A Very Nice Effort

Rating: 10/10 (28 November 2002)

Okay, I never read the Harry Potter Books. I couldn't have cared less, but I have nieces and nephews and other children in my life who are from ages 7 to 12 who have. What I had to do was remember what it was like when I was that age, so long ago, and what "new" movies I had to entertain myself with.

So...I had "Oliver!", "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and "Chitty, Chitty, Bang! Bang!". Other than those, it was "R" rated films that I was more interested in. Why? For that is what interested me via what Hollywood made available. I was "too old" for those cutie Disney Animated cartoons of that time, and too young for the adult theme films that were being advertised which I DID want to see. This is why I like this film, it brings back the genre for children, the wonder, the fantasy in film just for them.
A nice effort production wise, with the casting, with the story. Children love fantasy, wonder, adventure, a character THEIR age doing and thinking like THEY would and...watching kids eat lots of "sweets". This Harry Potter film fit the bill.
For me as an adult, it was...nice. For children between 7 and 12, its fantastic. The special effects were neat, the story was engaging for them, but what I liked the best was the school itself. I thought that the classes and interactions of the children with each other were on their level. So it was at a Wizards school. Point is, it could be at ANY school. (or boarding school!)
In my surroundings, there have been a few adults/parents screaming about how this film and the school "Hogwarts" promotes kids to get into the black arts. I think that is so awful to think that, and I think it does not give children the benefit of the doubt. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is a nice little film about something a child/pre-teen has fun with. I actually compared it to the Disney film "Fantasia" and the scene of Mickey being the "Sorcerer's Apprentice". I watched that over and over as a 6 year old and trust me, I had no desire to get into "the black arts".
To me, this film is geared towards that audience that has been forgotten AND portrayed in the last 15 years, the 7 to 12 year olds. Yes, Disney had alot of animation that was marketed to that group of children, but its been quite sometime to make a long full length feature film of fantasy where children are the focus, and they are just...children. Reminds me of "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and "Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang"...fantasy films for the 7 to 12 year old to enjoy the movie going experience on their level, but NOT talking DOWN to them.
Children under 7 may be a bit scared at some parts and teens over 13 may not get into this film at all. But for the 7 to 12 year olds, this film is a nice one for them in the same vein as "Oliver!" and "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" was for me.