For Kids Only, Unfortunately

Rating: 1/10 (27 November 2001)

***SLIGHT SPOILERS*** As an adult, it didn't appeal to me in the least. The effects were poorly done, the giant plot leap in the middle ("lots of strange things are happening-- hey, I know! it's definitely because the creepy teacher guy wants the thing under the trap door under the three-headed dog") threw me completely out of the story. It's really a kids only movie, which disappointed me, because I'd been hearing such good things about it. And then at the end, Harry is sent back to his abusive adoptive parents. So much for changing one's situation.
And I know that they had to cut tremendous amounts of story in order to make it only 2 1/2 hours long (which was still way too long for this movie). After waiting in line outside the theater with tickets bought a week ahead of time, I must say I was truly disappointed. I'm even more saddened by the commercial success and the lunacy of die hard Harry Potter fans which will keep this sad and poorly-written movie in theaters much longer than it needs to be.
Some books should remain books.