a good film with lots to please the eye but still has its ups and downs

Rating: Null/10 (9 April 2007)

Imaginative, enchanting tale from the novel by J.K. Rowling about a beleaguered young boy who lives with his spoiled cousin and supercilious aunt and uncle. It's not until his eleventh birthday that he learns he's a wizard of unlimited potential, and is recruited to enroll at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where his late parents have a legacy. The teaching staff prepares him for big things, but he immediately learns that being a wizard is a much more than just fun and games. Engaging story creates a vivid world of magic, mysticism, and trickery, with effective performances from its predominantly young cast, but the script and story can't hold up to the impact of all the razzle-dazzle, and it goes on too long. There's plenty to take in, and lots of fun to be had, but the film is slow going at first, then fast-paced and exciting, then eventually slows down again as it nears its conclusion. **½