockey movie about the underdog kid hockey team, would have been if the game was Quidditch, and not hockey.
In the end though, it is clear that the movie in itself is weak, and wouldn't be a guaranteed success without the books. However, if you look at the movie as a complement to the books, it is awesome, and it adds to the magic of Harry Potter. Instead of creating an alternative world, as I've seen other book-based movies do, this movie certainly expands the existing one.
This is a great family movie, a perfect getaway from reality for an afternoon or evening. I highly recommend it.