Great Movie for the whole family

Rating: 9/10 (26 July 2006)

Wands at the ready! Daniel Radcliffe takes up the role of mysterious boy wizard Harry Potter from J.K. Rowling's epic seven part fantasy series. Fans of all ages have been going crazy ever since they heard that Rowling's popular series was going to be transfigured, so to speak, into a film to be showed on movie screens around the world. Yet what makes this movie so unique is that it was not derived from a modern video game or television series, that the younger generation seems to enjoy, but from an ancient form of entertainment. A book! Just what is the magic that is held within those pages, that seemed to have hooked readers into its compelling storyline around the world? Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is filled with plenty of excitement. The screenplay is wonderfully interpreted from Rowling's complex storyline that introduces the Harry Potter realm; actors and actresses portray believable, memorable characters, and every scene is filled spectacular special effects. I find it only fair that this movie is truly a piece of magic itself.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the first in a compelling seven-story adventure where one night living with his aunt and uncle in a somewhat abused life, eleven-year-old Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) learns that he is a wizard and gets shipped off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to learn the art of magic. At his arrival he befriends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and the insufferable know it all Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), and of course there's the deadly enemy the main character always makes, Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton). Harry Potter is brought about many trials and cloisters in learning the art of magic with his many teachers like Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith) and "greasy git" Professor Snape (Alan Rickman), all while being praised highly by the greatest wizard in the world, Albus Dumbledore (Richard Harris) and taken under the large wing of the half-giant gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane). What makes this story more compelling is that Harry Potter himself is a hero, a hero for defeating a dark wizard by the name of Lord Voldemort (craftily done by computer generation). Now Lord Voldemort is after a precious stone that will make him immortal, and Harry and his friends are the only ones who can stop him.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, is filled with action packed scenes that have been digitally enhanced with the wonders of technology from a three-headed dog to a miniature dragon. Some of the best scenes include the Quidditch scene where Harry partakes in his first Quidditch match, the devil's snare scene where Harry, Ron and Hermione find themselves being choked by a plant, and finally the troll scene where Harry and Ron save Hermione from a ghastly looking, mold covered troll. These digital enhancements polish the gems of the movie perfectly and make them shine with outstanding brightness, for they really give the movie that magical aspect.
The setting is also another strong point found within the movie. Most of the places match the ones described in the book perfectly. They create such a vivid image in the mind, that it almost makes you think that it what you are seeing is real. The Hogwarts castle is depicted almost perfectly with it's towering roofs and warmly lit windows. The corridors are lit with torches and floating candles while the potions classroom looks dark and grimy. The grounds are beautiful, flourishing with a spring of magic. Every aspect was craftily done to make the movie as real to the book as possible.
The movie also has some shortcomings as well. For it being two and a half hours long, you figure they'd put the important parts in. However, this is not the case. Most of the time, the important parts that lead to the next event were cut out and rearranged to make the story better for a movie audience. In other aspects of the film, Harry is portrayed unrealistically as a boy wizard who defeated a dark lord at the age of six months is now the greatest wizard of all time? From the moment Harry enters Hogwarts he becomes a hero even though he didn't do anything. For most of Harry's life he didn't even know of his great feat against the dark lord, and within days at Hogwarts he is flaunting his unique lightning bolt scar like he knew that one day he would become a hero. He then takes on the responsibility of saving the entire school from dark powers without question. I'd expect that an eleven-year-old boy would be scared just like every other young kid who was threatened with death.
Even though the movie had both very strong points and it's shortcomings, it was still overall a great film. As the first of an epic seven part series, this movie ends with a happy ending, but a lot of questions unanswered. There can be both a good and bad side to this. Many fans can't stand the waiting for the next film to be produced in a year or so, but if you get them hooked enough, you can guarantee that they'll be back for the next one. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a movie made for family viewing. It depicts the life of a wizard and how he copes with being in a new world. It also firmly implies on the important lessons in courage and loyalty to those you care for.
As of now, there are total of six books and four Harry Potter movies, all of which have hit record amounts. Fans of J.K. Rowling's masterpiece are anxiously awaiting the closure of her series with the final book. I suggest until that happens, fans can occupy themselves with watching the magic of the Harry Potter films and the majestic moral themes they present.