Good, but I would rather be reading Book 5

Rating: Null/10 (30 May 2002)

Dear Ms. Rowling:
We did enjoy your movie, but I've been enjoying the books more. I have read each of your books 4 times, twice for myself and once for each of my 2 children. Every time I read book IV I craved book V more.
I know that making these movies takes a lot of your time, not to mention supervising all the toys, spinoffs, video games and so forth. But really someone else could do all these peripheral things later on. Only you can write books V-VII. What if something happens to you before you finish? Then we'll NEVER find out what really happens to Harry and someone who isn't half as good as you are will be writing stupid sequels that won't measure up to the originals at all and which won't be Harry's real story.
So, would you please stop all this multi-media stuff and get back to the old-fashioned books?
Thank you.
Anyway, as for my review:
We actually went on opening night. (It took me a while to write this up.) The kids did have to run out into the corridor a couple of times during the high suspense parts, but that's sort of par for the course for them. They're sensitive.
I liked the fact that the movie was pretty true to the book, though there were some changes.
The most basic thing was that you might spend quite a bit of time reading a description of something, but when you see a picture it takes almost no time at all. Therefore, when you see a new scene in the movie it seems quite a abrupt compared with the delightfully leisurely experience of reading the books.
** I'm not sure. Is the following a spoiler? **
There was one really disappointing thing for me. The book describes Voldemort as having a high, evil voice. That was always a challenge for me when reading to the kids: thinking about what a high, evil voice would sound like. I was hoping to hear a real actor attempt what I was trying to do when reading, but the Voldemort character in the movie has a low voice. Too bad. I will keep trying to read the books the way they say they're supposed to be read, though.
Another challenge for me when reading was to try to figure out what Hagrid's speech was supposed to sound like. He had some kind of strong accent in the books, but seeing as I'm not British I couldn't figure out what it was. Again, I was really looking forward to hearing what the accent would turn out to be when interpreted by a professional, but in the movie it sounded pretty bland. Oh, well, I couldn't really keep up a British accent reading a whole book anyway, though I think my husband did when he was reading parts. Maybe I should see the movie again and see whether I hear more of the accent.
In the movie, I was very intrigued by the face of the centaur, which was unusual. I always thought of centaurs as having human faces, but this one was a face that had horsey type features. Very creative, but his animation was disappointing. Just as in Episode I of Star Wars, the CG characters sometimes jerk too fast and disappear, so I felt frustrated trying to see them clearly. Now that I've seen Episode II of Star Wars, I know it can be better, so I hope it will be for the second Harry Potter movie, too.
In the books, Hermione's hair was described derogatorily. I feel especially insulted when I see this gorgeous little girl and her beautiful hair, with so much body. I have curly hair myself. WHAT IS WRONG WITH CURLY/WAVY HAIR?!! She looks great. Another thing about Hermione: it is an important part of book IV that Hermione was supposed to have crooked teeth. This girl's teeth look fine. What are they going to do about that, when the plot demands it? She'll suddenly get reverse orthodontia?

Another problem with the movie was Snape. In the book, he seems sinister and hateful. In the movie, he does not seem so, a bit tight-a---d, perhaps, but not at all threatening.
Anyway, despite all that, we were glad we saw it. The castle was suitably impressive. Harry was portrayed very nicely. The classes, dormitory spaces, and the Dursley's house all looked perfect. The Slytherins were very well done indeed. The Slytherin Quidditch team did look appropriately evil, sinister, and threatening, even though Snape did not. The pace moved along nicely.